Hike the Tomaquag Trail

Come join us on a 6-mile hike along the northern section of the Tomaquag Trail, starting at the Hopkinton Public Works facility on Woodville Road. The trail will take us into Kenyon Crossroads and features upland woods, swamp and agricultural lands, an 18th century settlement and Native American stone works. Much of Tomaquag Trail in this section is along an historic town drift way, which intersects the colonial era King's Highway at the Four Corners. Here there are house and barn foundations, large planted sugar maples and sycamores, and numerous farm stone walls complementing the older Native American stone cairns. There will also be a side trail loop containing a boardwalk that crosses a swamp, often flooded by beaver activity, on Tomaquag Brook.

The hike will continue along a section of the road leading us to the Pelloni Preserve, consisting of two wooded and hilly tracts. The northern tract is owned by the Hopkinton Land Trust and its eastern spur reaches to Tomaquag Brook adjacent to the site of Hopkinton's first village. The spur to the brook is how dairy cows were watered. A 25-foot granite cliff complete with small caves separates a perched wetland from the upland forest. A man-made drainage channel at the bottom of the cliff is spanned by a traditional stone slab bridge. Unusual Native American stone works are located on the property.

The second tract consists of a rudimentary trail within an easement; part of the greater Tomaquag Trail north-south system.

Distance: 6 miles, more or less
Time/Duration: Approximately 3 hours
Proper hiking shoes/boots are required
Blaze Orange clothing is required (hat, shirt or vest)
Sufficient amount of drinking water is required

Before signing up for this event, you must also read and agree to the entire Write-Up listed below:

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; 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.

Safety First!