Wildcat Hill (Ashland) - Bay Circuit Trail, Green Trail - 5-18-2025

Hiking Trail Conditions Report
	Peaks	Wildcat Hill (Ashland), MA

	Trails:	Bay Circuit Trail, Green Trail

	Date of Hike:	Sunday, May 18, 2025

	Parking/Access Road Notes:	I parked at what I believe was a mid-large sized dirt lot for Callahan State Park (no fee) on Edmands Rd just 0.2mi east of where the BCT crosses it near Gibbs Mtn. Maybe a half dozen other cars there around 10:30am and only a few there when I returned around 7pm I believe. Room for many more (over a dozen, maybe a couple dozen??).

	Surface Conditions:	Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant

	Recommended Equipment:

	Water Crossing Notes:	I don't recall anything significant.

	Trail Maintenance Notes:	The BCT is marked with small circles tacked to trees, telephone poles, etc. It is also sometimes marked with white plastic markers and these seemed to be much more present in this section of the BCT than others. Generally speaking, the trail is easy to follow and marked frequently enough, but, as is typical of the BCT, there will randomly be some sections without markings, usually along roads which was present here. In particular, it could be marked better along Bear Paw Trail where it goes through the field, where it leaves the Sudbury Reservoir, at the end of the Riverwalk, and where it enters abandoned Lamb Hill Rd, through the center of Ashland, around Barber Reservation and, most especially, through Wildwood Cemetery. Part of a broken blowdown close to Beebe Pond, then a very small but not delimbed stepover followed by a much larger but older blowdown with a path around it just a couple minutes later just before reaching Parmenter St. The Lamb's Hill Rd (an abandoned road) section needs to get worked on or rerouted not just because the entrance and exit are practically invisible but also because the road itself is very overgrown at this point and I think had a blowdown or two as well. An old, large, stepover that's at an awkward height (crawl under or try to straddle depending on your height I guess) around the Staples HQs, followed by another very large but easier stepover/straddler just a couple minutes later. The exit onto Oak St. here needs to be trimmed way back. A few smaller, easy blowdowns and a widowmaker toward the end of my hike (between Barber Reservation and Perry St.).

	Dog-Related Notes:	I think that leashed dogs are allowed everywhere along this route.

	Bugs:	Out but not completely horrible.

	Lost and Found:	None


	Comments:	Traverse of the rest of Section 11 (from where the trail crossed Edmands St for the second time by Gibbs Mtn 5.6mi in on), all of Section 12, and the first 3.3mi of Section 13 (to Perry St). I'd hiked the first part of Section 11 the night before. I also redlined the Green Trail described in Section 5 of the guidebook (whereas this section of the BCT is in Section 6) on pg 376 within the "White Trail" trail description in Ashland Town Forest. White Trail coincides with the BCT but Green Trail is mentioned as a 0.5mi loop. The trail system here as since changed though and the Green Trail, though in the same general location, is no longer a loop but an OAB connecting the BCT and goes over Wildcat Hill. 0.8mi one-way I think. There's a small section of what used to be the Green Trail that it no longer coincides with so I redlined this as well to say I did the current trail and the one described in the 11th edition. Though on the cooler side, this was actually kind of ideal weather for hiking. Highs in the 60s, mostly cloudy, windy to dry off any sweat, and only a few sprinkles :) I even stopped for pizza, mozz sticks, and some onion rings at "Pizza Mine" (weird name, good pizza, lol!). The trails were mostly dry but still had some major mud and wet areas. In particular, as the trail comes to Beebe Pond, there's a flooded section of trail. I managed to get through on the periphery with dry feet but if this as immediately after a big rain or in very high water, you might end up having to wade shin-knee deep I imagine. I mentioned a number of places where more markers could be used in the trail maintenance section above. Some more detail: stay on the left/south end of the field along Bear Paw Trail, at the end of the Sudbury Reservoir, make sure to bear left onto Clemmons St and not right to stay on the grassy road, at Lamb's Hill/231 Boston Rd as mentioned in the guidebook, the trail follows abandoned Lamb's Hill Rd whcih is totally obscured by junk placed by the I guess now abandoned business. Go behind trailers and the junk and push through considerable brush to find the trail. Trust me, it's there. There's a very sharp right hand turn partway up a hill along what Gaia shows as "Crossing Boulevard" that is very easy to miss but is shown on Gaia. The exit onto Oak St was totally brushed in so may be very hard to find going the opposite direction but I think it was marked. Some stretches through Ashland without markers for a bit. It's not clear which way the BCT takes you through Wildwood Cemetery so just head toward the back and look for markings into the woods (they're there). Similar to the stone wall situation yesterday, the trail goes into the woods on the west side of Western Ave by Barber Reservation but then becomes very overgrown with tall grass and you assume it goes back onto the road. I find the guidebook's description confusing here and it would seem to imply to stay totally off the road till it crosses to Stevens Ln but the markers seemed to indicate otherwise; idk, maybe I got this one wrong. Where the trail leaves Dexter Dr to enter equestrian fields, turn right and follow the edge of the field. Gaia had me at 23.5mi, 1225ft of gain, 8hr23min.

	Name:	Liam Cooney

	E-Mail:	liamcooney96@gmail.com

	Date Submitted:	2025-05-23

	Link:	https://
		Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense.