The 41-acre mature forest parcel is sandwiched between private
homes as it runs from Boxford Road to Chadwick Pond.
Well-established scenic trails cross a varied New England
countryside habitat, including woodland, stream, marsh, and shore
with all the expected critters. The area's sole trail head parking
lot is along the west side of Boxford Road, which is marked by our
Wheeler Dealer (GC16PV9) cache. The area management encourages
hiking, mountain biking, bird watching, nature studies,
photography, fishing, snowshoeing, and x-country skiing.
From the parking lot, the trail begins as an old farm dirt road
along a stone wall marking the northern boundary of the area. After
250 feet and contrary to what a GPSr might indicate, the trail
branches left (southwest) from the dirt road and onto a well-kept
footpath. As a caution, continuing along the dirt road
beyond this intersection will prove to be no shortcut, as the dirt
road ends at a field of a private home.
The hide's terrain rating is due to a tricky traversal over an
old cement dam that nature has encroached upon. During rainy spells
or seasonal melts, the dam crossing often has several inches of
water going over its spillway and is the reason for the "May
require wading" attribute. Beaver activity and other marsh dwellers
can be observed here. The old woodlot knoll of this site affords a
grand vista of Marshy Cove with a resident red-tailed hawk that we
have observed successfully fishing above Chadwick Pond.
This is our first hide and is a seed card from our 200th find,
the
Pick a Card ~ Any Card (GC13GGX) series by
meandmydogs!
NOTE: The occasional shotgun reports echoing across the
pond are from trap and skeet shooting fields at the private
Haverhill Hound Rod and Gun Club, located a safe distance away on
Larch Road.