Fells Lecture Series – Upcoming Events

Saturday, January 23 4:00pm to 5:30pm
Lichens in the Middlesex Fells: Pioneers of Life
Elizabeth Kneiper: Harvard University Herbaria, Collections Department and Curator for Nonvascular Plants for the New England Botanical Club

Tuesday, February 9  7:00pm to 8:30pm
Volcanoes Old and New: In the Boston Basin and Hawaii
Ed Myskowski: Peabody Essex Museum

Tuesday, February 23 7:00pm to 8:30pm
A Huge Step Forward: How the Middlesex Fells was Created
Mike Ryan: Executive Director, Friends of the Middlesex Fells

Spring lectures will be posted soon!  All lectures take place at Breakheart Reservation.

With thanks to the staff of the Department of Conservation and Recreation for their help and support for the Fells Lecture Series!

Babes in the Woods stroll at Bellevue Pond

         

Craig Jackson Fells Pinnacle Rock Hawk Watch Report

Late October is when Red-tailed hawks begin migrating past Pinnacle Rock and there may still be some Sharp-shinned hawks coming through.

We're only up to 160 birds this year, after several weekends of disappointing flight conditions when we generally get our biggest numbers.

To find Pinnacle Rock: Park at the Fellsway East parking area near gate 53 and cross the road.  The quickest access is via the first fire road on the right to the Rock Circuit Trail cut-off to Pinnacle Rock.  If you are not familiar with the area, there's a trail map in the bulletin board at the parking area.


Red Tailed Hawk                          Keith Wedoe photo




   Photos: Mike Ryan

Babes in the Woods

Are you home on mornings with young children? Come for a walk in the woods with Friends of the Middlesex Fells hike leader Terry Murray. The walks are from 10:00am to 11:30am. Rain cancels.

Drop-in format, no pre-registration, free. Scroll down for schedule.

Babes in the Woods is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Middlesex Fells, Medford Family Network, the North Suburban Family Network, the Malden/Evertt Family Network, and the Department of Conservation and Recreation. 

For information call Friends of the Fells at 781.662.2340       

The Middlesex Fells is more than 2,500 acres of beautiful protected woods full of hiking trails, ponds, and wildlife. -

Our Tuesday walks are accessible to children in backpacks, jogging strollers, and on foot — if they like to walk for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.  

Thursday hikes are tailored for preschoolers, so look forward to more adventure and exploration than Tuesday's walks.  Accordingly, strollers are not recommended on Thursdays.

Infants and toddlers, preschoolers, kids of all ages are welcome at all Babes in the Woods events! Bring snacks and drinks, and dress for the weather — some trails may be muddy in spots. Our walks are cancelled only if it is raining or snowing. No dogs, please.

Babes in the Woods schedule

Mountain bikers are among the many groups that enjoy using the Middlesex Fells for recreation, and the Friends of the Middlesex Fells approves the use of the Fells by mountain bikers. At the same time in order to balance the needs of all users of the Fells, as well as the critical need to ensure the preservation of the Fells irreplaceable natural environment, it is essential that mountain bikers abide by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) regulations for biking, including regulations that permit riding only on fire roads and the designated mountain bike loop (see full list of biking regulations below).

Over the years, biking advocates have asked for modifications of existing biking regulations. Several years ago MDC/DCR put in place a process to ensure such requests undergo proper review, whereby DCR facilitates an open and full review of these requests, that includes biking advocates and the Friends of the Fells as representative of all users of the Fells. This process ensures openness and transparency of any efforts to make changes in the trail configuration and use of the Fells, and when necessary, input by technical experts. The Friends acts strictly in an advisory capacity, with DCR making the ultimate decision regarding trail modifications.

An example of the success of such an effort occurred a few years ago when the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) requested rerouting of an existing trail. Input of the Friends assured that the rerouting of the trail did not impact any rare forms of plant life, and the rerouting of the trail moved forward.

The Friends of the Fells recognizes that many mountain bikers wish to abide by the rules for bike use. At the same time, an ongoing challenge within the Fells, has been mountain biking outside of the permitted areas, including biking on existing hiking trails, as well as use of  “off road” illegal trails by bikers that are not authorized for any use, causing major damage to the environment.

NEMBA has recently requested expansion of biking in the Fells, including conversion of “single use” trails to allow use by bikers. The ongoing position of the Friends of the Fells has been that it endorses use of the Fells Reservation by mountain bikers in the currently permitted areas, but that before any expansion of use can be considered, there needs to be increased enforcement to ensure that mountain biking in un-permitted areas is reduced and eliminated. While bike advocate groups such as NEMBA, request in their publicity materials that bikers abide by all regulations, this clearly is insufficient. The Friends of the Fells would welcome the opportunity to discuss with DCR and bike advocates mechanisms for ensuring that mountain bikes abide by the required regulations. 

1) All fire roads are open to biking
2) All single track marked hiking trails are closed to biking, unless designated as the Mountain Bike Loop 
3) Off –trail riding is prohibited
4) Bicyclists MUST yield to hikers and equestrians
5) Night biking is prohibited
6) No Biking from January 1st to April 15th
7) Groups of more than six riders require a permit
8) Competitive or reckless riding is prohibited

 

Enjoy nature, don't destroy it.

For over one hundred years the Fells had been a protected conservation area enjoyed by lovers of nature. Today its varied terrain, flora and fauna are being damaged and in some cases destroyed by some irresponsible mountain bikers who ride without regard for DCR regulations.

        
             Illegal trail riding on Rock Circuit trail 

You can help solve this problem by setting an example for other mountain bikers. Respect signs, and remember that regulations permit riding on shared hiking/biking trails in the mountain bike loop and miles of fire roads, but mountain biking is not allowed on single track hiking trails in any other section in the Fells. And absolutely no off-trail riding.

Don't become part of the problem; be part of the solution!