One of Northborough’s best kept secrets is its trail system. There are eight recreational areas around Northborough that contain approximately 25 miles of trails, and some of those connect to trails in other towns, such as the Westborough Charm Bracelet trail system.
The Northborough Trails Committee volunteers are dedicated to develop and maintain the trails throughout the year. Twenty year committee member Forest Lyford is one of those volunteers. He, along with member Sherral Devine and her son Spencer, recently worked on the installation of the Edmund Hill Woods Interpretive Trail project.
The trail can be picked up on Rice Avenue or at the Northborough Senior Center, and is one that all ages can enjoy. The interpretative trail is approximately 2.5 miles through Edmund Hill and includes 26 informational markers along the trail.
The project started in December 2020, during the height of the pandemic when so many people started to explore the many trails in Northborough.
“I have personally seen more people out on the trails than I ever saw in the past including groups of people and families,” said Lyford.
Each station marker contains a QR code, which links to a website with information, pictures and a video. Hard copies can be found online or at kiosks at the trail heads.
“It will serve as an attraction for the trail,” said Lyford. “It has educational purposes and highlights a lot of geographical features and interesting vegetation.”
He said something similar was completed about 15 years ago, but information at several of the stations needed to be updated and the project was expanded.
The entire project took many hours as Lyford and Devine compiled information, wrote the descriptions for each station, created and edited the videos, and installed and numbered the posts.
Lyford is no stranger to this trail and adjoining trails. For ten years, he led hikes out of the Northborough Senior Center in the spring and fall.
As part of the Trails Committee he helps to promote the trails, such as being present at a booth at Applefest every year.
Additionally, he encourages feedback from trail users.
“It is a very active committee,” he said. “Several members are out there to correct problems, such as a tree down or a broken bridge. They get out there to fix it.”
Written by Contributing Writer Liz Nolan