04/15/13 Patriots Day at Wells State Park

Hiking at Wells State Park, Sturbridge, MA
Partly Cloudy, in the 60's

9:30 am leave home for Wells State Park in Sturbridge. MA. Never been there before but looks like a good hiking spot with some historic features and a lookout called Carpenter's Rocks.

Arrived at 10:15 and parked in lot at Perez Walker Homestead. A few cellar holes remain of 1790-1889 homestead.

We took the Red blazed North Trail. After a brief hike we came across a girl in trench coat, hoodie and wearing headphones trudging up the mountain.

Crossed under crackling power lines with two pine saplings adorned with Christmas bulbs.

Crossed paths with same girl hiker again. Ceramic MTB placards posted on trees as trail markers.

11:35 came to Carpenter's Rocks overlook with view of distant hills grey with evergreens spotting distant hills. Very steep 100 ft. drop off to the forest floor below. Pine and black birch on rocky outcropping.

Took yellow trail down to Mill Pond. Old 18th Century dam site and flooded marsh. Beaver dams and platform nests where four or more wildfowl birds, possibly great blue herons nesting above marsh. Followed stream to stone pool and raceway. At another pond we noticed a dump sight with glass glistening from under leaf fall and chose to investigate. Picked through some 50's bottles.
Dome Perez, Jersey bottle but decided not to carry it away.












Made it back to car at 2 pm. Upon leaving we pulled over to watch a blue heron take off in adjacent swamp.