On April 26 five walkers started off at Gate 40 at the Quabbin Reservoir near Petersham, MA. The temperature was around 48 degrees and cloudy; we all bundled up wearing everything we brought for clothing. Walking was on an old paved roadway. Numerous very old trees lined the sides of the road in various degrees of decay and several types of wildflowers were blooming. We passed several old foundations where the homes had been razed to make way for the flooding of the area for the reservoir. The town of Dana had been completely removed in the 1930s, but the common is above the water level and had many foundations with informational plaques indicating which building had been on that spot. We enjoyed our bagged lunches there. The group continued on for another half mile when two of the walkers turned around to make their way back to the parking area a distance of approximately 3 miles total. Three of us continued on down the road to the end where it disappeared into the reservoir. The sun eventually came out as we walked further and we started shedding all those extra layers.
Along the way we encountered a porcupine, what looked like a tuft of fur from a fox, two loons in the reservoir, marsh marigolds blooming, and a lot of coyote scat. The total round trip to the water's edge was around 8.5 miles and we were all tired when we returned to the cars.
All in all a really great walk, and one to be repeated in the fall.
Meredith P.
