NORTHFIELD — Northfield residents have a vision for an extensive trail network on new Northfield State Forest land, and they’re sharing it with state officials.
During an Open Space Committee meeting earlier this week, nearly 20 residents viewed a map of the 27 miles of trails the Department of Conservation and Recreation acquired when it purchased 1,300 acres from Northfield Mount Hermon School in July for $2.5 million.
Amanda Lewis, recreation trails program coordinator with DCR, has spent the past few months walking the trails with GPS-enabled software to produce the map, and is now looking to prune the elaborate trail network.
The committee and other attendees of Tuesday’s meeting were invited to comment on which trails to keep.
Many of the trails, Lewis explained, are parallel to each other or have the same destination. Lewis said previously that DCR strives to create a trail system with low to moderate density which would allow for a better user experience, safety, and diversity of use and difficulty.
“People who frequent areas like to have different options when they do that,” she said. “You’d have all kinds of different options whenever you go out there.”
Based on feedback, Lewis was able to eliminate some trails that run through private properties and run parallel to other trails, while preserving trails for walking, mountain biking, snowmobiling and horseback riding.
Lewis noted that DCR hopes to receive a grant through the Student Conservation Association that would allow a handful of college-age students to come to the property and blaze the trails DCR decides to prioritize, making for a less confusing system. Another goal is to clear a view from Notch Mountain.
“You can’t see anything, especially in the summer,” Lewis said.
Using the map, Lewis outlined where two parking areas will be located: one larger parking area on Birnam Road, which could accommodate a fully accessible parking spot, and one smaller parking area on School Street across from Kiwanis Park.
Based on the feedback she received, Lewis plans to have a modified map by June. Once complete, maps will be installed at trailhead kiosks and uploaded on the Northfield town website.