Marjorie Turner Hollman is an author, creator, observer, and disability advocate who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
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The Medway (MA) Trails Club and Open Space Committee have been hard at work since I last updated the 2nd edition of Easy Walks in Massachusetts in 2016. I recently visited Medway a couple of times to see for myself the changes that have taken place. Here’s a link to maps of all the open space in Medway.
As I work to update the book, my first outing to Choate Park this year with my friend Nancy was simply to capture some of the stunning foliage around Choate Pond, just off Rt. 109 in Medway. The trees did not disappoint. Watery reflections doubled the display of fall color.
In the afternoon sunlight a row of turtles perched themselves on a tree trunk that had conveniently fallen into the pond.
The trail to Medway High School is accessed directly from the Choate Park recreation area. Keep an eye out in the afternoon when school is dismissed. Students use this trail when leaving for the day. The Cross Country (CC) team also uses this area as their CC race course. Plan to enjoy the quiet, stone walls, a small stream, and access to additional trails which will take ambitious walkers on several more miles of trail.
I learned that a new parking area, with access to a handicapped accessible path through the Adams Street meadow, is now useable.
The grand opening for the trail is not yet scheduled, but the trail and parking area are finished and ready for visitors.
A member of the Open Space committee, Andrea, joined me for my visit to the meadow. Thanks to the hard work of local committees and additional funding through an RTP grant from Massachusetts Division of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), the meadow trail provides a paved handicapped accessible parking area. The crushed stone path takes visitors around the circumference of the meadow.
Multiple benches and picnic tables provide places to rest, or simply spend some time enjoying the view.
Species such as bluebirds and bobolinks need open space such as the Adams St. meadow to thrive. A handicapped accessible viewing platform hosts a bench for those looking to spend some time relaxing there. Additional connecting trails take visitors behind Medway High School back toward Choate Park.
Yet another trail system on the other side of Adams St. hosts two boardwalks that cross Chicken Brook (a tributary of the Charles River). This portion of the trail has a small parking area on Adams St. next to the high tension wires that cross the area. The path from the high tension wires goes through woodland and wetland (thus the boardwalks) on its way to a small parking area on Lovering Street. Both Adams and Lovering Street and their parking areas are accessed from Summer Street (Rt. 126) in Medway.
I was excited to see all the progress that has occurred since I released the second edition of Easy Walks in Massachusetts. Our local rail trails have seen the most progress in connecting portions of trail from one town to the next. The town-owned open space of Choate Park is impressive, not only for efforts within the town to provide better access to their trail network, but for the countless volunteer hours that have contributed to making well marked trails available for residents and visitors alike.
Choate Park and its network of trails in Medway, MA are a worthwhile destination for sure. Happy trails!
Marjorie
