I needed 2 more trails in the Joe English Reservation for redlining and decided on this warm Spring day to get them completed. Bicentennial Trail is 4 miles long and connects Brook Road and Dodge Road in Amherst. Hemlock Trail starts just over 3/4 of the way down Bicentennial and gives the option for a lollipop. I parked at the Peabody Environmental Center on Brook Road and for the first time this year, did not need to gear up. Short sleeves and bug spray today! I was grateful for the continuous tree cover as it was a warm one and thankfully the bugs were not bad at all. Bicentennial Trail starts in the Joe English Reservation, transitions to the Betty Arnold Forest and Dacqino Forest. The trail is well marked with white blazes the entire length. It was easy to follow and well maintained. As you get closer to residential development, lots of private side trails come and go (as well as other trails in the above mentioned forest networks) so be sure to keep your eye on the white blazes. NEMBA maintains quite a lot of the area along with Amherst Conservation Commission, so any particularly wet or muddy areas have nice bridges. I did see lots of bike tracks in the mud, but didn't see any actual bikes today, just a few groups of hikers/trail runners. There's no real scenic vistas along the trail, just lots of vernal pools. If you're into trees and plants, there is plenty to see there! The Dodge Road end of the trail skirts between houses, but does stay in the woods the entire time. A couple of quieter roads are crossed, but the trail was always well marked where to re-enter. I followed Bicentennial Trail the entire way out, then opted for a small section of Humpty Dumpty Trail on the return, just to break it up and then Hemlock Trail which was a more gradual descent back to the trailhead. A pleasant day in the woods.
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