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Hike of Douglas State ForestDouglas, MASunday September 18th, 2005 |
With 4,640 acres of woodland, Douglas State Forest's vast network of hiking and
nature trails covers a lot of ground. We began our hike at the Wallum Lake recreation
area near the southern end of the forest. When we arrived, the parking lot was packed
full of horses from a riding event earlier in the morning.
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After a short walk down to the lake, we began our hike on the Cedar Swamp trail...
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...climbing up and over a granite ledge before descending through
an evergreen grove into the depths of a dark cedar swamp.
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The swamp's floor was covered with ferns and mossy mounds.
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Much of the trail was along an elevated boardwalk which wound its way among the trees.
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We paused many times to study the eerie landscape, including this very large mushroom.
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After emerging from the cedar swamp, we followed the Coffeehouse Loop trail clockwise until it merged with the Midstate Trail (which runs from the Rhode Island Border to the New Hampshire Border).
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"Are we lost yet?" With maps and compass in hand, Paula, Betsy and Greg study a trail intersection carefully. A wrong turn would take us miles out of our way.
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We followed the Midstate Trail to the north as it split away from the Coffeehouse loop. It was now a wider wilderness road.
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Good horse sense? As we turned from the Midstate Trail onto the Streeter Trail, Trevor tries out one of the horse jumps still in place from the morning event.
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Light at the end of the tunnel: We pass beneath an evergreen canopy in a heavily shaded section of the Streeter Trail.
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Eventually, we merged back onto the second half of the Coffeehouse Loop; which brought us once again onto a narrow, winding trail. Climbing to the top of a stone embankment above the trail, Trevor, Hilary, Lingyan and Betsy pause to enjoy the tranquility of a small pond on the other side.
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The trail led us back to the parking area, by which time all of the horses were gone. We hopped in the van and headed home. |
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