What a year for FUSF it has been! During a global pandemic, I am so thankful that we were able to be together and gather in-person to hike many local trails. Thanks to all of YOU who attended and kept this option going for a whole year! Thanks to all the people who stepped up to lead hikes when I was unable to do so. Even I am astounded at all of the different places we hiked—there were so many! I have collected them all here, with the parking areas and difficulty rating included. Happy hiking!

• Laura Cerier

Southern New England Trunk Line Trail (SNETT) bike/walking trail, Bellingham. Park at trailhead parking area at the corner of Old Center Street & Center Street, Bellingham. EASY

Del Carte Conservation Area. 459 Pleasant Street, Franklin. Park at playground area. Be aware there are roots, rocks, and uneven walking surfaces. EASY

Franklin Town Forest. Park at Hayden Lane/Russett Hill Road, Franklin, cul-de-sac):  MODERATE

Birchwold Farm Conservation Area, Wrentham.  ~1486 West Street (Rt 121) Wrentham EASY

Indian Rock, Franklin. Meet at the cul-de-sac at King Philip Road, Franklin (Chestnut Street (or East Central Street, depending upon which direction you are coming from), to Jordan Road, to Indian Lane, to King Philip Road) MODERATE

Joe’s Rock, Wrentham. ~2055 West Street (Rt 121); Wrentham  MODERATE + 

Wollomonopoag Conservation Area, Elysium Street, Wrentham. Elysium Street is off Route 140; look for sign for Sweatt Beach. Ignore any “Private Road” signs and go to the end of Elysium Street where there is off-street parking on an unpaved lot. MODERATE +

Wrentham State Forest, Wrentham. Meet at vacant lot across the street from 774 South Street (Rt 1A), Wrentham (not far from Tosy’s Ford Mustang Farm). MODERATE

Trout Pond area, Wrentham. Meet at Wrentham Senior Center, 400 Taunton Street, Wrentham. MODERATE

Mercy Woods, Wrentham/Cumberland, RI line. Parking area is off of Route 121 just as you enter Cumberland, RI from Wrentham.  The street name is Sumner Brown Road. The street sign is missing but there is a bright pink sign (on the left side of the road) that reads “Mount St. Rita’s Health Centre;” Sumner Brown Road is directly behind the sign. The road is very narrow and looks more like a driveway.  The parking lot is a couple hundred yards from the main road on the right side.  MODERATE 

Franklin State Forest, Franklin, MA.  Park at the water tower at the top of Forge Hill Road, past the YMCA. MODERATE 

Riverbend Hiking Trails, Franklin. Park across the street from Fairmont Fruit Farm, 887 Lincoln Street, Franklin, down a dirt road, along the high-tension power lines. There is no sign—it looks like you shouldn’t drive down the road but rest assured there is a kiosk and parking area at the trail head. (see this link for helpful info: https://02038.com/2020/06/riverbend-hiking-trails-franklins-newest-recreation-resource/) Take note: there is a steep descent down to the Charles River. MODERATE

Choate Park, Medway. Park in parking lot, 7 Oak Street, Medway, just off Rt. 109. We will hike the Choate Trail behind the pond. EASY

Southern New England Trunk Line Trail (SNETT) bike/walking trail, Franklin end. Park at trailhead parking lot at 235 Grove Street, Franklin. EASY

Dave Hoag Boardwalk Trail/White Link Trail, Medway. Park at Adams Street Meadows trailhead and kiosk, at approximately 53 Adams Street, NOT at the parking area at the big power lines. EASY

Franklin Conservation Land, Franklin. Park at Dean College Longley Athletic Complex, 69 Maple Street, Franklin. Bushwhacking involved. MODERATE

Foxboro State Forest. Park at the parking lot at the very end of High Rock Road, Foxboro, which is off of Route 1 (near Mom’s Motorcycles, 1000 Washington Street, Foxboro). During this “field trip,” we will visit some ancient stone structures, including the Dolman, the Aligned Boulders, and the Prayer Seat. MODERATE

Southern New England Trunk Line Trail (SNETT) bike/walking trail, Franklin end, winter hike. Park at trailhead parking lot at 235 Grove Street, Franklin. EASY & MODERATE 

OPTION A: EASY. Since the snowfall, snowmobiles have traveled on the trail, so walking with winter boots or hiking boots will be fine.  Start at beginning of SNETT at Grove Street, walk to tunnel or Bellingham, etc., then turn around and return to parking lot.

OPTION B: MODERATE. For snowshoers and (advanced) xc skiers: Begin with the group at the trail head. Either use your snowshoes/xc skis or carry them and walk to a right turn that leads into the Franklin State Forest (where we will don our equipment) and do a loop, returning to the SNETT and then the parking lot. There are some uphill places that are narrow, which will be fine on snowshoes but a little more difficult on xc skis.

Noon Hill Reservation, Medfield. Park at main parking area on Noon Hill Road. Look for signs for Trustees of Reservations, Noon Hill Reservation. Noon Hill Road is off Causeway Street, Medfield. MODERATE 

Foxboro Town Forest, Foxboro. Can be a little muddy in spots. Park at cul-de-sac at the end of Forest Road, Foxboro. EASY/MODERATE

Conservation land near Bungay Pond (otherwise known as Greenwood Lake), North Attleboro. Park in gravel school bus turn-around, ACROSS from 301 Plain Street, North Attleboro. MODERATE

Franklin Country Club winter snowshoe hike, Franklin. The Franklin Country Club is on Route 140 right at the Franklin/Wrentham line (672 East Central Street, Franklin). As you enter the parking lot, go to the right, and park on the right, furthest away from the main entrance of the clubhouse. This will be a snowshoe hike. MODERATE

Franklin Town Common, Franklin. Park anywhere on streets around the Common. Meet at the gazebo in the center of the Common. EASY

Upper Charles Rail Trail, Holliston. Hopping Brook Road, Holliston. Park in parking lot of Griffin Electric, 116 Hopping Brook Road, Holliston. This will be an out-and-back hike along a flat bike trail, so you may hike as long and as far as you like; just turn around and go back when you’ve had enough. Depending upon the group, the goal is to reach the Phipps Tunnel, which is 2 miles from our starting point (4 miles total). EASY

Stall Brook Trail Heron Rookery, Bellingham. Park at Stall Brook Elementary School, 342 Hartford Avenue, Bellingham. Park in lot to the left as you drive into school driveway. MODERATE

Medfield State Hospital, Medfield. Park in gravel lot at 28 Hospital Road (look for the school buses that are usually parked there, as a landmark). **Please note: many dogs, both on- and off-leash, and their owners, love to walk around the Medfield State Hospital Campus. If dogs are not your thing, you may want to skip this hike.** MODERATE 

Lind Farm Loop, Norfolk. Park in gravel lot at approx. 206 North Street, Norfolk, not far from Wrentham Dog Park and Wrentham State School. (This is the parking lot for the Lazy Loopers Model Airplane Club.) MODERATE

William O. Hocking, Jr. Memorial Trailhead, Foxboro. Meet at dirt parking lot at 106 Main Street, Foxboro. This is just down on the right from the Dairy Queen on Route 140, across from the Sunoco gas station.  MODERATE

Wheelock Elementary School, 17 Elm Street, Medfield. Park at the left rear side of the school. There are often dogs running off-leash here. EASY