We will walk at the Sweet Alice Conservation Area in Amherst, which is near the Atkins Farms Country Market. There are two walks, a shorter walk that is about one mile in length and a longer, tougher, hilly walk some three miles long. Kestrel Land Trust has rerouted the shorter walk and built a new bridge because beavers built a dam that flooded the old trail (details below).
Please note there are no restroom facilities at the Sweet Alice Conservation Area, however, there are restrooms at the Atkins Farms Country Market a few minutes drive away.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS: For those who don’t use a GPS, I assume most know where Atkins Farms Country Market is located. The Sweet Alice Conservation Area is not far, just on the other side of Route 116. So, please continue east on Bay Road past Atkins Farms and take the roundabout to the second exit marked Bay Road. After turning right onto Bay Road, the Sweet Alice Conservation Area is only .2 of a mile. Some landmarks to look for; the first, a few hundred feet after turning onto Bay Road, is a mailbox on the right marked Kestrel Land Trust, # 37, then pass a second private driveway with a mailbox marked #45. The entrance to the parking lot for the Sweet Alice Conservation Area is just a few hundred feet after #45 Bay Road. There are no signs for the Sweet Alice Conservation Area. However, the parking lot is large, holding 20 cars, so it is hard to miss.
DESCRIPTION OF WALK: We will be walking around a small pond which is overlooked by the Kestrel Land Trust office. From the parking lot around the pond and return is about one mile. The trail around the pond is grassy and gentle with a few hills with gradual slopes. However, getting to the loop trail requires walking on one short (25-30 feet in length), but steep, stretch of trail with about one dozen steps. However, we don’t believe this will be a serious obstacle to anyone, as long as you take your time.
Another walk is about 3 miles round trip on the adjacent Trolley Line Trail which is up a long hill and extends into the abutting Mt. Holyoke Range State Park. A link to a map of the walk around the Sweet Alice Conservation Area is below. A second link to a map of the Mt. Holyoke Range State Park, which includes the Trolley Line Trail, is also below.
Each person walks at her/his own pace and walks only as far as they wish. There is no obligation to complete the walk or walk a certain distance.
https://www.kestreltrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/SWEET-ALICE-POND-LOOP-KLT-TRAIL-MAP-12_21.pdf