Wabbaquasset Trail

Putting Stock in These Woods
CFPA’s Wabbaquasset Trail, Woodstock
November 2024

As I write this, I think this is still CFPA’s newest trail. It was christened in June of 2022. I could joke that CFPA must be running out of places, since this trail is literally located at the end of a dead-end gravel road just shy of the Massachusetts border in the northern reaches of Woodstock.

I drove up that dead-end gravel road to the trailhead and upon seeing it sooner than I’d expected, backed up and parked. It was only after exiting my car that I noticed the trailhead sign read “The Fifty-Acre Wood.” Since I don’t think I’ll randomly find myself on this dead-end gravel road in the northern reaches of Woodstock again anytime soon, I decided to hike that property even though it wasn’t on my day’s agenda.

If you came to this page and want to experience the same detour, you can read all about that hike here.

If you’re sticking around, or have now come back here, let’s get going. Actually, hold on. Way up here, in the middle of the woods, is the Woodstock Town Beach. It just seems so incongruous to me. The idea of “going to the beach” and then driving north through the woods is just not something I’ve ever done.

Anyway, the small hiker lot is across the gravel road from the town beach. Let’s hike.

This is a lollipop loop, so the first few hundred meters travels along a blue/white blazed access trail, passing a huge old chimney. You immediately know you’re in a place like northern Woodstock somehow. The woods are just different here. Deep, dark, and undisturbed for the most part. I arrived in short order at a two welcoming boulders and an opening in a stone wall. It is here that I was presented with a decision. I studied my picture of the map intently.

Whoa. Those are some serious contours. Was I about to descend and climb a massive mountain? It sure looked like it. I decided that hiking clockwise appeared to involve less climb, and in retrospect, I believe I’m right. However, those tightly spaced contours are a little misleading, as I’m going to guess they are maybe 10-foot intervals?

There is definitely a hill here, and you’re definitely going to feel it, but it’s certainly not a mountain by any stretch.

The Hibbard Forest was generously donated to CFPA by John Hibbard, a beloved conservation hero and long-time CFPA Executive Director. The trail was built by volunteers and CFPA’s Summer Trail Crew with the help and support of the Woodstock Conservation Commission. The Wabbaquasset Trail is named in honor of the local Wabbaquasset band of the Nipmuc Tribe.

And what a property it is. It features majestic old pines, mossy stonewalls, and rolling terrain with varied landscape. And when I say “majestic,” I mean MAJESTIC! There are some absolute units here. Some of them are dying, and some are dead – notably one blocked the trail during my hike and required such a long walk around it, it took me a minute to find the trail again.

And the stone walls! Such stone walls! It’s amazing sometimes to take the time to look at their craftsmanship and quality. Knowing these things were built over a hundred, maybe even 200 years ago, makes them all the more amazing.

The trail nears the summit of Griggs Hill (see? It’s a hill, not a mountain) and winds back on itself through more massive pines and more massive stone walls. And the descent began.

As this is a new trail, made by competent trail builders, it side hills and utilizes switchbacks as needed. Even so, it’s a pretty healthy descent down to some wetlands and a little brook. With that elevation difference, the ecosystem down here is completely different than on top of the hill. I love hikes like this that take me through such varied areas in such short order.

After a very quick level area in the valley, the trail begins climbing again, but instead of pines, this side of the hill features a typical northern hardwood forest as well as some large rock features. Small cliffs and boulders appeared to my right and imagine my shock when I saw a large split boulder about 20 feet off trail.

Why was I shocked? Because this is the first CFPA trail that didn’t route me over to and either through or around the thing. This must have been a section that the Woodstock Conservation folks cleared. No way CFPA would have skipped this feature. Just no way. (I even thought about bushwhacking over to it just to keep it real.)

The climb wasn’t too bad and I re-entered the pine forest before meeting back up with the trail back to my car. There’s a poetic beginning and end to this patch of woods, with the “gate” of boulders and stone wall at the outset of the loop.

Beautiful trail that will even challenge some folks in its 1.4 total miles. Sure, there are a lot of dead and dying pine trees, but that’s half the fun of this place. It’s not exactly local to many people, but it’s worth the effort to get here for everyone.

CTMQ’s CFPA Blue Trail Challenge
CFPA Trails Map