Where to park and access Riverbend

In terms of getting to Riverbend, the good news is that there is ample parking for vehicles.  The bad news is that, as of this writing, there is no sign on Lincoln Street marking the location of Riverbend’s vehicle entrance point.

To find the entrance to Riverbend, look for the large metal electric utility towers and the Fairmount Fruit Farm property at 887 Lincoln Street.  The Riverbend access drive is on Lincoln Street, opposite from where the landscaping and mulch operations at the Farm are sited. The parking area itself is easy to find; just proceed along the access drive. There is an information kiosk at the trailhead (although it lacked any notices at the time of a recent visit to the site).

Trail map

Tap/click on the hotlink at right or in the image below to download the trail map for the Riverbend Hiking Trails in Franklin, MA.

Over a mile of trails currently exist at Riverbend. An additional half-mile of additional trails are proposed. (See the dotted lines in the above map.)  The new trails would open over a fifteen hundred foot stretch of the Charles’ riverbank to hikers, affording much better views of the water and wildlife. The opportunity to fish or launch canoes/kayaks from the riverbank seems feasible. (Based on tire marks visible on the existing trails, it appears that mountain bikes and/or off-road motorcycles are currently being used at Riverbend.)

Steep descent to river

Part of the proposed trails include a switch-back descending the steep gradient down to the riverbank. 

The switchback would be a very helpful improvement over the fairly sharp decline to the Charles River that the current trail entails.  (This decent is deceptively steep, so take care walking down the current access trail to the riverbank.)

Video of the Riverbank Hiking Trails

Below is a short video taken during a recent visit to Riverbend:

Views of the Charles River

There is only a limited section of riverbank currently accessible by the existing trail.

Because of the dam downstream at the Sanford Mill condo complex, the river is languid and peaceful.

Cutting through the woods heading east along the shoreline does lead to another open stretch of riverbank.

This section of the riverbank provides a view of the “Swimming Rock” mentioned in publications issued by the Town of Medway concerning Medway’s Amphitheater Trail.

Medway’s Amphitheater property is directly across the Charles from the Riverbend parcel.

Condition of the trails at Riverbend

Riverbend’s existing trails sometime have the look and feel of a work in progress. Some of the trails are broad and well-delineated. Other sections of trail can be hard to discern. (That’s when the trail map comes in handy.)

You get to walk through fragrant pine woods and see old stone walls. Some small areas of the trail were muddy during a recent visit. In planning your visit to Riverbend, insect repellent is a good accessory to pack!

Franklin’s other trail and open-space resources

Given its potential to create opportunities for recreational access to the Charles River, the Riverbend property is a strategic addition to Franklin, Massachusetts’ wonderful array of outdoor recreational resources. Franklin’s investments in open space pays significant dividends in terms of the superb lifestyle town residents enjoy. This is just one of the many reasons to buy a home in Franklin, MA!

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Awkward, unmarked Prospect Street crossing poses danger and inconvenience

As it currently exists, the Trunkline Trail’s crossing at Prospect Street is always awkward, sometimes difficult, and can be potentially dangerous.  The planned underpass is a sensible solution to a complicated challenge.

Prospect Street in Franklin is a winding country road that retains the rural flavor of Franklin’s agricultural past. While not a major artery, the road is a through-street connecting a broad area of the southern and western region of town, so it does get fairly heavy traffic volume.  Vehicles can move quickly along this road.

There’s a sharp curve in the road as Prospect Street approaches the Trunkline Trail from the north. Drivers in fast-moving cars can quickly come unawares upon SNETT users crossing the road.

What’s worse, the SNETT crossing at Prospect Street is completely unmarked.  There is no road signage warning traffic of the Trunkline Trail’s crossing, no zebra-striped crosswalk, nothing denoting that there can be at times someone crossing the road at this spot.  It’s essentially crosser and driver beware!

Steep roadbed creates slippery slope

The Trunkline Trail’s crossing of Prospect Street is further impacted by the street’s raised roadbed at its junction with the Trunkline Trail.

The above image shows SNETT”S approach to Prospect Street from the west.  From news reports on the issue, there used to be a Prospect Street bridge that crossed over the sunken tracks of the railroad when it was in operation.  When rail service was discontinued, the bridge was demolished and the cutting was filled in, creating Prospect Street’s raised roadbed shown above. 

The rise is quite an obstacle to walkers and bikers using SNETT.  After rains, matted leaves that cover this slope can become slippery.  Even in dry weather, the steep slope presents a challenge to young children, bicyclists, and casual users lacking sturdy shoes.

Private property impinged on

Correcting the problematic crossing at Prospect Street is complicated by the fact that the current path up and over the raised roadbed seems to depart the SNETT right-of-way and and traverses private property as it navigates Prospect Street.

The above is the view of the Trunkline Trail from the east side of Prospect Street.  The “detour” path in the image to the left up from the Trunkline Trail seems to be at least partly on private property, since it takes users alongside a home’s paved driveway as it reaches Prospect Street.   So any effort to upgrade the junction between SNETT and Prospect Street that retains the current “detour” path would potentially involve a judicial taking by the government of someone’s private property.

Underpass solves many problems

The underpass (termed a “tunnel” in most news reports on the upgrade) seems the simplest way to resolve the many the challenges presented by the SNETT’s current crossing of Prospect Street. 

Construction is tentatively expected to be completed by the end of 2020.  This is an exciting improvement to what is a wonderful recreational resource not only for the Town of Franklin, MA but also for neighboring communities on the Trunkline Trail as well!

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The Beaver Pond Recreation Area is not just for fishing!  It also offers a town beach for swimming, a synthetic turf ball field, a playground for young children, a boat launch, and a walking trail.

Fishing fun at Beaver Pond

Here’s a video of a recent fishing adventure at Beaver Pond in Franklin, Massachusetts:

Many recreational opportunities in Franklin

Franklin, Massachusetts enjoys a rare mix of a vibrant business environment with lots of recreational opportunities – so much so that the town was recognized by CNNMoney.com as one of the top ten communities in the US in which to prosper financially and have fun outdoors, too!

Here are links to just some of the many recreational resources in Franklin, MA:

Check out all that Franklin, Massachusetts has to offer – don’t overlook the great Franklin public schools and beautiful new Franklin High School!

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Recent upgrades make DelCarte a valuable resource

The DelCarte Area received a $1.4 million upgrade recently. The changes rebuilt the dams that create the two large ponds and improved the walking trails. DelCarte provides valuable wetlands and wildlife habitat and is an enjoyable recreational resource! Learn more about DelCarte here.

Fishing fun while you appreciate nature

DelCarte also provides opportunity for fishing in two large ponds.  The kids have a lot of fun and it’s easily accessible and in town – DelCarte is a great resource for Franklin!  Check out the many other recreational resources in the Town of Franklin, Massachusetts.

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What’s waiting for you at the improved DelCarte

Here are videos of what you will find at the improved DelCarte Conservation Area:

Enhanced dam safety at DelCarte

The most expensive and necessary changes at DelCarte have addressed safety concerns with some of the seven earthen dams at the site.

Some of these earthen dams were overgrown with trees and woody plant growth. This is how the suspect dams looked prior to the rebuilding recently completed.

Earthen dams are weakened by woody vegetation and the erosion such plants cause over time (see download from FEMA).  It was imperative that the destabilized dams at DelCarte were rebuilt before they failed.

The satellite images below show how the dams looked in 2003 compared to how they looked in 2014 after being rebuilt.

The new dams are substantial and seem designed to last a long time.

Gone are the trees and woody growth that were imperiling the old structures.  Each dam has a spillway that controls the water level of the respective ponds.

Learn more about the DeCarte Conservation Area here.

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How to get there

Get off Route 495 at Exit 16.

Head east on King Street to Union Street.  Turn left and drive north about 600 feet.

The Gianettis’ U-Pick is across Union Street just north of the intersection with Loretta Road.

There is plenty of free parking.

Video of a day picking blueberries

Here’s a video of a recent day at the Gianettis’ U-Pick in Franklin, MA:

Exploring the rows and finding ripe berries

The Gianettis’ U-Pick has what looks to be about 6 acres of  blueberry bushes.  There are 7 varieties of blueberries, each with its own distinctive taste.

The long rows of tall bushes makes for a maze-like experience.

You get to explore and wind through the rows, looking for clusters of ripe berries.

Knowing what blueberries to pick

You want to pick the firm, all blue berries.  It’s wise to eat one off the bush before picking, to make sure the taste is sweet.

Skip the green, unripe berries and the over-ripe soft purple ones.

Buckets of fun, especially for the kids

The farm loans you buckets and gives you the plastic bag liners.

You supply the hands and the fun!

Limited season

Gianettis’ is open to the public only during the blueberry season which runs typically from mid-July to the end of August.

The hours are limited to Fridays and Saturdays from 8 AM to 4 PM.

It is well worth the visit – my family had a wonderful time!

Click the link to see the many recreational resources Franklin, MA residents enjoy – Franklin is a great place to call home!

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Download trail map

You can use the hotlink in the above image to access a .pdf trail map of the Franklin State Forest.

Allowed uses

Allowed uses in the Franklin State Forest include walking, trail-biking, horse riding, and winter snow-shoeing and cross country skiing.  There is a special designed trail for off-highway motorcycles (allowed only May – November). Some trails are reserved solely for walkers while other trails are designated for non-motorized multi-use.  So trail bikers will find a lot of challenging runs on those paths.

Off-highway motorbikes

There is a special designed trail for off-highway motorcycles (allowed only May – November). The north section of the forest is crossed by a large power line right of way which many bikers use to get further into the forest.

A seven mile dirt bike trail in the Franklin State Forest was upgraded back in 2008 using a grant from the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Hikers only trails

The hikers only portion of the Franklin State Forest is in the north portion of the forest between Grove Street in Franklin, MA and the power line right of way.

This offers very pleasant walks, past old stone walls and the occasional deer and fox. Trails are clearly marked and well maintained.  There are some uphill stretches, but nothing too taxing.  So young families and the occasional walker can use this area with confidence.

Parking is limited

Access to the Franklin State Forest in Franklin, MA could be better delineated and parking areas improved.

The best car parking is near the water tower at 80 Forge Hill Road.  This parking area is fairly small, but is much better than the other areas discussed below.

There is a small informal car parking area on the shoulder of Grove Street at the welcome sign for the Forest (near Grove Street’s intersection with Beaver Street in Franklin, MA).

You can also access the Forest by parking at the end of Lorraine Metcalf Road, near the intersection with Doe Drive. and also Spring Street in Franklin, MA.  This region of the forest appears less used and the trails cross some large muddy areas during wet times of the year. For some, walks in this section of the Forest may be agreeable than in the north portion of the Forest.

Southern New England Trunkline Trail

There is ample car parking off Grove Street for the Southern New England Trunkline Trail (SNETT). You can also use the Trail to access the Franklin State Forest.  The junction with the Forest is on the Trail between Grove Street and Spring Street, but it is not marked well and is easy to miss.

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Tracks were first laid in 1849, creating a line connecting Blackstone, MA to Boston via Franklin.  Trains were operated on the line by quite a number of different rail companies in the 1800s due to a variety of mergers, takeovers and re-organizations.  At the start of the 20^th Century, the Midland Division of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad assumed operations.  Both passenger and freight traffic was carried on the line.  Dairy farms in a wide area stretching from Connecticut to Franklin supplied fresh milk to Boston via daily milk-train run on the line. 

The economic need for the rail line began to wane in the 1950s. Interstate highways enabled trucks and passenger cars to take increasing traffic away from the railroads.  By the 1970s, the Midland Division had ceased operations.  The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Management took ownership of the rail right of way in 1984.

Healthy Heart Trail

The roadbed now is a multi-use recreation trail open to bicycles and other non-motorized uses including horse riding.

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The late Ernest DelCarte bequeathed the land that would become the conservation area to the Town of Franklin. The DelCarte family assisted in the transfer to Franklin in return for the town’s commitment to preserve the land as open space. Worth an estimated $3 million at the time of the transfer of title to Franklin, the DelCarte Conservation Area received a multi-million-dollar upgrade in 2014.

Pleasant walks

The DelCarte Area has easy trails that pass by a series of man-made ponds created by dams that restrain the Mill River.  Families with young children enjoy exploring along the paths.

Beautiful water views

There are many pretty views of water, marsh and wildlife as the trails wind past the ponds.

Trail map

You can access a trail map of the DelCarte Area here or in the image below.

There is good fishing in the ponds. There is a ramp for boating and two areas for the launching of canoes..

Videos of DelCarte

The video gallery below shows just how beautiful the DeCarte area is!

Guide to DelCarte

You can download an informative guide to the DeCarte Conservation area here or in the image above. The Guide includes information about the wildlife you can see there.

History

The area comprising DelCarte reportedly once supported cranberry bogs.  When Mr DelCarte bought the land in the 1940s, he ran a variety of business ventures from the property, ranging from a fish farm to a recreational fishing area with rental boats and fishing gear.

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The Town Forest should not be confused with the Franklin State Forest also located in Franklin, MA.  They are separate woodland recreational resources.

Trail map

Download a map of the walking trails in the Franklin Town Forest here or by following the hotlink in the image below.

Pleasant walks on easy, level trails

Several rails traverse the Franklin Town Forest.  Typical walks take from 20-40 minutes. You’ll move through pines, cedars, and swamp maples. Beware that this forest borders on the golf course owned by the Franklin Country Club and you can inadvertently end up walking onto that property.  You’ll also walk at times along the boundary lines of private land with homes, so show consideration and common sense as you walk.

How to access the trails

There are two access points to the Town Forest in Franklin, MA, neither of which is clearly marked as such as.

The easiest is at the cul-de-sac at the end of Russet Hill Road in Franklin, MA.

The designated parking area shown on the trail map is on Summer Street, about one-half mile from the intersection with King Street in Franklin, MA. (For GPS, the access point is approximately opposite 403 Summer Street.)

Circa 2008, this area was more cleared than what is shown above via Google StreetView. There was a broader shoulder to the road and the trailhead was more visible.

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