1. Cook Conservation Area and Lancaster State Forest

About 800 acres owned by the Lancaster Conservation Commission; located a mile and a half from Rte 117 on the west side of Lunenburg Road, Rte 70. Connects to the Chapman/Goodale land that extends into Leominster. Parking is available. A six mile trail runs along the North Branch of the Nashua and returns by cart paths.

2. Bolton Flats Management Area

923 acres owned by Div. of Mass. Fisheries & Wildlife. There are two parking lots on either side of Rte 117. The largely flat intervale includes walks along the main stem of the Nashua. Beware of opening day of hunting season in the fall. Sundays are a good day to go, since hunting is not allowed then.

3. Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

711 aces owned by the US Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Parking and canoe access off Still River Depot Road in the Still River section of Harvard. This is a good birding area with oxbow ponds, river greenway and wetlands. Good winter access. It is buggy in the spring and early summer.

4. Turner Pond Conservation Area

38 acres owned by the Lancaster Land Trust. Parking at the Brian Road cul-de-sac off Kaleva Road, which is off Lunenburg Road just north of Rte 2. The access road runs between two developments on either side of Turner Pond, a glacial kettle hole pond. A spruce bog is on the north side of the pond.

5. Lancaster Town Forest

About 600 acres on both sides of Brockelman Road owned by the town of Lancaster. Parking is available. Paths run along several ponds and wetlands

6. Bartlett Pond Conservation Area

about 20 acres owned by the Lancaster Conservation Commission on Rte 117 by Rte 190. Paved parking lot with access to Bartlett Pond.

7. Ballard Hill Conservation Area

34 acres on the north side of Rte 117 at the top of Ballard Hill, owned by the Lancaster Land Trust. Parking lot is next to 2273 Main Street. This land connects to about 600 acres of open land. Walk down pole line to the North Branch of the Nashua River, or follow the cart path west of the pole line.

8. Atherton Bridge River Greenway

Conservation Commission land on south side of Bolton Road. Trail runs along the east side of the South Branch of the Nashua.

9. Lancaster Town Beach

On Old Union Turnpike east of Rte 70, Lunenburg Road. Beach sticker required. Swimming but no boating.

10. Dexter Drumlin

35 acres donated to The Trustees of Reservations by town father, Nat Dexter, on George Hill Road across from Browning Elementary. Parking is along the road. This glacial deposit from 12,000 years ago, offers sledding and cross-country skiing in winter. Scenic walking area year round, dogs are allowed on leashes. Great kite flying at top of hill.

April 2002

Enjoy Lancaster’s Natural Resources

Canoe Launches in and around Lancaster:

A. Ponakin Bridge

Abandoned bridge on the west side of Lunenburg Road, Rte 70, about one mile north of Rte 117. Launch on the south, downstream, side of the bridge, use caution as the bridge embankment is steep.

B. Main Street Bridge

Access path on east side of Rte 70, Main Street, just south of Lancaster center and bridge. Launch under the railroad trestle.

C. Center Bridge

At the Meeting of the Waters, where the North and South branches of the Nashua River converge into the main stem. Limited parking on private land. Watch out for blowdowns in the river from here to the Rte 117 bridge.

D. Rte 117 Bridge

About one mile west of Rte 110 near Culley’s Snowmobile Ranch and Bolton Flats. Access road into limited parking; put in on the west side of the river.

E. Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge

Located in the Still River section of Harvard off Rte 110 at the end of Still River Depot Road. There is plenty of parking with canoe access from parking lot. Do not land canoes on the west side of the river as the Fort Devens South Post is off limits.

F. Fort Pond State Boat Launch

On Fort Pond Road at Rte 70, Lunenburg Road.

G. Bartlett Pond Conservation Area

Parking and launch on Rte 117 just east of Rte I-190.

H. I-190 Bridge

Park in turnaround at the end of N. Main St. Paved path goes under I-190 down to the North Branch of the Nashua River.