Indonesian Digital News Archive: Hikes Under One Mile

Articles by "Hikes Under One Mile"

Laurel Loop Trail at the Notch, Amherst, MA

This is one of my very favorite hikes with the kids because it's super short (.75 miles), it's a loop, so there is no whining about turning around, the trail is well kept, it's right near the Eric Carle Museum and Atkins, and if you worry about being isolated, you don't have to worry much here.

If you are hiking with a small toddler who is barely able to walk the full length, I recommend heading to the right hand side (when the Visitor Center is at your back) to start (going counter clockwise). This is the steepest part of the trail, so if you end up going clockwise you will face a steep hill when the children are the most tired.

After a rain, you'll find every color of fungus on this trail. It is lovely in all seasons, and buggy in most seasons - you really need some serious bug spray here, the poisonous stuff. I have found that the bug repellent wipes are really handy, especially for little ones who can't hold their breath and shut their eyes while you are spraying them.

Ecotarium, Worcester, MA (Update)

Our recent visit (June 2009) was a lot of fun. I found that exhibits had been changed/renewed since our last visit, sometime in the midwinter of 2008-2009.

We got to see the polar bear. The tree canopy was still not open. The person I spoke with said that there are pretty strict weight and height limits so my kids might not be eligible to do that yet anyways. We'll be back there soon - after several visits I am even more convinced of it's lasting interest. The boys played on the pirate ship in the toddler area for a good 45 minutes, a feature that had barely caught their eyes previously. There are plenty of corners to discover here.

Original Post:
We are very happy to have discovered the Ecotarium. Our admission is free with our membership pass to the Springfield Museums. After gaining admission at the front gate, the parking is free.

The museum itself is an interesting building with an eclectic array of exhibits. You'll enter at the top level, right by the gift shop. The shop is nice and they do have some smaller items. When we get our kids a treat we tend to want to spend $1 or so.

Walk down a curved staircase to the second level. More animal stuff, some dino stuff, a presentation area - on our first visit we saw an excellent owl presentation.

On the ground floor, there are live animals in the aquarium/terrarium area, lots of fun weather related exhibits. My husband's favorite feature is a tidal pool camera; by turning a dial you can watch hours of sea activity in mere moments. It is really cool to see the starfish and sea urchins moving in time lapse.

From the ground floor you exit to the grounds. This is the reason that the compound is such a wonderful destination. There are more animals in small, self contained buildings and environments throughout the grounds. We haven't seen the polar bear (!) but it has been fun to explore the trails.

The playground is fine - the rope ladder is an interesting feature & the sandbox is large.

There is a train - tickets are several dollars. We haven't gone yet.

The snack bar that is open only a few hours a day, so bring your food.

Ecotarium

Viewing Tower, Quabbin, Ware, MA

Update: Tower was still closed on July 4, 2009.

Original Post:

On our recent visit we learned that the tower is closed for renovations, with an expected re-opening date of June 30, 2009. The views pictured above are from the base of the lookout tower.

The vista from the top is of some of the many Quabbin islands - hilltops that have become hummocks on the water. It's often misty, and always very beautiful. Think Avalon.

A large parking lot is surrounded by a circular drive. Picnic spots are dotted along the edge, where scenery is the most lovely.

The walkway leading to the tower is short, and paved, so you could potentially take your stroller. There are also a number of trails leading from this spot. Several years ago we walked around the area quite a bit and found the paths difficult to navigate - if memory serves, we had a barely toddling little guy who couldn't keep his footing on the roots and rocks. We are looking forward to exploring this area again, this time with our baby in a backpack.

Quabbin (DCR site)

Winsor Dam (my post)

Quabbin Hike (my post)

Quabbin Fishing Area (my post)

Mt. Sugarloaf, Sunderland, MA

In the words of my children, "this definitely looks like a hiking zone." We parked way up at the top, so the only hiking we did was up the stairs of the observation tower. There are a number of beautiful picnic spots, including a large pavillion with tables beneath.
The summit is very parklike, and the kids had a great time romping around, inspecting bugs and rocks. The view made an initial impression on them, but they quickly forgot about it. My oldest, at 4, spent the longest time admiring the view, noticing that the cars were very small, and lo and behold, the road was small too. The observation tower was alluring as a castle hosting one red dragon and one blue prince.
Take 116 all the way through Sunderland and into Deerfield (over the blue bridge). A couple of intersections later turn right; immediately start looking for the brown DCR sign on your right hand side. The road to the summit has at least one secondary parking area that I noticed, perhaps there are more. There is a $2 parking fee.

Mt. Sugarloaf

Mt. Pollux, Amherst, MA

Update: How to Find It

OK. A couple of things. There are two roads, easily confused. One is called Mt Pollux and is NOT the street that leads to the parking area - it's a dead end and signed as such. If you were coming from South Amherst Common you would pass it first and continue 3/10 of a mile down the road to Mt. Pollux itself. Coming from Bay road, if you see the dead end you've already passed the entrance. Adjacent to the drive up to the parking area is a yellow house with a red metal roof. The street looks like it could be the driveway to this house, but of course keeps going. If you have not reached the parking area in about 20 seconds you are on the wrong street. There is only room for one car and tall grasses line the road and mid summer almost choke it.
Hope that helps!

Original Post:
Just off SouthEast St. in Amherst is a small road leading up a hill to a parking area with half a dozen spots. Leading up the hill is a path through a meadow (home to small yellow butterflies in number). At the top of the hill you have a 360 degree view of trees, mountains, and steeples. Several enormous shade trees and a few benches make this a divine picnic spot.

The Amateur Astronomers Association meets here.

Also,
Paneurhythmy - Meditative movement set to sacred music every Saturday, Sunday and holiday at 8 a.m., Mt. Pollux, South East St., Amherst. Free. 253-0628 or 549-1112.

Cold Spring School Conservation Area, Belchertown, MA

J.A. Skinner State Park, South Hadley, MA

You may hike up this mountain from the bottom or from a midway point. I recommend driving up to the top parking area, which is next to the Summit House. This costs $2.
Climbing up the wooden stairs to the wraparound deck, you'll see beautiful views all around. Sturdy railings which are tall enough for me to lean my elbows on. However, my stomach has turned more than once as my kids carelessly flung themselves at it.
Inside the house (Which is open only on weekends and holidays from Memorial Day until mid-October) are some rooms decorated with period antiques and style, and various items that represent the history of this building.
A path leads through some picnic areas and to several lookout points along the ridge. Huge boulders are fun to climb for the kids. One particular rock pile boasts an official summit marker.

J.A. Skinner State Park

Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hills, CT

In the late 60s, during excavation of a construction site, one worker noticed some dinosaur tracks in the rock. Turns out, this area is home to one of the best preserved sections of prehistoric footprints in North America. A large geodome was erected directly over the fossilized bedrock. The exhibits inside the museum were not very fascinating, but adequate. The largest exhibit features an indoor bridge across a dinosaur scene which incorporates models, wall murals, and sounds. The track exhibit explains how the fossils are formed and other relevant information. Several dioramas set into the walls show the terrain in various eras. The activity area was very well equipped with art supplies, lots of dino toys, puzzles, models, live lizards, books, etc.

The real prize of this museum is the network of trails outside. The woodland has been cultivated with Jurassic species so that it more closely resembles the terrain where Coelephysis roamed.

There is plenty of free parking.

The restrooms were not memorable - adequate.

There is no food for sale here, but indoor and outdoor dining areas are provided.

Dinosaur State Park

Public Parks in Rocky Hill

Rocky Hill Ferry

Notch Visitor Center, Amherst, MA

First, you'll find ample and convenient parking at the bottom of a long stairway. At the top you may head directly to the trail or into the Visitor Center. I have mixed feelings about this place. One thing that helps is when it's actually open- you can't count on it. The restrooms are functional at best, but several times they didn't even pass that test. When the main area is open to the public, it is a fun place to spend about 20 minutes with the kids. They have many bird specimens, and even a dinosaur footprint. The staff, when there, are friendly.
During the summer, Ranger Rich offers a WONDERFUL program on Saturday mornings. Each week has a theme which encompasses a story, an art project, and hands-on nature work, such as finding a pill bug and examining it under a magnifying glass, or taking a walk to discover birds' nests.
My favorite thing to do here is walk a short trail with the kids. At .75 miles, even a two year old can handle this hike. It is a short loop- no arguments about when to turn around, and the blazes are close together and easy to follow - good for teaching your kids about following them.

Bramble Hill Farm, Amherst, MA

This is an educational farm with many buildings on a rolling landscape. The buildings, land, and animals are well cared for. We've always accessed the property via the Larch Hill Trails by the Hitchcock Center, but there's an entrance by car off of 116.

From the Bramble Hill Farm Website:

The Farm shares a border with The Hitchcock Center (an Environmental Education Center) and the Common School ( a private K – 6 elementary school with a curriculum based on “in-depth studies and experiential learning”). Amherst College maintains several hundred acres of pasture land across Rt. 116 from the Farm, and the Town Conservation Commission maintains land along another Border. In 2004 the Larch Hill Collaborative was formed, with Bramble Hill Farm at the center, to bring these entities together into a working group around shared concerns for the sustainability of the land and the ecosystems which form the core of all of our individual work. The Farm welcomes projects and classes from The Hitchcock Center, The Common School, and other groups interested in learning about and creating from its’ diverse resources.

Bramble Hill Farm

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