Lace Up Your Hiking Boots

By Ruth Melville

Local hikers now have two new resources for exploring the Norfolk woods.

Both the Norfolk Land Trust and Great Mountain Forest have recently released improved and expanded guides to hiking trails in the Norfolk area.

The new, fifth edition of the Land Trust Trail Guide is the first revision since 2007. This small booklet, redesigned to fit in a backpack or jacket pocket, includes an overall map of the area, followed by detailed maps, descriptions and notes on historical background for all the trails. New to this edition is the Pine Mountain trail, located on property the Trust purchased from the Girl Scouts in 2013. Susannah Wood, who oversaw production of this edition, says that the intention was “not just to update the maps, but to give a little more information about flora and fauna, to give people an idea of what they could find and where to find it.” She hopes that the new guide will not only be useful to hikers and walkers in the area but also help to publicize the work of the Trust.

Up to now, Great Mountain Forest hasn’t had an “official” trail guide, and visitors have had to rely a sketch map prepared by Darrell Russ back in the 1970s. The new guide is printed on weather-resistant paper and folds up like a road map. Hans Carlson, a historical researcher working at GMF and the project manager for the new guide, stresses that the new publication, like the Land Trust’s publication, is not just a trail guide but an informational guide as well. A map of the forest is on one side of the guide, with the trails and numbered points of interest clearly marked. The other side has information on geology, ecology, the working forest and selected points of interest to be seen along the trails. Proceeds from sales of the GMF Recreational Trails guide will go toward the next generation of maps and to support programs at GMF.

The Norfolk Land Trust Trail Guide sells for $10 and is available now, at town hall, the library and Aija. The GMF Recreational Trails guide is due back from the printer at the end of September. To find out how to purchase copies, contact Great Mountain Forest (jean@greatmountainforest.org or phone 860-824-8188).