Take an Easy, Scenic Hike at Adams Farm Monarch Trail, Walpole, Mass.

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Picture of Monarch Trail at Adams Farm in Walpole, Mass. — The Monarch Trail at Adams Farm in Walpole, Mass. (photo by Eric)

I recently came across a beautiful yet easy hike at the new Monarch Trail at Adams Farm in Walpole, Mass.

Created by the Adams Farm Trails Committee and local Eagle Scouts, this refreshing half-mile hike takes you by a big, scenic grassy field, footbridge and vernal pool. A few slight inclines lead to a bench under a big, old tree — a nice spot to sit and take in the beautiful views of the red barn and open spaces. The trail is well-defined and consists of wood chips.

The trail is named after the monarch butterflies saturating the fields and the adjacent Adams Farm Butterfly Garden.

I always feel good walking Adams Farm — not only for its beautiful 365 acres of open lands and forest to explore and free access, but also because local residents manage maintenance and fundraising to keep this publicly accessible spot going strong. This land could have given way to some form of modern development, but locals, thankfully, had a different vision. What a wonderful community effort, a true gift to current and future generations!

Adams Farm is really one of the more beautiful spots I’ve experienced in the Boston suburbs, and the Monarch Trail is a fabulous introduction to this scenic destination only 20 miles southwest of Boston.

Log onto the Friends of Adams Farm Web Site for more information.