CHICOPEE STATE PARK LETTERBOX:

CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS

-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-

Planted:                October 2, 2002

Length:                Loop Trail; 2 ½ miles round trip.

                             Loop Trail (from Outside Park); 3.8 miles

                              Shortcut to Letterbox; 1 ¼ miles round trip

Difficulty:           Moderate. Paved surface. Flat, except for one hill (a bit steep for small kids on bikes).

Directions:

From I-90 (Mass Pike), take exit 6. Then take a right onto Burnett Road just after the toll booth. From I-291, head north to the end at the toll plaza entrance. Continue straight onto Burnett Road instead of turning right towards the toll lanes. Travel a ½ mile up Burnett Road to the park entrance on your left. When you pass the gate house, continue straight to the parking lots. Left brings you to the overflow lots. To park outside the Park; There is a Duncan Donuts plaza alongside Burnett Road and a sidewalk to the Park entrance. About a ½ mile to the parking lot from the plaza.

NOTE; A parking fee is collected during the summer months (Memorial Day to Labor Day); however, you can park outside the park and bike or hike in. See directions above.  The park is only open 8am-6pm during the off season, later during the summer. For more information visit; CHICOPEE STATE PARK  .

There is a sign board located near the entrance to the picnic and pavilion area which is located among a Scotch Pine forest. From the sign board, head left towards the beach area of Chicopee Reservoir. Pass by the Bath House and several paved trails to your left that lead up to the overflow parking lots until you come to a path on the right that crosses over the dam.

Note; For the Shortcut (hiking only); cross over the dam and go straight up the path to the paved Loop Trail and turn right up the hill. When you reach the top of the hill, you will see a small path along your right that creates an island of White Birch trees between the path and the paved trail. You will be directly above the dam. See Below For Letterbox Clues.

If biking or wishing a longer trip, do not cross over the dam, but continue straight down the trail where you will cross over a bridge. From the bridge, take the Loop Trail to your left. You ascend a ¼ mile hill and then level out. A ½ mile takes you under some power lines. You come to a Y in the trail. Keep right on the paved trail. Westover Air Force Base will be on your left. We encountered lots of planes taking off just above us. Quite a sight. After a mile the trail turns away from the Base. You pass by a nice overlook of the reservoir through a Red Pine forest on your left. At about the 1 ¼ mile mark will be another overlook just before a sharp right hand curve. Looking down at the reservoir you'll see the dam just to your right. A dirt path comes in from the left and meets the paved trail, then forms a small island around a patch of White Birch trees.  For the Letterbox; stand to the right (as you face the reservoir) of this island of Birch trees and then turn and face the paved trail. Looking across the bike trail you'll spot a small opening in the bushes at 296 degrees. Take 6 paces (1 pace = 2 steps) through this opening to the second clump of White Birch trees on your left. There will be 3 trees from one trunk. In the center of the trees, under some branches and a rock is the Chicopee State Park Letterbox. Continue down the trail as it descends towards a sharp S curve. The path to your left will bring you back to the dam through a grove of Red Pine trees. Straight brings you back to the bridge.

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LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

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WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER

BIKE IT OR HIKE IT LETTERBOXING

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