Mt. Toby via Tower Road & Robert Frost Trails (Mt. Toby State Demonstration Forest)
Hike Type: Loop
Distance: 4.79 miles
Elevation: 1,001 feet
Time: 1 hours, 48 minutes
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge, Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge, Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge
The Hike
This weekend's hikes brought me back to a place that's very dear to my heart - the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, where I spent all four of my college years. Gen's wedding was this weekend, and I had to be in Connecticut by the evening, so I decided to take the scenic route first out to Western Mass for some hiking before migrating south for the festivities. The first of two hikes was one I had done a few times before: Mt. Toby!
"Mt. Toby"
from https://www.umass.edu/environmental-conservation/research-extension/facilities/our-forest-properties/mt-toby
Department of Natural Resources Conservation at UMass-Amherst has responsibility for managing the 755-acre Mt. Toby Demonstration forest for teaching, research and demonstration. We also try to coordinate with recreational users of the Forest, as well as the Mass. DCR (who operate the fire tower at the summit), and other organizations. The Forest is topographically diverse. To the south are three hills, the highest being Mount Toby (1269 feet). Slopes are steep with small cliffs and ledges to the east and west. There is a deep valley between two of the hills – Roaring Mountain to the south and Ox Hill to the north – with a brook that drops in a waterfall near the eastern border of the Forest. Most, but not all of it, has been logged more than once, but some areas are so inaccessible that they were never logged. Today, UMass students and faculty use the forest for teaching, field exercises, and forestry research activities. Mount Toby is used heavily by the general public for a variety of recreational activities. These are allowed so long as they conform with the University Trustees guidelines for use of the Forest and do not interfere with teaching and research activities.
The drive was mostly in the dark, but absolutely stunning near the end. The valley was nearing peak foliage and it was nice to drive through some beautiful, familiar territory. I wiggled my way on winding roads to the parking area, that was larger than I remembered, but I assume that's just time playing tricks on me. I got started right away with a fleece on and had to immediately and URGENTLY christen the woods. Nothing like being back!
It was a beautiful, chilly 50 degrees with a breeze and many falling leaves as I hiked along the wide and easy-graded Tower Road, blazed in white. Trail junctions were marked with triangle signs that match the blazing color of the trail. There were a few BIG gusts of wind that sent leaves, needles, and acorns flying in each and every direction.
"Tower/Summit Road"
from Trailhead Kiosk
(Public, White Blazes, moderate to DIFFICULT, hiking, biking, xc skiing, bridle trail). This trail, commonly referred to as the Summit Rd, provides a direct route to the Mt. Toby Summit. It starts at the gate at Reservation Rd at the north end of Mt. Toby Reservation. The road climbs moderately crossing Roaring Brook several times before its markings change to Orange blazes of the RF Trl and then climbs steeply to the summit.
I decided to take this loop clockwise out of habit - I usually prefer to ascend the steeper side first, but it was admittedly nice to get a flat warm-up. The forest down low was a beautiful yellow-green, and once I hit the mile-ish mark the sun began to hit the treetops (and I officially took my fleece off).
The trail continued its meander, with occasional warm, humid patches of air. I enjoyed the peace and quiet of morning as I approached the trail to Roaring Falls - which was initially blazed in blue and then a herd path veered off to the falls, which were an invisible trickle. I steeply climbed back to meet Tower Road as it entered the Arnold D. Rhodes Natural Area (est. June 1974 - sign on rock).
The Roaring Brook was hardly even babbling as it criss-crossed with Tower Road, always through culverts. The trail begins to climb slightly more moderately, but nothing even close to steep. I eventually arrived at the, or what I thought to be the junction with the Robert Frost Trail. There was a sign for Tower Road and some "erased" blazes ("erased" meaning painted over with tree-colored brown). I was flirting on-and-off with adding Roaring Mountain for funsies, but the trail appeared to be either decimated or fully overgrown.
The junction with the Upper Link Trail was still present, and soon after I learned that the Robert Frost Trail was rerouted to coincide with the Robert Frost Bypass trail, and the trail was signed as both. I was able to learn the following from the Kestrel Land Trust:
"The original RFT route wound over the summit of Roaring Mountain. However, that trail has deteriorated, and the more popular RFT Bypass has been adopted as the formal RFT route. Keep an eye out for marked signs to follow the Bypass trail, a mostly level trail that curves around the base of Roaring Mountain. The Bypass reconnects with the original RFT route when it intersects with Tower Rd., where it joins Tower Rd. to climb north to the Mt. Toby summit. Here, fine views can be had from the fire tower, and picnic tables offer a place to have a snack."
Now coinciding with Tower Road, the Robert Frost Trail hit a miniature ridge with some very restricted, yet beautiful tree views. The ridge rounds the shoulder of the mountain and eventaully flattens out for a beautiful, longer-than-expected walking break, eventaully leading to the main summit area right as my watch pinged 3 miles!
"Robert Frost Trail/RF Trl/R Frost Trl"
from Trailhead Kiosk
(joint ownership, Orange blazes, moderate to DIFFICULT, varied uses). Approximately 5 miles of this popular 40-mile-long distance hiking trail passes through the Mt. Toby area and its summit.
The sun felt amazing as I climbed up the tower, but I quickly got cold as the wind blasted across the thin peices of connecting metal. I would guess gusts up to 25mph, based on lived experiences with my anemometer, which I unfortuantely left in my other pack. The tower itself was on the middle-tier of "sketchy fire towers," and the views were lovely in all directions - my favorite being of South and North Sugarloaf.
"Special Places and Information on Mt. Toby"
from Trailhead Kiosk
1. Summit: 1269' 775 acres owned and operated by UMASS. Can be reached from Reservation Rd parking via Tower Rd, Robert Frost Tril (some steep sections) or Summit Trail (very steep)/Robert Frost Trail to Sugar Farms Trail to N Mountain Rd to Summit Trail.
2. Fire Tower: From Reservation Rd parking take Tower Rd to top of Mt. Toby follow white blazes and White Trail signs. Yes, you can still climb the tower for awesome views! The towers first day of operation was on September 1, 1923. The original tower was 58' tall. This tower was destroyed in a hurricane in 1938. A 68' tower was erected in 1939, this tower was also destroyed by a hurricane in 1950. A replacement tower was erected in 1951. The tower sight was the sight of the Crow's Nest (a brothel) that was destroyed by a fire set by the women of Sunderland. 6 mile round trip.
I carefully descended the tower on its wooden steps and began my return trip, all along the Robert Frost Trail, which I don't think I've ever followed the whole way down before. Initially coinciding with the steep Telephone Line Trail, it veered off onto a recently-blazed footpath that descends via switchbacks (the signage here was very good, and labeled the RFT as "easiest way down"). The Robert Frost Trail and Telephone Line Trail alternated between coinciding and traveling nearly parallel (the RFT always the easier way), until they officially linked up a bit lower down, where it continued to steeply descend.
Eventually, the Robert Frost Trail branched off into some beautiful woods where acorns were violently falling from the wind above - I held my hands above my head for a bit as a makeshift helmet! The trail passed some really neat rocks near the junction with the Bridle Path, and soon enough I was making my final descent back to the parking area.
This was truly a lovely hike! It was so nice to be back in this beautiful part of the state, too. I enjoyed taking the loop in the direction I went and even though there were two more cars in the parking lot when I finished, I saw not a single human! After, I had a quick drive to Hadley to explore Mount Warner.
Step-by-Step
- Park at main parking area on Reservation Road.
- Start hike on white-blazed Tower Road.
- Follow blue-blazed spur and herd path to Roaring Falls (sign on left).
- Retract steps, continue along Tower Road.
- Robert Frost Trail (orange) joins Tower Road, continue to summit.
- From summit, follow Robert Frost Trail/Telephone Line (red) Trail down.
- Follow blazes, as RFT occasionally coincides and veers away from Telephone Line.
- Continue to follow Robert Frost Trail back to car.
No comments:
Post a Comment