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Ski at Appleton
Farms Grass Rides |
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Directions |
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 From Boston, take 128 North |
| Take exit 20N and follow Route 1A north
for 4.5 miles |
| Turn left onto Cutler Road and follow
for 2.2 miles |
At intersection with Highland Street,
turn
right |
| Parking area (20 cars) immediately
on right. The Highland Street parking area
provides access to Appleton Farms as well |
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Good to know in advance |
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| Open year-round, daily, 8am to sunset |
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Trail maps available
at the parking area
or online at www.thetrustees.org/
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Interpretive tours and programs for families
and adults are offered by the
Trustees of Reservations throughout the year.
For
listings, visit www.thetrustees.org |
Appleton Farms: 219 County Road, Ipswich
01938; Tel. 978-356-5728,
www.thetrustees.org |
EMS rents cross-country skis at their
Boston store: |
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Address:
1041 Commonwealth
Avenue, Boston,
MA 02215; Tel: 617.254.4250 |
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Rates
(include skis, poles
and shoes): $20
per day; $25 for
a 3-day weekend,
$10 additional day |
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Rentals
are first-come,
first-serve; reservations
accepted over the
phone; skis can
go quickly in February
and March, so go
there early! |
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Etiquette |
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| Bring
back your trash with you |
If you want to exchange your
skis for
mountain
bikes when snow disappears,
be aware that
the property is closed
to
mountain
bikes Mar 1- April 30
to preserve trails during
muddy season |
Growing popularity of Appleton
Farms with dog owners
has led to increased conflicts
among visitors.
Please share the trail
observe
the following dog-walking
guidelines:
dogs must be under the
control of their
owners at all times and
should not be allowed
to approach other visitors
or
dogs unless
invited to do so; keep
your dog on a leash
in the parking area and
entrance trail until
you enter the woods, and
consider keeping
your dog leashed on busy
days;
when walking
through the fields, please
keep your
dog on the trail to protect
hay
crops and
rare grassland wildlife;
do not
allow your
dog to chase, hunt, or
harass
people,
wildlife, or other dogs;
minimize the impact of
your dog on wetland areas
to help protect
rare aquatic wildlife. |
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| E-mail this
page to a friend
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| Have
a question about this
destination? |
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| A great
walking destination in summer, Appleton Farms
Grass Rides becomes a perfect destination for
cross-country skiing when snow appears. With no
ski center there, you have the assurance of gliding
in silence with probably very few fellow skiers
in a preserved environment. So rent your skis
in town and head for the outdoors! |
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The Appleton
property is actually divided in two sections:
the northern part, Appleton Farms, has an unique
open landscape made of farmland, while Appleton
Farms Grass Rides in the southern area has a
good network of trails in woodlands. Appleton
Farms Grass Rides was designed by the Appletons
for the pleasure of family and friends who enjoyed
horseback riding. Like a wagon wheel, five "rides"
converge on a central clearing called the "Roundpoint."
Here, a large, granite pinnacle, salvaged from
the demolition of Gore Hall (the former Harvard
College Library), stands as a silent sentry.
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The trails,
which are not groomed, are essentially flat
and offer no technical difficulty. Allow between
1 and 2 hours to ski across the property.
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Since there
is no loop across both sections, this destination
is well suited for open skiing and exploration
as you go. The area is limited by roads on all
sides and there is no chance of getting lost
despite the many trails in the southern part.
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| The directions
below will allow you to explore both sections
of the property; any other combination of
trails, using the trailmap (download it
at the address in the side box), will offer
a fine skiing experience: |
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From the parking lot (an area
named Lamson Field), take the alley under
the trees |
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Turn left at the next intersection;
go through the stone wall and into the adjacent
field, the Great Pasture |
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Ski by another stone wall
and turn right on the larger trail towards
the farm |
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Take the bridge over the railroad
to reach the farm; you can first turn left
towards Patch and Underhill Fields, where
farm animals can usually be seen. A small
wooded hill on the left and a smaller meadow
make for a nice setting at the far end of
this section |
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Once you reach the end of
the trail, retrace your tracks towards the
farm, and continue past the buildings on
the large trail |
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When you reach the road and
the end of the trail, come back and take
the left trail at the fork to enter the
forest |
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Continue straight at the first
intersection, and then twice right at the
next two forks; you will soon reach the
farm again, and take the bridge over the
railroad to come back to the parking lot |
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Once closer to Lamson Field,
you can explore the wooded Appleton Grass
Ride; instead of turning right to take the
alley under the trees, turn left and continue
all the way down the trail; turn right at
the end |
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Turn left at the following
intersection to reach the Round Point (orient
yourself by checking where you come from,
since 6 trails converge there) |
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Take the first trail on your
right, then the second trail on your right
as you get closer to the road |
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Continue down the trail until
its end; then turn left to reach the stone
wall beside the Great Pasture |
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Turn left again to walk back
to the parking area. |
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| As
you ski, you will glide across a very varied landscape:
long ago, this area were originally covered by
mature stands of white pine and oak. However,
in the 17th century, these old growth forests
were cleared by colonists to meet their needs
for timber and pasture land. What you see will
see today is the result of the slow process of
vegetative succession and natural regeneration
of former pasture land back into forest. |
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You will also
see wetlands: these are part of the watershed
for the Miles and Ipswich Rivers. At one time,
these wetlands were more extensive than they
are today. In the past, many farmers, who did
not fully understand the ecological importance
of wetlands, took measures to drain or divert
them. As you ski down the trails, look for the
many fine examples of stone culverts and bridges
that, thanks to the skilled craftsmen who constructed
them, are still working effectively to maintain
the existing wetland habitat and create that
pristine setting for your ski day.
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Appleton Farms
Grass Rides is owned by The Trustees of Reservations
- a conservation nonprofit organization that
works to save the landscapes and landmarks of
Massachusetts.
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