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MEETING TIME AND PLACE: We will meet at the Florence Civic Center parking lot at 9:30 a.m., Monday, October 2, 2023 and carpool from there. The address of the Florence Civic Center is 90 Park Street and is adjacent to the Lilly Library in Florence. From there, we will drive to Chesterfield Gorge with an arrival time of approximately 10:00 at the Trustees parking lot. The Chesterfield Gorge is located on River Road, in Chesterfield, Mass, 01084, just 0.9 miles from Route 143. (For GPS directions, please use Chesterfield Gorge Reservation, West Chesterfield, Mass. 01084.) Please note that in the past, the Trustees have provided a Porta Potty near the parking lot, and we expect their policy is to continue the practice.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From Northampton, proceed west on Route 9 through downtown Williamsburg (the Post Office is on the left and the Meekins Library is on the right). Approximately ¼ mile past the latter landmarks make a left hand turn on Route 143 west (this is well marked with large signs) and proceed 8.2 miles through the town of Chesterfield. After passing the Chesterfield Country Store, at the bottom of a long hill, after crossing a bridge over the East Branch of the Westfield River, make a left turn onto Ireland Street (There was a street sign there last year). Proceed 0.9 miles on Ireland Street and make a left hand turn onto River Road, which is marked with a SMALL blue-green sign saying Trustees.Proceed about ¼ mile to the Trustees parking lot where we will meet. River Road, which we will walk on, continues on along the Westfield River.

DESCRIPTION OF WALK: After leaving the Trustees property, we will walk on River Road which is in the Edgar A. Bliss State Forest, which as mentioned above, is a gravel road that runs along the Westfield River. River Road continues south to the Knightville Dam, a distance of some eight miles. Please walk a distance that you are comfortable with. River Road is open to automobiles for about ¾ mile or so, before