Shugrue Reserve

The trails here start in the wet lowlands of the property.  Careful rock hopping avoids the stream and stretch of mud that bars the first hundred feet.  The blazes are a vibrant blue and split just into the woods.  I took the left fork headed gradually uphill.  The slow uphill climb continues for .4 miles until you reach a trail junction where the blue and red loops meet.  There is also an old cart path that is well established but unblazed heading toward Cold Spring Farm. The area around the junction is decorated with rusted artifacts and an old birdhouse.

I continued onto the red trail resuming the slow climb.  The section has likely been cleared by bushhog and while the blazes are clear and easy to follow the path underfoot needs some breaking in.  As I reached the summit of whatever hill I had been climbing the trees switched to pines and the summit was a sort of grove.  The area felt special for reasons I can’t describe.  Old paths similar to the cart path from the junction criss cross this area though the blazed trail ignores them heading straight over the hill and down the other side.  The trail works its way along the slope of the hill as the land breaks away below you.  With the leaves off the trees you can get the shape of the hills along the horizon, but no clear views.

I soon spotted a tibia type bone in the middle of the path, briefly stopping to push it with my foot.  I continued on my way and a bit later found a deer skull.  Then a good bit later a lower jaw.  Since this trail is yet to be named, I’ll temporarily call it the Pine Bone Loop.  The red Pine Bone Loop is about a mile long and rejoins the blue trail near the junction.  The blue trail heads back downhill through fern glades and jumping a small stream as it reenters the wet lowlands back to the parking area.