| Riding directions: |
| To make your
ride easier, download the maps (see "Good
to Know" section) and mark your itinerary
on them using the directions below, before
hitting the trail. |
 |
From the parking lot, take
the single-track trail to reach the main
paved road across Bradley Palmer and turn
left |
|
Turn right through the wading
pool entrance and continue on the paved
road |
|
Bear right on the parking
lot and continue straight on the trail across
the meadow ahead |
|
Continue on the trail past
several intersections |
|
About a mile after leaving
the pavement, in a large left curve, look
for a trail branching right under the tree
with intersection #5 |
|
Continue down this trail and
take the footbridge over the Ipswich River |
|
Cross Topsfield Road and continue
ahead on the trail entering Willowdale State
Forest |
|
At intersection #22, take
right , then left at #21 on the large unpaved
trail |
|
Continue right on the large
trail at #20 |
|
When reaching #18, prepare
to turn right at #13 (just a few yards after
#18) |
|
Continue on the trail until
a fork where you bear left to immediately
reach a paved road that you follow on the
left |
|
Ride past the Private Property
sign (that applies to the houses on the
right on the road) and continue down for
about half a mile |
|
When the trail flattens, look
out for a trail branching left just before
two concrete blocks half buried in the undergrowth;
turn left on that trail |
|
At the next intersection (#2
on the map but unmarked on the field), take
right; the trail narrows to become a single
track |
|
When reaching #24, take right,
then left at #25 and left again at #26 |
|
Continue left at #27 and be
on the lookout for a large trunk barring
the trail just after a sharp left curve |
|
Take right at intersection
#28 |
|
At the next major intersection
(#8 sign visible on the right), take left
and continue straight through #47 and #48 |
|
At a large intersection, follow
the wooden sign for Bradley Palmer on the
right |
|
A final fork where you take
left brings you to #22 and Ipswich Road,
that you will cross again |
|
Continue straight past the
bridge over the Ipswich River to re-enter
Bradley Palmer State Park |
|
When you reach the open fields
again, take right and ride down the large
trail. At the far end of the meadow, you
reenter the woods on a paved road (closed
to traffic) |
|
In a right curve, continue
straight on a narrow trail at intersection
#44, then turn right to reach the main park
access road (ride safely, as this road is
open to traffic) |
|
Take left on the road, towards
the gravel parking lot, and left again;
ride past the closed gate for about 1 mile
to go back to your car. |
