QUICK TRAIL FACTS
- Preserve Size: Not sure
- Trail Mileage: 1.4 miles in network
- Pets: yes
- Difficulty: easy
- Sights: beaver ponds, fields, wetland
Explore this town land for an easy, pleasant stroll down a dirt lane shaded by lofty, leafy hardwoods. If you go straight for about a quarter mile, the lane reaches a big beaver pond. If you want to go farther, you can continue down the snowmobile path that runs past the pond to the McInnis Trail, which — if I followed it correctly — brings you to the top of Lunts Hill and to an opening in an old stone wall. While there might have been views from here once, there are none now, but it’s a nice walk nonetheless! From the parking lot to the stone wall, it’s about 0.7 miles.
To reach the McInnis Trail to the hill, continue another 1,000 feet or beyond the beaver pond. Go past a couple signs saying “Dead End, Private Trail” and “Please stay on marked trail.” You’ll reach a sign for the McInnis Trail on the left in between two trees with yellow blazes. Head uphill along the trail. I saw a couple more yellow blazes and then followed a path marked with tagging tape to the stone wall. There are other intersecting snowmobile paths in these woods.
Additionally, back at the large beaver pond, you can follow a second little scratchy path (marked with tagging tape when I visited) south of the pond. It’ll bring you across a stream and into the largest grove of Autumn olives I’ve ever seen. Their leaves made the field glow a silver green. (Unfortunately, though they’re pretty, they’re an aggressive invasive species and not good for birds.) A faint path follows the edge of the meadow before bringing you back to the main lane, after about 0.4 miles.
Finally, if it’s not tick season, I recommend following a 0.2-mile grassy track to a second, smaller beaver pond on the side of the meadow.
Directions: From Dennis Hill Road, go about half a mile down Pine Tree Road to a little lane on your left. It is marked with a hiker symbol and sign for parking. Drive down the length of meadow and around a bend; continue until you reach a little grassy clearing. There’s a sign (slightly hidden in foliage) indicating this is the place to park for the McInnis Trail, as well as a few other signs for snowmobile paths.
