Stone Arch Bridge Area Trails (Westford Conservation Trust)
Hike Type: Out and Back w/ Loops
Distance: 2.43 miles
Elevation: 181 feet
My Time: 52 minutes
Book Time: 1 hour, 18 minutes
Parking: Limited parking at trailhead on Cold Spring Road.
Hiking Challenges: N/A
Hiking Challenges: N/A
The Hike
We are officially post-Labor Day Weekend, and my body was TIRED after hiking King Ravine! I decided to go for a flat pre-band hike around the Stone Arch Bridge area, without much of a plan.
My hike started with a slight bummer - apparently I intercepted the high school's cross-country practice. Once they cleared out, I hiked up and over the wonderuflly named Mt. Trashmore, joined the old railroad bed, and passed the cutest baby snapping turtle. I noticed the "Loop Trail" on the right near the Stone Arch Bridge, so I took it! The railroad bed ended at an old crossing, and the Loop Trail's upper terminus started on the right. The trail was sparsely blazed in yellow and passed a ton of robins and woodpeckers. I noticed a mix of paint and disc blazing with a few more recent-looking diamonds.
There were a few flies out, which was annoying. Also a large, seemingly random granite block? Fascinating back here! The trail made a hairpin turn at a diamond blaze and descended along the pond, which was looking mighty murky. The lower part of Loop Trail paralleled the pond, past what looked like a disassembled dock, and then rose to it's lower terminus back at the railroad bed. A nice detour!
On the way back, I did a loop through the Wildlife Sanctuary, which had minimal elevation change and some nice peek-a-views out into the meadow. It was too humid for me to go for any victory laps, so after I enjoyed looking at some large mushrooms, I started my walk back to the car and then BLASTED the air conditioning to cool and dry me off!
Step-by-Step
- From parking area, start hike on Tom Paul Trail (unblazed, wide trail).
- At jct., turn right to hike up and over Mt. Trashmore.
- At terminus, turn right onto Tom Paul Trail, now a rail trail.
- At terminus, turn right onto Loop Trail (yellow blazes).
- At terminus, turn left onto Tom Paul Trail.
- At second jct., turn right onto Russel Bird Sanctuary Trail.
- At terminus, turn right onto Tom Paul Trail.
- At jct., turn left and hike up and over Mt. Trashmore.
- At terminus, turn left and return to car.
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