Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary - Natick - Friday June 13 - 10AM - 12PM

Friday is forecast to be dry, about 75 degrees and not too humid. Let's get out and enjoy the day.

We will explore about 4.5 miles of Mass Audubon's wildlife sanctuary bordered by the Charles River and wetlands. The address is 280 Eliot St, Natick, MA 01760

Be sure to bring bug spray, wear appropriate footwear, and dress in layers.

Admission fee is $6; Seniors $4, Audubon members free.

These are well maintained trails with a few small hills which should be rich in flora and fauna this time of year.

Broadmoor is located on land within the territory of the Massachusett Indigenous nation. Following the arrival of Europeans in the early 17th century, the population of the Massachusett fell by as much as 90% due to epidemics.[3] In 1651, Puritan missionary John Eliot received permission of the Massachusetts General Court to create the town of Natick as one of the Praying Towns. Only Indians who had converted to Christianity were permitted to live in the town.[4] In the 1690s, Thomas Sawin, who lived in a house in nearby Sherborn, was invited by the Natick Indians to build a gristmill and dam on the stream that is now called Indian Brook, creating the Broadmoor Mill Pond.[4][5] Sawin built a house near the mills, and became the first non-Indian resident of Natick.[6] Around 1720, the Sawin family built a sawmill and a new gristmill.[7]
In 1858, the Sawin family sold the mills to John Andrew Morse, and the mills became known as the Morse Mills.[7] The mills operated into the early 20th century.
Broadmoor was created by a 1962 donation of land at Little Farm Pond by Henry S. Channing.[6] After the Morse Mills closed, the land was sold to Carl S. Stillman, whose family donated the land to Mass Audubon in 1968.[4] Foundations of the mills and several old millstones are visible on the property.
During the 19th century, beavers were eliminated from Massachusetts. But state wildlife officials began reintroducing beavers in the 1980s, and a beaver colony was established in Broadmoor's Indian Brook Swamp in 1989.[5]

## Land and trails

Broadmoor's 9 miles of trail pass through woodlands, marshland, ponds, and a glacial drumlin, and along the banks of the Charles River.[1] The sanctuary's wetlands feature wood ducks, painted turtles, great blue herons, and river otters.[8]

In 2021, Prevention Magazine listed Broadmoor's All Persons Trail as one of the "50 Best Walks in America."[9]
The All Persons Trail as well as the Indian Brook Trail and the Marsh Trail are featured in the Appalachian Mountain Club's Massachusetts Trail Guide.[1]

Remember the rules

Feel free to bring a friend, but make sure they first join the group and sign up for the event. Please be on time so that everyone is ready to leave from the parking lot at 10 AM.

If you sign up for an event but will not be attending, change your response ASAP so that others can attend and we are not waiting for you.

Check Meetup for cancellations and changes in meeting times and locations before each event.

You are all adults and are expected to make decisions about your own safety and physical abilities.

Wear appropriate footwear and bring plenty of water. Move to the side for oncoming walkers on narrow trails.

If you decide to return to your car early or leave the group for any other reason, tell someone.

If you are struggling or need assistance, tell someone.

Be friendly. Be social. Have fun.

Extreme weather will cancel this event.

Safety Disclaimer

In registering for this event, you assume all risks when participating, certify that you are physically fit to participate, and have not been advised otherwise by a qualified medical person. All participants must use care and good judgment, and must obey all instructions, rules, and regulations of the venue and local authorities.

Liability Waiver

As a condition of your voluntary participation in this activity you acknowledge and agree to the following: this activity involves inherent risks that can cause property damage, injury, illness, disability, and/or death to participants and/or others; you assume all risk associated with this activity; you are responsible for having the necessary knowledge, skills, abilities, clothing, and equipment to safely participate in this activity; you know and will follow the Hiker Responsibility Code described at www.hikesafe.com(http://www.hikesafe.com/); the leader(s) of this activity are volunteers; and you for yourself, your heirs, executors, and administrators release, hold harmless, and indemnify the leader(s) and all members of this group from any and all claims for property damage, injury, illness, disability, and/or death - including those caused by negligence and/or other reasons.