Haseltine Trails
Map: Open Street Map
Map: NRPC Map
Length: About 3 miles of trails.
Frodo's Ring Trail (1.4 mile loop)
Gandalf Trail (0.5 miles)
Legolas Trail (0.4 miles)
Strider Trail (0.4 miles)
Gimli Trail (short)
Rivendell Trail (short)
Identification:
Frodo's Ring Trail - white blazes
Gandalf Trail - yellow blazes
Legolas Trail - red blazes
Strider Trail - blue blazes
Gimli Trail - orange blazes
Rivendell Trail - Red blazes
Difficulty: Walking: Moderate
XC skiing: Difficult, not recommended
Mountain Biking: Moderate
The Haseltine Community Preserve is located on the south side of Austin Road. Olive Haseltine donated the land to ACC in 1990. In 1999 and 2016, ACC conducted managed harvests of the forest as part of the long-term management plan for the area, which is recognized as a tree farm by the Foresters Guild. The property has been home to many large hemlock trees, but unfortunately these trees have been infected by the wooly Adelgid and hemlock scale, both deadly to the trees. Because of this many hemlocks have recently been logged. This both removes infected trees and provides some money for property management. Areas where trees have been cut are visible and new young oak, pine, and birch trees can be seen everywhere. Over time, ACC has received assistance with trails and infrastructure from an Eagle Scout project and the New England Mountain Biking Association (NEMBA). The trails here take visitors past forests of varying ages, large erratic boulders, early quarrying sites, and vernal pools. Vernal pools are pools of water with no inlet or outlet. The pools fill as winter snows melt. They are then used by forest salamanders, tree frogs, and peeper to lay eggs and create the next generation. The pools usually dry out by this time of year. With no connection to streams or ponds, fish can not survive in vernal pools. This is a good thing for the baby pollywogs and salamanders which would otherwise be a good dinner for any fish. Vernal pools are important features that store water in our forests for use by animals and for aquifer recharge. They also reduce flood impact by holding some water back. Unfortunately many vernal pools in our forests have disappeared as we have developed more homes, businesses, and roads in town.
The area is ringed by the Frodo's Ring Trail. Trail users can pass through the middle of the loop on the Gandalf Trail, Legolas Trail, or Strider Trail. All trails are open to hiking and mountain biking, except the lower segment of the Gandalf trail, which is restricted to hiking only (as marked on the trail). Because of many turns on most trails, Haseltine is probably not ACC’s best area for XC skiing. From Haseltine, visitors can use the B-H trail on the north side of Austin Road to connect to the Betty Arnold Forest and its trails.