Three miles of out-and-back hiking trails in Worthington are now open to the public on Hilltown Land Trust’s Conwell property. The trails traverse 70 acres of forestland along Route 112, and go by a small pond and the top of Eagle Nest Ridge.
The parking area is on adjacent MassWildlife land and will also serve as parking for those accessing the Hiram H. Fox Wildlife Management Area.
In addition to sharing a parking area, we are partnering with MassWildlife to purchase a property to the north that will allow us to expand our trails and will connect parcels of forest land to provide larger corridors for wildlife.
A wildlife tracking study conducted by The Nature Conservancy determined that the Conwell property is an active wildlife crossing for mink, red fox, and other species moving between the Jackson Brook area to the east and MassWildlife’s Hiram Fox Wildlife Management Area to the west.
The land was donated to the land trust in 2017 by former owners Cynthia and Peter Cook. Volunteers helped create a trail spur that connects the existing trail system on the land to the new parking lot.
Our volunteers and neighbors were crucial in getting these trails open to the public. From constructing and installing the kiosk, to building and blazing the trails, to helping hang signs to orient visitors, they helped make this a place where people can enjoy going for a hike.
Visit the Conwell property page on our website to download a map, get directions, and learn more about the property. If you would like to volunteer for upcoming trail work days, sign up on our website!