Western Greenway, Belmont/Waltham MA

[bristlecone]

Over the next few weeks I'll be exploring the patchwork of green space that makes up the Western Greenway in Belmont and Waltham. The map shows an envisioned ring route which is at present partially completed.

What better little project than exploring the various trail networks in this area, most of which I haven't visited (or even knew existed), even though I drive past it most days and live close by.

I'll be adding little mini-TRs to this thread as I explore bit by bit. Maybe at the end of it all there will be one big, grand loop trip. Or maybe not, goals can be tiresome.

I've been many times to Rock Meadow and Beaver Brook North, as well as across Mill St. just as far as the meadow. Today I set out in oddly tropical weather, starting from Waverley Square (take the bus line of your choosing to get there) to check out the conservation land that encircles McLean Hospital and connects to Rock Meadow.

A gated dirt road leaves Pleasant St / Rt. 60 just northeast of the Trapelo Rd junction and immediately leads up into this lovely little gully. Aside from the sound, it's hard to believe that Waverley is a stone's throw away.

A side trail leads west to a ledge that might have an interesting view across Trapelo Rd when the leaves come down

The woods road and a few footpaths wind their way along the top of the slope above Pleasant St and between McLean and Belmont Day School. Much of the time I didn't see or hear much evidence of civilization.

Close to the school I came across something

that I'll just go ahead and interpret as idle rock art by the hands of students, rather than a scary ceremonial site

I connected back into familiar territory, a maintained meadow across the street (to the east) from Rock Meadow. There are some nice sitting stones here and there.

In the background, you can see the water tank on the hill on the met state property (abutting Beaver Brook North).

Take a right in that meadow, then a left down this little lane for a short bit

and a quick right, cross Concord Ave, and look for the Western Greenway-blazed path, just west of the Conord Hill Club - that connects into the Habitat (Audubon) trails.

A nice start, and much more to explore.

 

[Amicus]

I will follow with interest. New to me - such projects so close to Metro Boston deserve encouragement.

 

[bristlecone]

Pushing west of Mill St. in Belmont, you come to a fine trail network wandering through Rock Meadow and the woods and wetlands in the ajacent Beaver Brook North reservation.

We've spend a lot of time here, taking our community garden plot from this

to something more like this

and then back again.

The meadows are dotted with birdhouses. We once talked with the person who is maintaining them, but I forget which birds he was after here.

Across the bridge over Beaver Brook, a mix of roadbeds and footpaths wind through the woods, over an esker

and around some wetlands

There's also a small hill to climb (water tower on top) near some abandoned(?) met state buildings. The trails reach as far as the old met state hospital, now condos. I've been looking around past there, and I'm not sure if any current paths connect further west. From the description I'm not sure I'll find anything, but we'll see. A project in progress.

Also in progress, the late fall planting... a mini-green salad in the works for this weekend I think, time to stop pushing it. (Even though today was like summer!)

 

[bristlecone]

Beaver Brook to Walnut St.

Finally! Found the connection as far west as Walnut St.

Go through Rock Meadow, cross the Beaver Brook footbridge then take your first right and follow the main trail straight on, bearing a little right at a juunction then crossing between wetlands. Another more major roadbed joins from the left, and continuing ahead eventually takes you alongside the condo complex on the former met state hospital site, then up to the "parkway" just a bit down the hill from the condos.

Head right/straight along the road

for about 100 m or so. What you're looking for on the left isn't too obvious, but there is a little western greenway blaze.

It's a pleasant path just a bit north of the condos, then wraps around the northern side of the complex, keeping to the woods. Some stark warnings:

After coming to a junction,

going straight on a spur path heads into the muck

and access from Emeline Ave / Marguerite Ave / Dawes St.

Take a right at the junction, continuting on the blazed Western Greenway, and admire the beautiful new boardwalk, completed (I think) just a few weeks ago by work parties from Waltham Land Trust and the Lexington Conservation Commission.

On the far side, a very brand-new path wanders through some low, dense growth

and reaches Walnut St., opposite the cleared plots for a housing development. The trail comes out just next to the speed limit sign here

I looked carefully on the far side of Walnut street along the wooded section (not part of the development) but saw no sign of any path heading into the "Lot 1" area. It's marked as a future segment on the map.

Incidentally Waltham and Lexington are having a work party day (details here) in the Shady's Brook parcel, a bit to the west, to construct more of the Western Greenway. A worthwhile project!