Geocache Description:
The Hopkinton Area Land Trust
https://hopkintonlandtrust.org/
The Hopkinton Area Land Trust is responsible for managing conservation land, but doesn’t buy land. Land is either donated to HALT by a landowner, or the landowner grants HALT a Conservation Restriction (an easement) on their land but retains possession of it. In both cases, HALT is responsible for insuring the land retains its conservation value, and generally makes decisions about what can be done with the land. Land that HALT owns is always open to the public for passive recreation, and HALT generally only accepts land under a Conservation Restriction with that same proviso. HALT’s management of a property is similar whether HALT owns the land or holds a Conservation Restriction on it.
HALT monitors its properties regularly, at least annually, according to the size and restrictions of each property, and keeps documentation (such as reports, updated photographs and maps) of each monitoring activity. This monitoring is usually performed by land stewards—volunteers interested in preserving the property’s conservation value. Often these stewards are nearby residents who love the outdoors and want to preserve the character of their neighborhood.
About This Trail
The Dave Goldman Trail is an easy 0.3-mile out-and-back trail. This parcel has a small meadow and ponds in the front and mixed dry open forest in the rear, providing a pleasant easy walk any time of year. In the meadow adjacent to the parking area you may notice a tall garden phlox poking up out of the ferns, undoubtedly a remnant of a former garden. Notice the very large “weeping” spruce tree behind the meadow. Feel free to walk over to the ponds to the right to hear and see bullfrogs and perhaps other wildlife, but watch the poison ivy.
To follow the trail, go through the meadow and follow signs up a small hill. From there the trail is quite level and easy to follow. The trail ends at the second bench, so return the way you came in.
Off the trail, you may find artifacts of a bygone era, when each New England farm had its own “landfill”.
Size: 8.4 acres
Longest Walk: 0.6 miles round trip
History
The Dave Goldman Trail was dedicated in 2019. It is named for HALT’s founder, who started the Trust in 1995 at his kitchen table with four other people. Dave’s was the driving force that built the Trust into what it is today, spending most of his free time as the president of the Trust for 24 years working on land preservation in Hopkinton.
The original farm consisted of 126 acres founded by Ora Cheney’s grandfather, Henry O. Cheney. The Cheneys had one of the largest private collections of native American stone arrow heads and ornaments. The collection is displayed at the Hopkinton Historical Society.
The trail and benches were built in 2019 by an Eagle Scout.
About This Cache
If you don't find it right away, keep your head up, and keep looking! Don't forget to bring your own pen!