Quieter Walks in South Central Massachusetts

I explored two wonderful wheelchair accessible trails yesterday - one in Palmer and one in Fiskdale/Sturbridge. Both are worth a visit in this time of social distancing as they are less well-known by the world at large. As town properties they are more locally used and in both locations I was by myself most of the time. Both trails were recently constructed with funding support from the DCR Recreation Trails Grant Program. If you live relatively local to them, consider a visit! If you go, please follow our state government guidance for visiting parks:

Stay Close to Home - Visit a Park Within Walking Distance or a Short Drive

Practice Social Distancing - Maintain 6 Feet of Space Between You and Other Visitors

Keep Hikes Simple, Easy and Safe to Avoid Injury - Don’t Take Risks 

Be Prepared - Bring Map, Phone and Water

Avoid Crowds and Group Recreation at All Times

Limit the Time of Your Visit - Keep it Short Avoid the Crowds

Visit During Less Busy Times - Early Mornings and Weekdays

Trash Cans are Not Available Take Trash Home - Dispose of Trash at Home

Wear a Face Mask or Face Covering When Outside of the House

Avoid Touching Shared Surfaces Practice Good Hygiene At All Times

The Universal Access Trail Loop in Palmer is located on First Street. It's an easy find off Route 181 west of downtown - a Shell Station is a good landmark for locating the turn. A sign says "Palmer Industrial Park" but don't be dissuaded as there is just one business there. Otherwise there is a parking lot off a circle large enough to accommodate 6-8 cars, with one spot designated for accessible parking. You'll have to navigate a slight downward grade towards a row of boulders at the entrance, with one 32" wide entry for wheelchair passage onto the 1/4 mile trail. Once on the trail it should be smooth traveling around a level loop alongside the Swift River.

The six foot wide trail is made of stone dust, well-corralled between side boards. Along the way you'll find 3 benches, one trash can, and a pavilion with a single extended picnic table for wheelchair use. It's a scenic spot along the forested riverside and I imagine it would be a nice place to feel cool in the heat of summer. The trail sits high above the water with no access to it. Caution and good supervision would definitely required for anyone with balance issues or small children as the trail comes close to rocky edges and drop offs. The river has a lively, gentle current and the sound of rushing water was noticeable at this time of year.

East of Palmer and about 2 miles off Route 20 is another wheelchair accessible trail at the Heins Conservation Area on Leadmine Mountain at 197 Leadmine Road. The Pond Loop Trail is a 3/4 mile loop that starts from a 12 car parking lot with 2 accessible parking spots. The hard-packed dirt/gravel trail is 5 feet wide with gentle terrain variations. It parallels Leadmine Road, then crosses it before you find the pond view. The second half of the trail follows a forested wetland and makes for nice birding, though there is just one open view of the pond near Leadmine Road. Click here for a map of this part of the Heins Conservation Area.

The whole loop has a solid well-built quality that fits naturally into the environment as a cart road. Caution should be exercised at the two crossings of paved road. The only place where a cross slope (side to side grade as you travel along the trail) was noticeable is where the trail first crosses Leadmine Road at the halfway point. At the end of the loop there is a 40"+ exit route around a gate, then you must cross over the road again to return to the parking lot. The road here presents a small "hill" as the center line is higher than the shoulders so exercise extra caution at the very end of the loop.

Neither of these locations feature restrooms. In both cases there is at least one additional trail starting from the parking lot and these may be suitable as gentle or moderate hikes, especially if  mobility limitations are minimal. Continue reading if you are looking for such an option.

In Palmer, the Swift River Greenbelt Trail continues further along the Swift River at the same elevation for 1.8 miles. Click here for a map. (The far right side of the trail illustration is the Universal Access Trail loop.) I did not walk further along the river, but other users have described it to be clean and user friendly online.

At the Heins Conservation Area, the Stafford Turnpike and Cabin Loop trails start on the opposite side of the road from the parking lot and offer up to 1.7 miles of moderate hiking, which may be challenging in places for people with mobility limitations. A 4-5' wide trail varies from gravel/hard-packed dirt to mown grass along field edges. A few spots have trickier grades and/or flat rocks or tree roots but generally these are a very small portion of the trail. Over 95% of the trail is without obstacles, which tend to be well below 2" in height (one exception shown here can be avoided). The ramble through the open fields area is well worth it!

This trail system would be suitable for walkers who need an easier hike than most typical hiking trails, but offers more challenging terrain than the Pond Loop Trail. A few of the more challenging spots are soon after the trail starts so you'll know quickly whether the hike would be appropriate. Further along, much of the trail is more easily navigable and you will find an abandoned cabin, beautiful field views with benches, and bluebird boxes. There is one higher outlook with a bench that requires a long walk uphill to attain, but the loop that it is on can be eliminated from the walk if you have the map with you and take a shortcut in the center of the field area where the trail comes closest together. Click here for more detailed info on these trails in the Heins Conservation Area.

A nice feature of the Leadmine trails is they offer regular trail markers that provide emergency info and a location number. I also really like that the field habitat offers relaxing views and is being managed to support birds that require successional field habitat. If you go, enjoy and stay safe!