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Bay Circuit Trail , -- Ashland/Sherborn MA

splat

Nam I am
The Bay circuit trail is a trail that is suppose to go all the way around Boston . I have ridden on various parts, I have been wanting to check out this area and see what kind of trails there are. this will require some more investigation.

the trail head is about 10 miles form my house , so I got on my Bike and decided to ride there .

on my way there going past the Holliston Police station I felt the need to take a picure of something unique




got to the trail head and away I go . it was like this for almost a mile I'm not sure if it is some pipe line or something .



as I was going alone this trail there was some serious swamp on Both sides of me , lots of bug and it smelled Bad!!
here is a little panorama of the swamp



I went along the trail, it became single track and there were several off shots. I will have to come back later to explore those when I have more time . I was going alone and all of a sudden this a RR yard ! there is a trail marker on the other side I could see it . so I hoofed over 11 sets of Tracks



The trail on this side of the tracks was much swampier. as I came up to this 3 deer fled in a hurry . I walked around this , and I thought it looked odd the way the brush was there on the edge. But did not think much about it till a little later



going down the trail it was just on the border of the water and dry land, but I was able to keep going.

Some one was trying to stop me !



then I came to this Beaver Dam! this dam is what was creating the swamp. on the left side it is about 6 -8 feet down . I walked across the top of it to the other side to see if the trail was rideable . it was not. some C4 or a stick of dynamite could do wonders for this trail



So I went back a little to wear I saw a side trail I could take . it dumped me out on a rail bed. well either head back or down the tracks. so Down the tracks I went , I was mighty glad I did not take the hard tail



after taking the tracks for what seamed forever. I found this ! I was might glad to be off of the tracks .




Well in there were several trails that cut off of this one, and I kept going in the direction I need to go to get back to the bay circuit trail, unfortunatly I ran into the swampo agin, so I took a different trail and I was going nicley when I saw a house , and some one out in there garden! With a GUN !! it was a 22 rifle , and the guy was very nice , Told me don't think anything of the gun, he was after a wood chuck I told him I was a little bit lost . he told me go through his yard , onto the road , go left up the hill about 1/4 mile and there is a trail head there I can rejoin. He also had a few choice words about the lovely beaver .

so Back on to the trail under some power lines it came to a split I stayed right and went around this large rock , on the other side I saw what the line was if I went left. That could be interesting .



then the trail went back into the woods . and this was huge ! the picture does not do it justice.



and this trail was well groomed and maintaind, and very fast!!




then back out onto the power lines for this lovely decent ! Man that was loose . I almost lost it at the bottom.



But then I came to a road . and I had some time constraints so I had to take the road home. ahh but it was fun!!

EDIT: One pic was missing
 

Other

Chimp
Jul 8, 2007
5
0
I'm going out today in the same area, I think. Did you pick up the trailhead in Sherborn?
 

Other

Chimp
Jul 8, 2007
5
0
That's exactly the path I rode today. Started along 126, through the woods to some powerlines, across some cool little pastures, across Western Ave, then went to the BrushHill reservation, then through Sherborn Town Forest, then across 27, then more confusing miscellaneous woods , then eventually ended up Rocky Narrows Reservation (one of my favorite local riding spots).

There was a lot of scrambling around looking for trail entrances along roads, like you said, and some of the trials were pretty busted up, but it was a really good trip.
 

splat

Nam I am
That's exactly the path I rode today. Started along 126, through the woods to some powerlines, across some cool little pastures, across Western Ave, then went to the BrushHill reservation, then through Sherborn Town Forest, then across 27, then more confusing miscellaneous woods , then eventually ended up Rocky Narrows Reservation (one of my favorite local riding spots).

There was a lot of scrambling around looking for trail entrances along roads, like you said, and some of the trials were pretty busted up, but it was a really good trip.
I've never ridden rocky narrows , its good ? I've gone past it a Bunch of times saying I needed to check it out . , so then the Beaver dam is gone then ? It was between the rail yard and the power lines .
 

splat

Nam I am
I wouldn't mind doing a little exploiring one day. Maybe Point to Point with some shuttling?

Here's some more info:

Sherborn section map:
http://www.baycircuit.org/MAP9.pdf

Bay Circuit organization website:
http://www.baycircuit.org/
Dave , I'd like to do that too. but start a little farther up on Map 8 by the Mass Pike ( right near where I work. ) goingthrough Ashland Town forest is worth it. and I'd like to make it down to Medfield. one thing we would have to watch out for is Bikes are not allowed on all parts , in particular on Map 8 , the part by the Sudbury Reseviour and Nobscot is no bikes.

Other are bike allowed on all parts down to Rocky Narrows ?
 

skinny mike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 24, 2005
6,415
0
Other are bike allowed on all parts down to Rocky Narrows ?
i can check on what parts of the bay circuit trail don't allow bikes for you sometime this week. my boss is actually the chairman of the bay circuit alliance so i should be able to dig that info up fairly easily.
 

berkshire_rider

Growler
Feb 5, 2003
2,552
10
The Blackstone Valley
Dave , I'd like to do that too. but start a little farther up on Map 8 by the Mass Pike ( right near where I work. ) goingthrough Ashland Town forest is worth it. and I'd like to make it down to Medfield. one thing we would have to watch out for is Bikes are not allowed on all parts , in particular on Map 8 , the part by the Sudbury Reseviour and Nobscot is no bikes.

Other are bike allowed on all parts down to Rocky Narrows ?
Want to ride at Ashland Town Forest Wednesday or Friday after work? I've never been there.
 

Other

Chimp
Jul 8, 2007
5
0
As far I can tell, yes, there no off-limit areas in Rocky Narrows. The site isn't huge or containing any extreme rock gardens or anything, it's just fastfastfast with some nice little hill climbs and a section that shoots right along the Narrows Ridge that I particularly enjoy. There's also great views along the Charles and King Phillip's overlook is also on the trails, which is beautiful hilltop vista of the surrounding Sherborn landscape.

The best spot in the area, for me, is Noon Hill in Medfield(also along the Bay Circuit, oddly enough). Again, not overly rocky or technical, just sweeping fast and windy, rolling singletracks all over the place. Again, another great view on the summit, too.
 

Other

Chimp
Jul 8, 2007
5
0
Oh, and I'm a restaurant guy, and free most times during the day, and Sunday nights if any one wants to do any riding around deez here parts. Every once in a while I'll have an off week with my volleyball league, and could go out Monday or Tuesday night, too.