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The longest wilderness section of the Old Connecticut Path can be followed across the Douglas Woods located in Douglas and Webster, Massachusetts. The Path penetrates deep wilderness on its 4 mile route from Northwest Main Street in Douglas to Rawson Road in Webster.The Douglas Woods contains 3,000 acres of Douglas State Forest north of RT16, 1,000 acres of Mine Brook Wildlife Management Area and hundreds of additional acres of town and private lands. The 4,000+ acres of woodland serves as wilderness retreat and a time capsule for the Old Connecticut Path. Stone bridges, box culverts, stepping stones placed to improve the path serve as reminders of the importance of the Path for early colonial travel. Field stone chimneys stand as silent reminders of the early settlers who came along the Path to claim their place in the wilderness.Beaver ponds, vernal pools, chasms and streams are part of a diverse environment that supports wildlife species such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, fisher, gray fox, and various salamanders. In addition, the large, unfragmented, forested block is important for Neotropical migrant birds such as scarlet tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks and broad-winged hawks. Resident birds such as pileated and red-bellied woodpeckers, white-breasted nuthatch, brown creeper and barred owl live within the vast green woodland.
The Douglas Woods lies between the site of the Manchaug praying village in West Sutton and the Chaubunagungamaug praying village on the shore of Webster Lake. The shortest route between these sites crosses the Douglas Woods from Manchaug Pond to the Narrows at Webster Lake.
The Old Connecticut Path follows the route of the stage road that improved the way during the earliest years of settlement. This route was bypassed as towns of Douglas and Oxford were settled with the way to Connecticut diverted to go through them. By 1725-1750, it is likely that the route of the Old Connecticut Path across the Douglas Woods fell out of use as the route from the Massachusetts Bay to Connecticut.
The Sutton Historical Society reported on "Secrets of the Douglas Woods". A copy may be viewed at the link below:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B9esI7LJIDbPMWQwY2JjMTQtMWNjNC00MDY1LTlhZWUtMWI2MjRkZTEzZWY0
The vast Douglas Woods provides a wonderful opportunity for exploring the Old Connecticut Path within a deep wilderness that has been preserved for centuries. This section includes threes walks into the Douglas Woods.
A. Douglas Woods - From Northwest Main Street (A) in Douglas, follow a loop to an old cabin site (A2) in Cooperville, then ascend to the didge to meet the Old Connecticut Path and the lodge site on the Path (A3). Return following the Old Connecticut Path crossing an ancient stone bridge (A4) and passing a beaver dam (see "2.10 Walk Across a Beaver Dam") to reach the starting point (A5)
This area is remote. Any hikers who wish to explore this area should be prepared with detailed topographic maps and gps. The GPX file for Douglas Woods walk from Northwest Main Street, Douglas may be downloaded from the link below:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B9esI7LJIDbPOGViODNiODEtMjUyOC00MjBkLTkyNWMtYzZlZDY5MjBjOTJl
B. Mine Brook - The Old Connecticut Path head northeast from "Dragon Pond" on Rawson Road in Webster, MA (B1-B3 on the map above). The Path ascends the hill following Mine Brook passing over numerous stone bridges and stepping stones placed in the Path. At the top of the hill, the Path heads along the ridge to reach the lodge site located at the mid point between Manchaug Pond and Webster Lake.
To view a circuit walk into the Douglas Woods along an old trail leading to the Old Connecticut Path and then following the Path back, click on the picture or link below:http://youtu.be/NgmlYatKgfA
C. Chasm & Cabin - This side trip off the Old Connecticut Path leaves the path (C1) to explores a chasm deep within the Douglas Woods (C2) and the site of the best preserved remnants of a early colonial settler's cabin high on the ridge (C3). This walk can be combined with the Mine Brook walk.
To view a hike up Mine Brook following the Old Connecticut Path from Webster into the Douglas Woods, click on the picture or link below:http://youtu.be/epVGnfoTAGY
Mine Brook Wildlife Management Areas
This area is very remote. Any hikers who wish to explore the walks in the Mine Brook Wildlife Management Area area should be prepared with detailed topographic maps and gps.
To take a side trip from the Old Connecticut Path deeper into the Douglas Woods to visit a chasm and early pioneer cabin site, click on the picture or link below:http://youtu.be/s1kBTbhu46g
The GPX file for the Mine Brook walks from Rawson Road in Webster may be downloaded from the link below:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B9esI7LJIDbPYTA4MzAyMWQtMDgwZS00NDliLWI5N2EtZTI5MmE4NzBmYTQ0
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