New Accessible Trail with a View in Hubbardston, MA

Bench and view of Mt. Wachusett.

          I'm quite impressed with a newly constructed accessible trail that I learned about this summer. I was able to visit the 1-mile round trip trail while it was still under construction, then just revisited last week to experience the final results. If you live mid-state, especially in the northern tier, I highly recommend this hidden gem 15 minutes off Route 2. It will lead you gently and clearly to a lovely overlook with benches to enjoy a view of nearby Mt. Wachusett and a large glacial erratic known as "Dottie Rock".

Accessible parking spot at trailhead.

          The Dottie Rock Trail is located in the Malone Road Conservation Area. I find that putting Malone Road, Hubbardston, in my phone/GPS works well for driving directions, since the conservation area is at the end of the mile long road.

          Once there, you'll find an open circle where cars can park in a field near the forest edge. Park close to the trailhead if you wish to avoid shallow grooves in the lot. There are no bathrooms and no marked accessible parking, although there is a parking space meant for this purpose near the trailhead map. 

Trail Access Information sign and a fork in the trail.

          Incidentally I found out about this trail because the trail designer reached out to see if he could use our new trailhead signage design, so there is a Trail Access Information sign for those who appreciate the specs on the trail. The maximum grade is 10% for 15 feet. The most significant grades are at the very end in a last short ascent to the overlook.

          The trail is made of stone dust and crushed stones and is well laid on the landscape. Recent heavy rain has not harmed the trail surface in any way. There are two choices as you start, a more direct entry into the forest on the left and a meandering field path that passes a picnic table to the right before meeting up again with the main trail. The picnic table offers an open space for wheelchair access and is beautifully positioned to enjoy the open field at the wood's edge.

Trail meanders to picnic table at field and forest edge.

          After this, you pass an intriguing triple wide stone wall and wander easily through the woods, which offers a mix of pine and deciduous trees. One thing I really appreciated on a darkening November afternoon was the pale gray color of the trail surface, which was very easy to follow both visually and tactilely underfoot. Since a lot of leaves have fallen, I presume someone may be blowing the trail to keep the surface exposed.

The trail before you showing crushed stone
surface with a few oak leaves.

          On the trail I met a woman walking her dog, both wearing hunter orange vests. Be aware that people may be walking with unleashed dogs here and hunting is allowed in the conservation area. She is a local person who loves the new trail and her husband, who has a mobility impairment, has been able to reach and enjoy the view. Hunting season was not stopping her from hiking the trail two times to get her daily exercise!

             Overall, this is a high-quality trail in my view - one of the best I've seen. One navigational caution regarding the map to be aware of - the map does not distinguish which trail has the accessible surface treatment, which has been set onto trails of different names on the map. The newly accessible trail is called the Dottie Rock Trail, but on the map the Dottie Rock trail includes unimproved trail. Nonetheless, just follow the trail surface and you are assured of staying found.

New Trailhead Signage Helps Trail Access

A sign next to a trail at Harold Parker State Forest.

          The Massachusetts Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is introducing new trailhead signage on selected trails statewide this fall. Trails that are considered reasonably accessible for people using mobility devices will have Trail Access Information signs at the starting point. 

          Trail Access Information (TAI) signs follow U.S. Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines to provide a quick reference to the elements of the trail experience, such as length, slope, cross slope, trail width, surface, and obstacles. The new TAI signs should help people preview the trail to determine if they can or want to use the trail.

A portion of a TAI sign showing trail surface info.

          DCR's Universal Access Program developed TAI signs, as well as directional and trailside signage, to improve everyone's ability to locate designated trails in a park, understand and follow them successfully.         

Six icons show different trail surfaces.

   

Great News About Accessible Trails!

A group hike on the Noble View All Persons Trail.

Welcome to Everyone Outdoors again! It's time to resurrect this blog to keep everyone informed about new developments in accessible and adaptive recreation. More than ever, it is vital to get outdoors and refresh yourself in nature!

I'm Marcy Marchello, DCR's Universal Access Program Recreation Manager. I've been coordinating adaptive recreation in Massachusetts State Parks for almost 30 years. One of my special projects is accessible trails. In recent years I've been measuring trails for accessibility and developing a graphics and signage system to convey trail access information. More on that later. Here is some good news about accessible trails in Massachusetts:

Meet Abby and Discover Easterseals Massschusetts

      Big Thanks to Patrick Remy from Easterseals MA for this joyful story of success that highlights the personal transformation and benefits possible in adaptive recreation programs. Easterseals MA is offering their adaptive pool program this summer at DCR's Bennett Field Pool in Worcester. If you live in the Worcester area, don't miss out! Contact Patrick at premy@eastersealsma.org to sign up!

Abby's confidence grew so well she assists the swim program!

       Abby and her mother Michelle have shared an incredible bond since before she was born. While in utero Abby was diagnosed with Tuberous-sclerosis which has symptoms that include seizures, intellectual disability, developmental delay, and lung and kidney disease. Michelle has been Abby’s biggest advocate since the moment she learned of her diagnosis and Abby is quite attached to her mother.

Accessible Birding in Winter

Thank you Meghadeepa, for sharing your personal experience and recommended strategies for birding with disabilities in winter!  This article is reprinted with permission from Bird Observer, February 2023, Volume 53, Number 1, www.birdobserver.org 

Birding from the accessible gazebo at Longmeadow Flats.
Photograph by Steph Almasi.

Many folks are content limiting their birding to the abundance of spring. Seems like a smart decision. I live in small-town and rural Massachusetts, where the climate can create dangerous outdoor conditions for the six months that we split between Thanksgiving blizzards, actual winter, and faux spring. Tall snowbanks block crosswalks and views. Parking lots that are plowed on a somewhat predictable schedule are unpredictably left unsalted. Black ice surreptitiously creeps up on you when you least expect it. And even on the most popular “accessible” birding trails and bike paths, you must fend for yourself once frozen precipitation hits the ground. When you get out the door, the subzero temperatures and wind chill will surely turn your limbs into ice. And these are just the barriers that nondisabled birders experience in northern winters.

Parks with Canals Offer Best Access to First Day Hikes

Winter view along the towpath shows a frozen canal.

        A visit to Riverbend Farm in Uxbridge offers a unique opportunity to walk along a historical canal. I stopped there this week to check out accessibility of both the "towpath" and the exhibits at the Visitor Center. This location is on DCR's offerings of First Day Hikes on January 1, 2023. 

        First Day Hikes are especially worth mentioning since this national phenomenon first started at a DCR State Park in 1992. There are seven Massachusetts State Parks offering a First Day Hike for 2023. Of the seven, two parks have reasonably accessible trails, both along canals. The Great Falls Discovery Center, adjacent to the Canalside Rail Trail in Turners Falls near Greenfield, is offering a 3-mile excursion along the paved trail and Riverbend Farm has a 1.5-mile trek planned on its towpath. Both outings offer hot chocolate back at the Visitor Center afterwards. Hiking the full distance is probably not a hard and fast requirement to achieve the reward! 

Refresh Yourself with Adaptive Winter Recreation in Worcester and Beyond

A skater using with a walker.

        This week I stopped by Buffone Rink in Worcester to meet with the supervisor about our upcoming adaptive skating programs. While there, I treated myself to skating on the ice and found myself wonderfully refreshed afterwards. There is something magical about gliding in cool air - it clears the mind and refreshes the lungs - two things most of us could use during a season of so much time spent indoors.

        DCR's Universal Access Program is finally returning to Worcester since the pandemic started, to bring some winter fun opportunities to the area. We will be at Buffone Rink at 284 Lake Ave. on Mondays January 16, February 27 and March 20 from 1-3:30pm. Advance registration is required. Find more information at the end of this post.    

Mt. Tom Trailhead North Park Offers New Accessible Hiking Trail

      

The parking lot with Mt. Nonotuck distant.

         I broke out of office confinement on a sunny,  late November weekday afternoon to check out the new accessible trail at Mt. Tom Trailhead North Park in Easthampton. It was the right choice! Anticipating a relatively flat trail, I was surprised to find an accessible trail on a low mountain slope that climbs to a view.

        A 9-car parking lot at approximately 108 East Street is located at the foot of the western slope of Mt. Nonotuck. When I arrived, the lot was almost full, and once I parked it was full for cars not requiring one of the two accessible parking spaces. These spots were vacant. As I was getting ready to walk the recently constructed trail, a couple of cars came looking to park and left. Be aware that this Trailhead Park is a trailhead indeed, leading on to other hiking trails up the mountain. It's already a popular spot for hikers.

Unpaved Trails For All - More Equity Needed to Nature's Health Benefits

Unpaved trail in Keene, NH offers river views.

        I recently had the pleasure of meeting Meg Bandarra, of Unpaved Trails For All, an organization she started to promote accessible trails with less constructed elements to help people connect better with nature. Trails designed for mobility devices can often feel like a track laid down in nature, especially when entirely paved or designed with wood edges and boardwalks. We don't have enough accessible trails - whether paved or unpaved - and I too have a deep appreciation for trails that feel as natural as possible. As a person with a disability whose life was changed when she discovered unpaved trails designed for mobility devices, Meg is a perfect spokesperson for this cause.

How to Build Independence as a Brain-injured Hiker

Cindi turns back on the trail to talk.

        "I went to one of the programs and my whole world changed. It saved me. All of a sudden, I got my life back. I found out that I can. I found out that I can ride a bike. I found out that I can go kayaking again. I can have a life!" - Cindi Gazda, 2015

        Cindi Gazda has been participating in DCR's Universal Access Programs for many years. I first remember meeting her outside a skating rink in Holyoke during a program around ten years ago. She hadn't come to skate but to find out about other recreation possibilities. After that, we saw her in nearly every activity year-round throughout the following years, with hiking usually first choice. 

        Her acquired brain injury came from an unfortunate mosquito bite, infecting her with eastern equine encephalitis. Subsequent slips and falls have kept her challenged with memory, vestibular, and knee issues. Prior to her brain injury, she had been an avid hiker, kayaker, and spontaneous RV camper with four kids. Like many people, she "knew nothing about disabled sports" until after her injury.