You Are Here: Joe English Reservation Part II

My plans changed for this weekend and I felt like taking a big long walk in the woods.. so I headed back to Joe English Reservation to try and finish up as much as possible in this park. We had a pretty decent rainstorm yesterday so I was concerned many other places would be super wet and muddy. Based on my experience at Joe English last weekend, I felt confident the trails would be in decent shape today. I wasn't wrong. There was a little mud, but it was all avoidable and I was thrilled to be able to wear my sneakers without any sort of traction, for the first time in a while! It felt so light, like I was floating on the trails. I parked at the Peabody Environmental Center on Brook Road and headed out on Hammond Brook Trail. This trail followed Hammond Brook for much of the way with informational plaques. It was very pretty and the rain yesterday had the brook flowing strongly with several areas of small cascades. I followed it all the way to the end, then turned onto Eagle Trail, then Timber Trail which had a continuation of the informational plaques and was basically a big wide, flat pine corridor. It was so pretty. I took Old Brook Road to the end alongside a big pond with a bench, then back to the Peabody Environmental Center and the "other" side of the trails. These trails were a little more rugged, but still quite gentle and always easy to follow. These are definitely the most well marked trails I've been on in a while with plenty of blazes and interactive maps at each intersection. I started out on Highland Trail which crosses a tiny gorge with pretty views in both directions. On the other side are more plaques, this time a Girl Scout project of storybook pages! So creative. I turned onto Ledges Trail, which is the only trail on their guide described as "Hard".. it wasn't really, just had a couple of brief steep sections. This crossed the outlet to the pond I had passed earlier, where a new bridge has been constructed. From here I turned on Bacon Trail which skirts the border of the New Boston Air Station (plenty of signs warning you of where the private property begins). This was probably the "hardest" trail for me, a decent incline at this point in my hike slowed my pace a little. This was probably the least traveled trail as well, though still easy to follow. Oak Trail which connects between Bacon Trail was also a little less traveled with a little more up than the rest. From here I did the Harding Loop Trail. I actually picked up a second wind here. The day was gorgeous out, perfect temps, no bugs.. couldn't ask for better. I finished Highland Trail back to where Cam and I were last week and doubled back to Pine Trail.. the final trail of the day. I popped out at a pond where some kids were finishing up a camp day of some sort and a full parking lot. It's a very popular place for dog walkers, and while I passed a few groups during my time out, it was never busy or overcrowded. I definitely recommend these trails for anyone looking for some moderate walks with some pretty nature to enjoy along the way.

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