April Hike: Assabet Rivers Wildlife Refuge

680 Hudson Road,Sudbury MA 01776

09 April, 2022

Description

Join us for this 2.5 mile Springhike at the Assabet Valley Wildlife Refuge in Sudbury, MA for current military, Veterans and family members. Join us on Saturday, April 9th at 10 a.m. to explore the trails at the Assabet Valley Wildlife Refuge in Hudson, MA. Water and snacks will be provided. There will be ample area to explore with a great water feature and lots of abandoned military bunkers. A great location for photos. While we had a dedicated group of adventurers traversing these trails just after a snowstorm only a few months ago, there has been considerable interest in revisiting this particular hike from those who would prefer not to trudge through a foot of snow in sub-freezing temperatures. This is for you! With wide flat trails and well marked trails, this is a great hike for the entire family. Note: If using GPS or Google Maps to find the location, use the phrase "Assabet River Wildlife Refuge WELCOME CENTER". There are several parking areas at various trailheads that your GPS may lead you to (I know, because it took me to three different parking locations before I found the right one). The entrance is approximately 0.5 miles from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services. Once at the entrance, follow the road to the big red Welcome Center and you'll see us there. The trail head that we'll be taking starts to the left of the Welcome Center. We always strive to be good guests at any park or venue that we visit, so it's important that we abide by their rules and be respectful of other visitors. More information for this location may be found at https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Assabet_River/visit/plan_your_visit.html . Rules to know at the Assabet Valley Wildlife refuge are: No Pets: Service Animals Allowed Leave No Trace: take out your trash with you (take in, take out) No picking or disturbing wildlife or vegetation Trails close at sunset ATVs/horses are not allowed The property, once known as the Fort Devens Sudbury Training Annex, had been placed off-limits by the Army since 1942 when they acquired it for an ammunition storage facility. Before World War II, the area consisted of small family farms and wood lots, some dating back to colonial times. Assabet River NWR was established on September 28, 2000 when the U.S. Army transferred 2,230 acres to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be part of the National Wildlife Refuge System. The refuge opened to public access in March of 2005, followed by an official Dedication and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on October 23, 2005. The refuge's specific objectives are determined in the Comprehensive Conservation Planning process. The objectives include the conservation and management of migratory bird species; the restoration of wetland, grassland and forest habitats; and natural resource related education. Learn more about the history of this location at https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Assabet_River/visit/plan_your_visit.html .