NORTH CENTRAL PATHWAY LETTERBOX:
WINCHENDON, MASSACHUSETTS
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Planted: May 24, 2006
Length: Winchendon's paved trail section; 3.2 miles
Gardner's paved trail section; 0.8 miles
Round Trip using on-road section and undeveloped rail trail; 12.5 miles
Old Gardner Road parking lot to Letterbox; 0.7 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Paved, flat trail.
Moderate. Undeveloped rail trail is hard packed dirt, but very passable.
Difficult; On-road section has a lot of hills and a brief section is along busy Route 140.
Directions:
To start from Winchendon; Take exit 24 off of Route 2 to Route 140 north. After crossing into Winchendon, look for Old Gardner Road on your right. Just down this road is the parking lot on the left.
To start from Gardner; Take exit 22 off of Route 2 to Route 68 north. When you enter downtown, take a right onto Route 101. Head through downtown and pass by the Town Green on your left where there is a Civil War Monument and some cannons. At the end of the green, turn left onto Park/ Clark Street. Immediately to your right will be the entrance to the Gardner Veterans Skating Rink. Park here. The trail starts from the rear of the rink.
The North Central Pathway is a planned 16 mile trail linking the historic downtowns of Gardner and Winchendon. The trail currently starts in Winchendon off of Route 140 and travels along an old abandoned rail bed (B&M RR Worcester and Hillsboro Branch to Contoocook NH). The section in Gardner mainly travels around Crystal Lake. The finished sections are paved, while the links between the trails are either on-road or along the undeveloped rail trail. Plans call for extending the trail north into downtown Winchendon and South along the rail line into Gardner. For more information visit; NORTH CENTRAL PATHWAY .
Starting from Old Gardner Road parking lot; The paved trail begins across the street by the sign board and heads south. North, the trail is still undeveloped and full of ruts (from ATV's). You cross over Teel Street, the only street crossing until Route 140 and travel along a small berm. The trail starts out with a slight upgrade. You soon leave the residential area behind and head into the woods. At about 0.7 miles you should spot a granite mileage marker on your left with W 32 stamped in it, indicating to the railroad that it's 32 miles to Worcester. These mileage markers are placed every mile along the rail bed. From the marker, take 30 paces (2 steps = 1 pace) further along the trail. You'll pass by 3 boulders on your left along the way. Turn right and head off the trail and up the small embankment. Look for a grove of Pine trees. At the base of one of these trees will be a pile of rocks. In the crotch of this tree, under a rock will be the North Central Pathway Letterbox. Please replace this rock carefully so as not to crush the box. Continuing onward the trail briefly comes within site of Route 140, then pulls away. The grade tops out at about 1.5 miles and you pass by another mileage marker (W 31). Pass by a bench at 2 miles on a straightaway that takes you through some wetlands. After passing by marker W 30, the trail has a slight downgrade. The paved trail currently ends at 3.2 miles next to Route 140. There is a small parking lot here for a couple of cars.
If you wish to extend your ride, you may cross over Route 140 (USE EXTREME CAUTION as there is no cross-walk and fast moving traffic) and enter the dirt road with the DEP sign. Then pass by the brown gate and along the Undeveloped Rail Trail. This short dirt road section brings you to an electric sub-station. Go around it and you'll see another mileage marker (W 29) at 3.6 miles. The road then converts back to a rail trail of hard packed dirt, but is pretty smooth. You travel past a small pond and follow the transmission lines to your left. At 4 miles the trail runs alongside a hill with the power lines above you and a pond below. I believe it's part of Perley Brook Reservoir, which you get a better view of shortly. You then cross over Park Street at 4.5 miles where the trail continues alongside Gardner Municipal Golf Course. Marker W 28 at 4.7 miles. The trail then briefly becomes a single track and ends at 4.9 miles at a road. The rail trail ahead is impassable, so you must take a left and pass through Crystal Lake Cemetery. This is a very scenic cemetery located along the western banks of Crystal Lake. If you look across the lake, you'll see a brick building. Gardner's paved trail section runs behind it along the eastern shoreline. After exiting the cemetery, you'll pass underneath the power lines at 5.3 miles. I believe this is where the rail trail would have crossed. Next, follow the sidewalk alongside the black fence out to Park/Clark Street and turn left. Follow Park/Clark Street past the pool and Greenwood Memorial building and up past the Town Green on your right where the Civil War Monument and cannons are located. Just before the junction of Route 101, on your left will be the entrance to the Gardner Veterans Skating Rink. Enter here to access the paved trail at 5.8 miles to continue the trip north back to Winchendon. From here, you can also explore downtown Gardner by heading right along Route 101.
Starting from the Gardner Veterans Skating Rink; The paved trail starts from the backside of the rink and follows the eastern shore of Crystal Lake. After 0.7 miles, you come to a parking lot located alongside Elm Street. Cross over Elm Street where the trail passes in front of Mount Wachusett Community College and ends at a side road at 0.8 miles. In order to connect to the Winchendon section of the trail, you must use an On-Road Connector. [This is not recommended for kids on bikes because of the hills and a short section along busy Route 140]. Follow this road to the end and take a right down Kelton Street. There are green bike signs all along this route. This is a residential street with very little traffic. After crossing under some power lines at 1.5 miles you head uphill. You'll pass over Route 140 at 1.9 miles and head back downhill. Bear left at the fork. The stone dam for Marm John Reservoir will be to your right by a sharp curve after 2.5 miles. Take a left when you come to Stone Street which will bring you out to Route 140 at 3 miles. Finally, you must head right and travel along Route 140 for a 1/2 mile. There is a wide shoulder, but fast moving traffic. You then reach the paved trailhead at 3.5 miles where you can either continue north to Winchendon or cross over Route 140 and take the Undeveloped Rail Trail back to Gardner. See above for directions.
HH
LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON
JUNE 15, 2008
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