This Sunday, December 16, 2012 (if we made it through 12/12/12) we will hike a section of the Springwater Trail between Coates Rd and Tabors Corners. Chuck Winship and Cal Richards are the first two landowners to give permission for a public Springwater Trail across their properties.
This section of the Springwater Trail was officially opened in July 2012 and has already been enjoyed by many people from Massachusetts to Texas. If you have already hiked this section, be prepared for the many changes we have needed to make. We are still learning about designing and building the trail.
All hikers will meet at the Sugarbush Hollow’s ”Community Sugarhouse” located at 8447 Pardee Hollow Road, East Springwater ready to hike at 2:00 pm. You may wish to come to the Sugarbush Hollow open house starting at 10 on Sunday. Come do your Christmas shopping and enjoy mulled cider, homemade chili, and Christmas cookies before the hike. A Christmas Party Social for Springwater Trails will be at 4:00 after the hike. Baked Ham, Scalloped Potatoes and a Turkey Soup will be provided. Please bring a complimentary holiday dish to pass, your drink of preference or make a monetary contribution (minimum $5.00 suggested).
Now about the hikes that you are all waiting for.
Climbers will walk south on Pardee Hollow from the Sugarhouse to the Springwater Trail head. From there, they will head west on the Trail, climbing from 1800 feet to nearly 2000 feet, then down to the Tabors Corners end of the trail. After a short backtrack on the main trail, they will follow a return loop (blazed orange to distinguish it from the main blue trail) to Pardee Hollow. To keep their name, they will then proceed to climb Coates Road to the winter entrance to Springwater Trail. This section of the trail skirts the sugar-bush and returns to Pardee Hollow. That’s a total climb of 400 feet.
The tourists will head east from the Pardee Hollow trail head, climbing to the highest point on the Springwater Trail so far. They will enjoy the vistas of surrounding hill tops and valleys visible from the Springwater Trail. After returning to Pardee Hollow via the winter entrance on Coates Rd, the Tourists will visit the western entrance and the exit near Coates Rd, introducing the loop trail to ensure you know the locations of all trailheads. You will be prepared for winter snowshoeing in this area in the winter months with friends or family.
Naturalists will get a lift to the top of the Springwater Trail trailhead by way of Coates Road if seasonal conditions are acceptable and hike to the sugarhouse on Pardee Hollow Road. They will pass the Coyote Tree, travel across an “active” farm field and then proceed downward through the forest trail and sugarbush. An easy exit point on Coates Road is available, if needed.
Our Christmas Party Social will be at 4:00. Membership awards, Christmas Carols, and good food will be enjoyed by all. We hope all our 2012 hikers will attend!

For directions to the Sugar House, see https://springwatertrails.org/?p=657.