Swift River Reservation hike

Petersham, MA

Sunday October 16th, 2005

Thanks to the runoff from a heavy autumn rainstorm a day earlier, the Swift River definitely lived up to it's name during our visit.

We hiked down to the river through the Nichewaug tract; the largest of the three tracts of land which compose the Swift River Reservation.

Our trail then paralleled the river for a good distance. Foot bridges helped us across the wet sections.

Downstream the rapids dissipated and the river's flow was not as turbulent.

It's a bird... It's a plane... Its... Mark, recovering his balance after narrowly sidestepping hidden puddles in the middle of the trail. We encountered many of them as we left the river and climbed a long hill.

Reaching the top of the hill, Christian, Hannah, Sophie and Mark stop to rest.

A short distance later we were all admiring the view at a nice, east-facing vista.

This was our view from a west-facing vista in the Davis Tract, which we explored after finishing the Nichewaug tract. While climbing toward this vista, a flock of wild turkeys flew off as we approached.

Nearby, Sophie, Christian and Mark celebrate their conquest of a large split boulder.

All of us, ready to head home.

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