Stone walls serve as reminders that while this lovely woodland now bursts with color, it has a pastureland heritage.
At the peak of spring, the flowers of Elliott Laurel emerge first as pink buds that gradually turn to a brilliant white as they open and brighten the shady woodland floor.
As you follow the scenic foot trail through a landscape traversed by old stone walls, you’ll cross an open field before climbing a rocky hillside to a lovely overlook. The trail then meanders through a forest of white pine and hemlock before entering a red maple swamp, which lights with radiant color in the fall. For the return leg of your trek, you’ll pass under a cathedral of pine trees, whose trunks are swathed in thickets of the mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) for which the reservation is named.
FREE to all
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1 hour.
Please note that roadside parking is not plowed in the winter.
392 Queen Lake Road/Route 101
Phillipston, MA 01331
E-mail:info@thetrustees.org
Get directions on Google Maps.
From Rt. 2: Take Exit 83 and follow Rt. 2A West for 1.1 mi. into Templeton Center. Pick up Rt. 101 South and follow for 3.9 mi. to entrance and roadside parking on right.
From Intersection of Rts. 32 and 101: Take Rt. 101 North 3.6 mi. to entrance and roadside parking on left.
Trails
1-mile trail. Moderate hiking.
We recommend that you take a photo of the map on your phone so you can refer to it during your visit, or download a trail map before you head out.
Original acreage a gift of Frederick W. Elliott in 1941 in memory of his mother. Endowment given by Olive Simes. Additional land purchased in 1975.
This is a mix of open field (mowed) and woods. There is a bit of a hill but nothing too strenuous. The hemlock stand is nice with beautiful open woods. This is a nice spot for a short hike. There is a little less than a mile of trails.
– dave d, TripAdvisor