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Date: 12/23/2021
CHESTER – Those who resolve to spend more time exploring nature, or being active outdoors, will have an immediate opportunity to start the year on the right foot.
All are invited to join the Western Mass. Hilltown Hikers on their first-ever First Day Hike at the Sanderson Brook Falls in Chester, part of the Chester-Blandford State Forest, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 1.
First Day Hikes are part of a nationwide initiative led by America’s State Parks to encourage people to get outdoors. On New Year’s Day, hundreds of hikes will be organized in all 50 states. In 2020, 85,000 people rang in the New Year hiking over 176,000 miles throughout the country, according to www.stateparks.org.
“This is our first time as an organization hosting a First Day Hike. It’s also a first in the Hilltowns,” said Elizabeth Massa, co-founder of the Westfield Mass. Hilltown Hikers. She said this year the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation is also leading a First Day Hike on Mount Greylock.
Parking for the Sanderson Brook Falls Hike is at 648 U.S. Route 20, across from Bannish Lumber in Chester. Carpooling is encouraged, as parking is limited.
The Chester-Blandford State Forest includes remnants of small mining operations and the 60-foot cascade at Sanderson Brook Falls, and is managed by the DCR. The state forest was established in 1924 when local lumber companies sold the land to the state. The Civilian Conservation Corps was active in the forest from 1934 to 1940, constructing a campground, pavilion, trails, ski runs and the road and bridges that lead to Sanderson Brook Falls.
The trail is made of gravel, is wide and climbs gently upwards. The First Day Hike will cross three girder bridges and follow along Sanderson Brook, and then take the more narrow trail to the right to the bottom of the waterfall. The hike is rated easy with some slopes and is 1.25 miles in and back.
“Be prepared for ice, snow and mud, bring walking sticks and spikes if there is snow on the ground,” Massa wrote in the description, adding, “We hike rain or shine. Friendly dogs are welcome.” The hike is free, but registration is required at www.westernmasshilltownhikers.com. Call or text 302-0312 for more information.
The Western Mass. Hilltown Hikers was formed in 2016 by a small group of friends including Massa, Karen McTaggart and Rachel Lewis, who went hiking every week. Week by week, more friends joined them, then friends of friends, and now more than 10,000 people follow them on various social media platforms. In 2020, they formed a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve and promote the natural beauty of the Hilltowns of Western Massachusetts, and to recognize and preserve Hilltown history for all.
Currently, the Western Mass. Hilltown Hikers are working with the Hilltown Land Trust on the Round Top Hill Trail, which leads to the highest peak in Hampden County. Located in a 100-acre parcel owned by
Sarah and Will Freedberg, which has been permanently protected by a conservation restriction held by the Hilltown Land Trust, the land also contains one of only five certified Hophornbeam forests in the state. The Western Mass. Hilltown Hikers are land stewards and help maintain the property for the public.
Massa said volunteers have been working on the trails this year and have cleared two new vistas at the peak. Other volunteers, including Sarah Freedberg, are designing and building the kiosk at the trailhead.
Massa said there will be a ceremony in the spring at the kiosk.
In another partnership, the Western Mass. Hilltown Hikers partner with the Jacob Ladders Business
Association to produce the annual Hilltown Destinations Map, which marks trailheads in the Hilltown region and lists JLBA business and contact information. The 2022 map is available to download at www.jlba.org.
The Hilltown Hikers also lead group hikes every month which are advertised and open to the public. The most recent group hike was at AMC Noble View Outdoor Wilderness Center in Russell on Dec. 4, and drew three dozen people, many with their dogs.
While all the hikes are free, donations are welcome. The Hilltown Hikers also offer merchandise for sale at the hikes, including safety orange T-shirts and caps, and photos of hike highlights, some of which are also available on the website. Free trail maps and water are available at all the hikes.
“It’s not something I’m advertising – the money just goes back into the pot. It’s supposed to be informational, for hikers to find out where to go and to get the maps, We try to mix it up and have it well-rounded,” Massa said.