Mt. Lincoln Fire Tower via Scarborough Brook (Scarborough Brook Conservation Area/New England Trail)
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop
Distance: 4.10 miles
Elevation: 646 feet
My Time: 1 hour, 28 minutes
Book Time: 2 hours, 22 minutes
Parking: Limited parking for ~3 cars at Scarborough Brook Conservation Area trailhead.
Hiking Challenges: Massachusetts Fire Tower Challenge 11/45, Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge
Hiking Challenges: Massachusetts Fire Tower Challenge 11/45, Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge
The Hike
I had a STUPID pretty drive from Mt. Grace to the Scarborough Brook Conservation Area - especially along US-202 in the Quabbin area. I made it to the trailhead at the Scarborough Brook Conservation Area in about 40-45 minutes, where there was room for at least three cars but the two cars (including a Tesla) there parked like dicks. I made a weird angled parking job off to the side, which seemed to work fine. It had warmed up to a balmy 50 degrees now, and off I went!
A trailhead kiosk read: "The 65 acres of conservation lands around Scarborough Brook are loved for two fishing ponds and the surrounding fields and forests, and a side trail leads to a shady brook. A section of the long-distance New England National Scenic Trail (NET) passes through, creating the eastern side of the loop trail, with a nice forest view from the land's high point. Used as the Palham Country Club between the 1930s and 1980s, the land provides a wildlife corridor for animals such as black bear, moose, deer, bobcat, turkey, and otter. In 2012, the Appalachian Mountain Club partnered with the Town to relocate the NET here, providing permanent protection to this trail section.
In 2007, the Scarborough Brook property was acquired for conservation through the cooperative efforts of the Town of Belchertown, Kestrel Land Trust, and the Massachusetts Division of Conservation Services, with support from many local contributors. It is owned and managed by the Town of Belchertown, while Kestrel holds a Conservation Restriction and supports trail maintenance."
I was chilly at the start of my hike, but I was too stubborn to put my fleece on. The trail starts on a beautiful meander over a bridge and two ponds, one featuring a broken swing, and a few spots to take a sit and enjoy the view. The foliage was reflecting beautifully in the ponds as an occasional cool breeze added ripples to the water. The shade was cold and the sun was warm - it was beautiful!
A side path led to another sitting spot at the upper pond's dam, and then the NET circled around the upper pond. I passed some purple flowers before heading into the woods - I think they were asters.
In the woods, the trail stayed flat as the trail crossed an absolutely enormous pine that had five different trunks - it reminded me of a Hydra. I forgot to start my watch until 0.3 miles, tragically. The trail began to rise, which I was thankful for because I needed to warm up. I passed a junction with another path (I guess the loop?) as the trail leveled out. I missed it out here - it's so beautiful!
The New England Trail turned left at some private property, featuring an old trailer in the woods and a chicken coop, joining an old woods road. I then passed a tall garage sheltering a couple RV's and meandered between people's wooded back yards - it was a little spooky back here, but the blazing was clear. I enjoyed the old stone walls, and was perplexed by the smell of old cigarettes in the woods. Thankfully, this section was short, and I was soon crossing Plackardville Road.
The road crossing was easy, and this marked Section 11 of the NET: Plackardville Rd to Shutesbury Rd (5.2 miles). The woods here were flat, open, and filled with ferns - beautiful! I really enjoyed the ramble through these woods. I passed some puffball mushrooms that looked like moose poop and eventually crossed paths with a human! She was coming out of the woods - either an interesting bushwhack or she was taking care of some business... either way, she had a full pack on and was not overly friendy.
I noticed a Metacomet-Monadnock Trail marker (I wish I could find more info on the M+M Trail - have they fully abandoned calling it that since the NET took over?) as the trail steadily climbed up. I took off my gloves near the top, passed a duo with their dog, and then I was there!
The "summit" area was intersting. It featured a medium-large clearing with the fire tower, a communication tower, and a few buildings that were making silly sounds. The tower had two signs at least 20 feet up saying "no trespassing" and "area closed," but the stairs of the tower were not blocked off? I feel like if they didn't want people to climb it, they would have at least put a little rope up?? Fine, I won't climb it. I'm not happy about it, though!
I noticed over to the side a red structure made of bars - like a mini-communication tower. On it read a sign "WITNESS POST PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB NEARBY SURVEY MARKER FOR INFORMATION WRITE TO THE DIRECTOR NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20230" - naturally I started poking around, and then I found a disc! That was a fun find. An arrow disc from 1832.
I took a quick lap around the summit area and decided to slightly extend my hike - I kept hiking along the NET, now descending along one of the towers access roads (this looked like the main one, while one from another direction seemed less maintained?). The blazing was super clear as I followed the road down before turning right back into the woods. The woods were lovely and passed a mini, wooded blowdown patch. I noticed I was paralleling a Cowls property marking and old road, too.
I saw on AllTrails I could make a mini lollipop loop by turning left onto Tower Road, so that's just what I did. Tower Road was a beautiful woods road that does not seem to get much, if any automobile traffic. This road was quintessential New England Autumn, and I was THRILLED to be on it! Eventually, it crossed an open gate and turned left back onto the well-graded road to the top.
I made a quick detour, though. At the gate, I noticed an old stone foundation of sorts on the sharp left - I walked over, and it was an old cemetary with semi-recent American flags.
On findagrave.com I found: "The Johnson Family Burial Place, also known as Ruben Allen Cemetery, is located on the west slope of Mt. Lincoln and was originally a family burial place. Burial was refused in the public burial places when a daughter's child died of what was thought to be small pox. Mr. Johnson buried his grandchild upon this plot of land near his home. A few square rods of land was walled in and about twenty burials of his family and relatives have been made within this enclosure." The same website details that the graves range from 1853-1904, which was super interesting.
Now I continued up the road back to the summit. The grade was nice and easy most of the time, and I couldn't stop thinking of the tower... I passed a few old/current/semi functional shacks with antennas (some attached, some fallen) as I climbed up. Near the top, the grade picked up as the road made a sweeping right turn, and soon I was back on the NET and back at the top! I decided to be good and NOT climb to the top of the tower, but I wasn't happy about it!
I hiked pack into the woods, which were marked by an NET plackard. The footing on the initial descent was rather unpleasant to hike down, and I crossed paths with a guy in the wonderful flat, ferny stretch. I love fall!!
I missed an old cellar hole just before Plackardville Road, and then I crossed the road to continue my return trip. I passed the spooky backyards and started to get a little sleepy as I started to wrap up. I was running a couple hours ahead of schedule, so I started to think about where my next stop would be - I landed on one more fire tower in Agawam!
I hiked past a 2" long giant, green bug on THE giant pine (the "common true katydid") and broke out of the woods to the beautiful, sunny meadow. I passed the ponds, the broken swing, and hiked over the bridge back to my car.
I had another 40-45 minute drive to Agawam, which was perfect! Even better, I found gas for $3.99 on the way!!!
Step-by-Step
- Start hike on New England Trail.
- Summit Mt. Lincoln, continue on New England Trail
- At jct. with Wooded, dirt Tower Road, turn left.
- At jct. with tower access road, turn left.
- Rejoin New England Trail and follow over summit and back to car.
Photo Album
