• Activities Prohibited
  • ATV's/ORV's
  • Snowmobiling
  • Facilities
  • None
  • Fees
  • No fee
  • Land Owner
  • Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
  • Parking
  • 8 cars
  • Pets
  • Pets OK
  • Recreation Activities
  • Hiking
  • x-country Skiing
  • Season
  • All Seasons
  • Signage
  • Trailhead sign
  • Trails marked

Hidden Valley Memorial Forest

Jerusalem Rd., Wendell, MA

Former research camp of botanist Dr. Arthur Cronquist features rock cliffs and diverse habitats. Trail system connects to M & M trail.

Description:

Hidden Valley was the vacation and research camp of Dr. Arthur Cronquist, who made immense contributions to the study of New England’s flora. Tucked within the larger Wendell State Forest, it is today a 66-acre gem with spectacular rock cliffs and a diverse forest. A spur trail to the left of a dedication plaque on a rock leads to the seasonal Lynne’s Falls, named for Cronquist’s daughter. A blue-blazed loop trail, for a while sharing the path of the white-blazed Metacomet-Monadnock (M&M) Trail, skirts Lyons Brooks and offers evidence of forest change caused by the 1938 hurricane, a 1980 outbreak of gypsy moths, and a 1998 selective timber cut. A 20-minute spur trail off this loop leads to Jerusalem Hill and its wonderful vista.

Directions:

Follow directions to Wendell State Forest. Then take main forest road and turn left onto Jerusalem Rd. Go 1/2 mile to dirt road on left marked "foot access only." Park and follow white blazes to Hidden Valley trailhead.

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Contact:

Mount Grace Land Conservation Trust
1461 Old Keene Rd.
Athol, MA 01331

Fax: (978) 248-2053
Email: landtrust@mountgrace.org
Web: www.mountgrace.org

 

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