Finding Freshies: Cross-Country Skiing at Moose Hill

There’s nothing better than making you’re own tracks after a fresh snowfall. But when you live in Greater Boston finding fresh tracks can sometimes seem impossible. I mean, there’s millions of people around here and unless you time things perfectly, somebody usually beats you to the punch. Except, that is, at what feels like my secret stash—Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon, Massachusetts, where fresh tracks abound.

Moose Hill is home to an abundance of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails, where you can romp on fresh snow to your heart’s delight. Besides acres of untouched snow, it also has some of the most beautiful views south of Boston, especially on Bluff Hill. And then there’s the history, but I won’t ruin the surprise for you.

I usually start my Moose Hill outing on the Summit Trail. This trail is a blast to get warmed up on, with a gradual elevation gain as you ascend the half mile towards the fire tower atop Moose Hill, As you go, there’s so much to see, including the dense forest around you.

Once I reach Moose Hill’s fire tower, I circle around back and head out counterclockwise on the Old Pasture Trail. (Even with a map this trail can be tricky to find, so if you’re having difficulty, look for a small trail sign to point you in the right direction). The next half-mile on the Old Pasture and Turkey trails is mainly flat, fun skiing or snowshoeing. I love to let it rip in here, sprinting the flat to get some hard aerobic work in before I get to the Bluff Trail.

Bluff Trail is one of my favorite trails at Moose Hill. Along the trail there are all sorts of obstacles, like inclines, rocks, and some small rolling hills, all of which make for some awesome skiing! Bluff Trail is little under a mile and will land you at Bluff Overlook. The views here are beautiful and if you arrive during the sunset they really make you appreciate the serenity Moose Hill has to offer.

The fun continues once you’re done enjoying the views of southern Massachusetts, with a descent down the Bluff Trail. Here you’ll find a descent that’s short but spicy if you’re on a cross-country ski setup. Since the trail here is sometimes tight, enjoy the downhill thrill but be conscious of your speed and the possibility of others hiking up. While the descent brings a big smile to your face, this is also a great time for some aerobic recovery.

About half way down Bluff Trail there’s two options. One is call it a day and just to continue down to the base and the parking lot. The other is to take a left back onto the Pasture Trail then continue onto Forest Trail. This fun loop will bring you back to the Turkey Trail and a second lap on Bluff Trail. From there you get to pin the descent to close out your session.

So the next time you’re looking for fresh tracks, head to Moose Hill. And if you’re there around sunset, you might catch me finishing up a cross-country ski session.

See you on the trails!

By: Mickey Spades. If you found Mickey’s post useful, consider sending him a few bucks. (Venmo: @michael-spadea-4)