National Recreation Trail, Sturbridge, MA
January 3, 2023
We’ve had a strangely snowless winter thus far, which means I can tackle some (non-mountain) trails up here during the winter without snowshoes. Yay! I prefer snow-free hikes.
Grand Trunk Trail is a work in progress, and the completed section between Westville Dam and River Road is a National Recreation Trail. Eventually, Grand Trunk will extend several miles and connect with several New England greenways. I did try to hike a couple of the in-progress sections, namely a road walk over the highway and a section close to Brimfield, but signage and directions for those sections are less than clear. I got what I could.
The photos below are of the completed section which is currently considered the NRT. This section is easy to follow and clearly marked. It was a lovely walk in the woods along the river on a warmer-than-usual January day. I got an early start and made it back to the Publick House, where I was staying, right before heavy rains arrived.
The total miles, including what I did on the not-complete sections, equaled close to ten, and it felt like nothing. When I do ten standard training miles near my home, it feels ornerous. Funny how I can easily do a bunch of miles without even thinking about it as long as the views are new to me. Put me on a routine of walking the same thing all the time, and I grumble.
