Lincoln - Off the Beaten Track winter hike - January 14 2026

HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 14 January 2026, Lincoln - Off the Beaten Track winter hike

Hike Leaders: Marie Keutmann & Richard Vignoni

~5 miles, 10:00 am start from The Pierce House, 17 Weston Road, Lincoln, MA

 

Hikers (22):  Marie, Richard, Aiko Pinkoski, Ann Northup, Annemarie Altman, Armen Kasparian, Barbara Pike, Betsy Harper, Dee Galacki, Don Mannes, Frank Calabrese, Harry Spatz, Janet Miller, Judy Perrin, Lynell Stromberg, Marc Baskin, Molly Schaeffer, Phyllis Evan, Rick Lawrence, Steve Hoffenberg, Susan Sabin, and Zach Woods.

 

The parking lot was sheer ice, so a few of us put on our microspikes to get out of our cars.  Most gathered on the edge of the lot where the ground was bare.

 

We went through open fields, horse pastures, backyards, and woods.  Highlights included traversing Flint Fields above the Flint Farm, which has been continuously occupied and farmed by the Flint family since Thomas Flint came over from England in 1636.  We stopped in the field above to look at rows of young American Chestnut trees which have been planted in an experiment to try to grow them in a way to be resistant to the fungus that destroyed most of the magnificent American Chestnuts a century ago.  In the horse pasture above the field, two friendly horses came over to us, probably looking for food.

 

A few of us put on our microspikes again in the woods along Flint Pond leading up to the Decordova Museum.  At the Decordova, we used the restrooms and continued on by the Slanted House.  Then we crossed Baker Bridge Road on the way to the remaining two miles of the hike by the elementary school and onto lesser known trails which brought us back to the Pierce House.

A dozen or so of us had lunch at Verrill Farm, eating in the warm greenhouse.

 

Thanks to Judy Perrin for sweeping.

Report by Marie Keutmann.

Waltham: Western Greenway winter hike - Waltham, Lexington, and Belmont - December 31 2025

HIKE REPORT Wednesday, 31 December 2025, Waltham: Western Greenway winter hike - Waltham, Lexington, and Belmont Hike Leaders: Barbara Jacobs & Ted Nyder 4.7 miles, 10:00 am start from Waltham, MA Hikers (16): Barbara, Ted, Annemarie Altman, Betty Salzberg, Gerry Sheetoo, Greg Stathis, Harry Spatz, Jeffrey Wallen, Judy Perrin, Lynell Stromberg, Marc Baskin, Margie Lee, Marie Keutmann, Richard Vignoni, Susan Broome, and Zach Woods. This WW offering helped us close out 2025 with a brisk hike on icy trails. Sixteen people ventured out on the 4.7 mile walk using traction devices that helped us get through the icy trails. We began our walk at the old Metropolitan State Hospital property on the Waltham/Lexington line. Our route took us on the Western Greenway trails and carriage roads of the old hospital grounds into Belmont's Rock Meadows and Lone Tree Hill. We hiked the trails to Habitat, where we had a quick break and checked out the goats. We then continued to our cars by way of the MetFern Cemetery where approximately 317 residents of the Fernald School and Met State Hospital were buried between 1947 and 1979. Fourteen of us had post-hike lunch at Bánh Mì Ơi (Vietnamese restaurant). Link for more information on the MetFern Cemetery - https://www.metferncemetery.com/ Report by Barbara Jacobs.

Wellesley Loop winter hike - December 24, 2025

HIKE REPORT 

Wednesday, 24 December 2025, 

Wellesley Loop winter hike 

Hike Leader: Susan Sabin 

~4 miles, 10:00 am start from Wellesley, MA 

Hikers (8): Susan, Elsa Lawrence, Greg Stathis, Janet Miller, Margie Lee, Mark Baskin, Peggy Gelin, and Tony Lee

‘‘Twas the day before Christmas and there was snow on the grasses.

Two registrees got cold feet and sat on their @#$%&.
The eight who braved the wind and cold, 
stayed warm and toasty, I’ve been told. 
The wind seemed to stay in the proper direction,
as we made our way from section to section.  
The lunch break was welcome, I’ll tell you that,
tho we missed Elsa in the chat.
It was truly great to get out on this day,
as it always is when the Wheelers go out to play.  

 Report by Susan Sabin.

Callahan State Park South Side early winter hike - December 17, 2025

HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 17 December 2025, Callahan State Park South Side early winter hike

Hike Leaders:  Margie & Tony Lee

3.4 miles, 10:00 am start from Callahan SP parking lot, Framingham

 

Hikers (14):  Margie, Tony, Annemarie Altman, Barbara Jacobs, Gerry Sheetoo, Janet Miller, Judy Perrin, Lynell Stromberg, Marie Keutmann, Richard Vignoni, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, Ted Nyder, and Tod Cochran.

 

We hiked from Callahan's Edmands Street parking lot on the Pipeline trail and turned onto SVT's Baiting Brook trail just before the big hill.  We meandered through the woods and then crossed the Pipeline trail and descended to Deer Run and Birch trails.  We proceeded on Chickadee and Rocky Road, where we admired a NEMBA volunteer-built walking bridge. Finally, we hiked Red Tail, Wren, and Pioneer trails back to the parking lot.

 

The parking lot was icy, but the trails were well-travelled with only a dusting of snow.  Eleven of us drove to Franco's Trattoria in Sudbury's Mill Village shopping center for very fresh salads, pizza and sandwiches.

 

Report (and photo) by Margie Lee.

 

Exploring Wellesley, North of Route 9 - December 10, 2025,

 HIKE REPORT

Wednesday, 10 December 2025, An early winter hike - Exploring Wellesley, North of Route 9

Hike Leader:  Susan Sabin

~5 miles, 10:00 am start from Wellesley, MA

Hikers (13):  Susan, Aiko Pinkowski, Barbara Jacobs, Dee Galacki, Elsa Lawrence, Lynell Stromberg, Marie Keutmann, Phyllis Evan, Susan Broome, Ted Nyder, Tod Cochran, and first-timers Joyce Bailey and Steve Caplow.

The day was mild with no annoying SUN from which to shield our eyes.  Sandwiched as it was between wintery, gusty days on both ends, we got the pick of the week.  Although we were missing several registered hikers (I later found two last minute online cancellations), we took to the trail on time.  The route - in woods, on streets, over route 9, then back in woods, on streets, and finally alongside the raging Charles River to our rest and turn-around spot - was varied and had something for everyone.  

We took a short break near the picnic benches where Washington visited many moons ago, and the day was so mild that everyone snacked and chatted outdoors, before heading back (street, trail, over Route 9, street, trail.  The five miles flew by with so many great folks to talk to.

Report by Susan Sabin.                    Photo by Elsa Lawrence.

Adams & Wright Woods hike - December 3, 2025

 HIKE REPORT

 

Wednesday, 3 December 2025, Adams & Wright Woods hike

Hike Leader:  Marie Keutmann

~5.5 miles, 10:00 am start from Lincoln, MA

Hikers (13):  Marie, Barbara Jacobs, Barbara Martin, Greg Stathis, Janet Miller, Judy Perrin, Keren Hamel, Melissa Norton, Phyllis Evan, Susan Broome, Susan Sabin, Ted Nyder, and first-timer Amy Juodawlkis.

Thirteen hikers met at Red Rail Farm in Lincoln.   The hikers set out through the woods along the many ups and downs of the kettle holes left behind by glacial activity.   We walked around a bicycle race track (velodrome) that is the sole visible remains of a late 1800’s fairground which people reached by steam locomotive on the Fitchburg line.  At the velodrome, I gave a brief talk about the history of the fairgrounds (see the links below) before we walked around the perimeter of the track.

We then worked our way over to a route along the Sudbury River and Fairhaven Bay, with great views of the water, as well as a large stone chimney and stone boathouse.  From there it was back into the woods and back to our cars.  The crisp temps and bright skies made for a great day of hiking.

Thanks to Barbara Jacobs for helping me navigate the route and to Janet for sweeping.  Thanks also to Richard Vignoni who arrived early to direct people on where to park.  Unfortunately, due to an injury, Richard was unable to do the hike.

Six hikers stayed for lunch in the greenhouse at Verrill Farm.

Report by Marie Keutmann.

Additional Information on Racetrack and Fairgrounds:

The bicycle race track was part of the fairgrounds from the late 1800s.  The track is about 500 feet in circumference and has a pronounced bank on one end.  In its heyday, the fairground included a dance hall, restaurant, baseball field, race track, and amusements.  On weekends, people flocked by the thousands to “Lake Walden” on the Fitchburg train line to go boating, swimming, and use the fairgrounds.  The fairgrounds were built by the owners of the railroad to encourage ridership.  There were several fires over the years, likely due to sparks from the steam locomotives, so in the early 1900s it ceased to exist.   Today, the only visible remains are the race track and cleared ground between the trees.

Online Exhibition of Walden Pond images

Information on Wright woods where we hiked

Around, About, and Along Morse's Pond - November 19, 2025

HIKE REPORT Wednesday, 19 November 2025, Around, About, and Along Morse's Pond Hike Leader: Susan Sabin 4 miles, 10:00 am start from Wellesley, MA Hikers (8): Susan, Aiko Pinkoski, Don Mannes, Joyce Bailey, Marie Keutmann, Susan Broome, Ted Cochran, and first-timer Dee Galacki. Eight hikers met for a sunny but chilly 4 mile walk on the crosstown trails of Wellesley. The trails begin along the mostly out-of-sight commuter rail line to Worcester. Once we reached the paved road leading to the beach, we chose to cross it and turned northerly, walking parallel to the aqueduct that heads towards Weston. We followed both major (wide) and minor (narrow) trails through the woods to route 9, where we u-turned and headed back to the charming, little-known neighborhood of beach cottages that border Morse’s Pond. There we followed a spiderweb of narrow streets to a trail that led back into the woods, eventually emerging onto the car access road to Morse’s Pond beach. (This road is closed during the winter.) After returning to our cars, 100% of us met about a half-mile away for a great lunch at “Sweet Greens.” We all agreed that the weather and the company were perfect for a walk in the woods. Report by Susan Sabin.