Hunnewell Forest mountain biking trail (Photo by Max Cogliano)
Nearly a year after getting the green light, two new mountain biking trails in Hunnewell Forest—conceived by then-Natick High students Ben Vose and Ryan Tracy—are now open and ready to ride. A third trail is still in progress, but the project is nearing completion.
The two completed trails are the green downhill one and the climbing trail, and cyclists are already coming out to ride them.
As for the blue downhill trail, Vose says they are at “square one.” This trail is the most involved: It will have its own rideable wooden structures and also go further down the hillside than the green trail.
The green trail is more beginner-friendly. It is shorter, wider, and doesn’t have any wooden structures. That said, it still has some sharp turns, but any jumps will be optional—they’ll either be off to the side or riders will be able to simply roll over them.
Vose says the timeline for the blue trail should be roughly the same as the green one. It took the spring and most of summer to get the green trail done, meaning the blue trail will likely be complete next summer. Other than that, the Department of Public Works is making signs for the trails and, per the town’s requirements, they will also need to clear out an area where the trails connect and add a picnic table. The town’s philosophy was to make the mountain-biking trails their own self-contained space, so that they wouldn’t interfere with the hiking trails nearby.
For riders looking to try the new trails they can go to the gravel road at the Bacon Street entrance near Tillly & Salvy’s Bacon Street Farm. The gravel road will take you toward the water tower in Hunnewell Forest where the trails are just off to the right.
Gravel road to Hunnewell forest bike trail (Photo by Max Cogliano)
As for who is working the trails, most of the labor is being done by Vose and Tracy, fellow recent Natick high graduates and Landry’s Bicycles colleagues, and rising senior Kadrik Young. The team also received help from the New England Mountain Bike Association (NEMBA) throughout the building process. NEMBA has provided heavier duty tools and machinery, along with trail building expertise. Vose says it’s possible that the local NEMBA chapter will continue to work on trails in the fall. Vose also shouted out the “various community members who volunteered on our dig days.”
Hunnewell Forest bike trail (Photo by Max Cogliano)
The team focused on safety and accessibility in its original proposal and has followed through on those matters. The trails are “ride at your own risk,” like any other open space in Natick. The green trail is also meant to be relatively accessible to all riders. Moreover, Vose says, “any feature we build will be optional. For instance, there will never be a jump with a gap in the middle, and instead the middle will be filled in so someone could ride over it without ever leaving the ground.”
One of the biggest obstacles the team has had is time commitment. Vose says, “Something as simple as bench cutting to widen and level out a trail can take multiple days just for one section, let alone constructing the large berms (banked turns) and rollers that we put on the green trail. I think that with better coordination, a more consistent volunteer dig day schedule, and a positive attitude, we can finish the blue downhill trail by the end of next summer. That being said, it is definitely not going to be a small undertaking.”
If you’re interested in getting involved, Vose says the best way to start is by emailing him or Tracy (benjaminvose@gmail.com and rjtracy21@gmail.com), and they will put you on the mailing list for volunteer dig days. Volunteers can bring their own shovel or macleod, but tools are also available to borrow. “Any extra set of hands helps during trail construction, because it is hard work!” Vose says. If you want to start helping now, just walk the trails and pick up any fallen twigs/branches or loose rocks.
Once the trails are all built, the Natick Trails and Forest Stewardship Committee’s trail steward program will be extended to maintain the area.
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