Visiting the Quabbin Reservoir

The Quabbin was created some 60-70 years ago as a water source for the city of Boston. In one of the more unusual and significant cases of eminent domain, the state seized land from residents of four central Massachusetts towns, and the towns were obliterated to create the reservoir. This took years to accomplish, and involved relocation of thousands of people, razing town buildings, relocating cemeteries (where possible), and constructing alternate roads and railways. There were court battles to try and stop the project, but the greater need for the city of Boston won out. By the mid 1940s, the Quabbin was doing its job to feed Boston with water. To this day, there are many nooks of the Quabbin that betray its former existence as thriving communities.

Today, the water is protected on all sides by thick woods, and is managed by the Mass Dept. of Conservation. Access is provided through gates on all sides of the reservoir to low impact recreation activities.

Here are just a few of the ways you can enjoy the Quabbin area:

-Rent a low horsepower motorboat from the DCR and spend a day fishing for lake salmon or bass, and exploring along the many islands.
-Hike along the network of trails in the fall, and try to find landmarks of the lost towns. Or a ruffed grouse!
-Cross-country ski or snowshoe along the perimeter in the winter, watching the snow gently settle on the lake.
-Take your canoe or touring kayak [note there are restrictions, please read them at the DCR site] to the Pottapaug, a long thin arm of the Quabbin where you may spot eagles overhead.
-Visit the nearby towns which feature town greens, country stores, antiquing, and local crafts and goods!
-Better yet, do the annual spring King's Tour of the Quabbin Century, with the Seven Hills Wheelmen. This century is not for the inexperienced distance cyclist though!

Do you want to go there yet? I can't wait to go back!

Now if you were paying attention, you may have noticed I referenced a ruffed grouse earlier in this page. The Quabbin happens to be a wonderful wildlife viewing area, with the forest being home to moose, deer, coyotes, fox, fisher cats, beaver, even black bear. Overhead, eagles and hawks may circle, and on the lake itself there are several loon pairs - one of the few water bodies in Massachusetts to provide adequate privacy for loon chick rearing. But, there is a perhaps less storied feathered resident of the area, the ruffed grouse.

You see, for some time I had been talking to my then boyfriend to go hiking with me here. I had picked out a trail for us, and read the description aloud to him. The book authors noted that it was very common to flush ruffed grouse from the tall grasses bordering this particular trail.

Off we were, enjoying the quiet solitude and scenery, exploring the shoreline, now meandering back through the woods road, having well forgotten about the book's "warning" of several hours ago, when off to my husband's left there was a great commotion as a large grouse flew up toward us. My husband must have jumped out of his skin, and admittedly it startled me too, but I grew up with pheasants doing the same thing so I was a bit more used to the noise. Anyway, we both had a very good laugh over that and ever since, we've joked with each other about looking out for those ruffed grouse.

Hmm, in recalling, this reminds me of the time we saw a moose next to the "Moose next X miles" road sign... but that's another story for another day...