#51-MANCHESTER-BY-THE-SEA

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA TRAILS

MECT ---MANCHESER ESSEX CONSERVATION TRUST


MANCHESTER TOWN WOODS

MANCHESTER TOWN WOODS TRAIL MAP






OWLS NEST WOODLAND AND NATURE PRESERVE

Owl’s Nest Woodland and Nature Preserve is a 23.5-acre wildlife refuge west of the homes along Walker Road. The terrain is rugged. The northerly end lies near the top of a hill at tops off 180 feet above sea level. Weathered granite outcroppings descend abruptly to a deep wooded swamp some 80 feet below. Just to the east of the swamp another rockbound hill rises to 140 feet.

From the summit, views of the sparkling, pristine wetlands below and the vast panorama of wooded slopes are breathtaking. Only faint signs of human activity are discernible. Along the southwestern horizon lie the distant outlines of the Marblehead water tower, and, on a clear, leafless day, Boston’s skyscrapers.


CLARA B WINTHROP NATURE PRESERVE

Clara B. Winthrop Nature Preserve is a 9-acre nature sanctuary. Its centerpiece is a small woodland pond, encircled each spring by wildflowers.

Access to the pond is via a gentle path off Forster Road. Parking beside the road is very limited.

WYMAN HILL/CHRISTIAN HILL CONSERVATION AREAS

Wyman Hill/Christian Hill/Conservation Areas are located northwest of the populated sections of Manchester. These woods include steep, rugged peaks and pocket wetlands. Quiet recreation and nature study is offered on more than 75 acres dedicated to conservation by the trust and the town.

MECT’s Hemlock Glen Trail is accessed from the east via a cart path south from Crooked Lane, and from the northwest, off Crooked Lane near Route 128. From the east, the trail climbs the edge of Great Hill, revealing mossy brooks, stonewalls, rocky outcrops, massive ledges, and seasonal wetlands. Pine, oak, and hemlock predominate.

A town trail runs north/south from Crooked Lane toward Forster Road.

Parking along Crooked Lane is limited.



WILDERNESS CONSERVATION AREA - MANCHESTER-ESSEX WOODS

The Wilderness Conservation Area consists of numerous parcels in the Manchester-Essex Woods under conservation protection by MECT, the Essex County Greenbelt Association, and the towns of Manchester and Essex.

Roughly 3,400 acres of contiguous woodlands join the two towns. The Woods are a truly beautiful, wild, and quiet place for walking, cross-country skiing, and nature appreciation. The terrain varies from cliffs and rocky outcrops to red maple swamps and pine, hemlock, and oak forests, interspersed with beech, maples, and wildflowers.

The Woods contain several historic sites. They also provide critical public health benefits by filtering rainwater that becomes public drinking water and by storing storm water during heavy rainfall events.

Because of large, unfragmented open space and undisturbed soils, the Woods also contain unusual plant and animal species. Scientific studies have documented the presence of rare animals and plants. The Natural Heritage Program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, The Nature Conservancy, and The Trustees of Reservation have long supported efforts to save the Woods.

MECT maintains many miles of trails in the Woods. All new members receive a full-color trail map.


MILLET'S BROOK RESERVATION

Millet’s Brook Reservation is a 13-acre wooded swamp that includes a narrow brook flowing north to Cedar Swamp. Wetland and floodplain wildlife and vegetation predominate, with evidence of beaver activity along the brook. The swamp abuts granite ledges on the west and the steep wooded slopes of the town’s Jack’s Hill Conservation Area on the east.

Access to the Reservation is gained by a narrow easement over private land on Old Essex Road. Several paths exist, but there is no marked trail. A few cars can park along Old Essex Road.


POWDER HOUSE HILL RESERVATION

Powder House Hill Reservation is a 53-acre largely town-owned park that affords easy strolls, picnicking, nature study, and a panorama of Manchester village and the harbor. The 1810 Powder House still stands. Lady’s slippers, tupelo trees, tall pines, and leafy shrubs abound. The Minnie B. Ball Nature Study area is behind Newport Park, the elderly housing complex on Pine Street. MECT owns a 9-acre parcel in the northwest corner of the Reservation that includes a vernal pool known to support amphibian life.

Access is possible from several points on surrounding public ways. Gentle trails lead up from Pine Street, Pleasant Street, and from behind the Scout House on School Street. Steeper trails rise from Friend Street and Elm Street. Four cars can park at the Pleasant street entry point.


DEXTER'S POND/LONG HILL

Dexter’s Pond and Long Hill abut one another, with markedly differing terrain.

Man-made and relatively shallow, Dexter’s Pond encompasses 5 acres. A town-owned conservation area, it is widely enjoyed for ice-skating in winter and nature study year-round. A gentle trail circles the pond, providing glimpses of wetland vegetation and wildlife. Great blue heron are known to frequent the pond; several bird species nest nearby, and many visit the pond in spring and fall migrations. The site is attractive for picnics.

Those seeking more exercise can hike the trail that circles nearby Long Hill on 113 acres preserved through conservation restriction. Trail entrances are located on either side of the road, just beyond the pond. A map on the bulletin board at the pond gives details. Please remember to stay on the trail, as the property is privately owned, and public access is limited to the trail.

The area is reached via Colburn Road, an offshoot from Forest Street. A parking area at the pond accommodates five or six cars.

HOOPER-TRASK PASTURE

Hooper-Trask Pasture consists of 23.5 acres atop a hill behind Kettle Cove. The former Pasture is now thinly forested. Home to woodland wildlife, and frequented by many migratory birds, it is a lovely setting for picnics, nature study, and quiet enjoyment. A short trail allows a circular exploration of the area.

The pasture is accessed via an historic cart path from Magnolia Avenue. The cart path also leads to a railroad bridge that abuts on the portion of Long Hill under conservation protection.







Though lacking interior trails, Owl’s Nest Woodland and Nature Preserve can be accessed via a north/south foot trail that originates on Crooked Lane and passes through conservation parcels owned by the trust and the town.