         
| Property Description |
204 acres | Established 1959 |
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At 370 feet, Noon Hill rises gently above the surrounding landscape. A trail leads to its peak, offering sweeping views south across the rolling hills of Walpole and Norfolk. Thousands of years ago, glacial action carved depressions through the hill. The Reservation's slopes and ridges are forested with pine, beech, birch, and hemlock; in spring, the forest floor is scattered with wildflowers. Many lowland areas have become red maple swamps. Much of the land to the north and east of the Reservation is floodplain of the Stop River, a tributary of the Charles River.
Holt Pond was created around 1764, when Sawmill Brook was dammed to create a mill pond. In the nineteenth century, after farmers cleared the forest, the land surrounding the pond was used as pasture, and stone walls were built as enclosures. Woods have since reclaimed these fields. The midday sun passes over the ridge of Noon Hill, giving the Reservation its name.
A short trail extension across Causeway Street connects Noon Hill to Shattuck Reservation. Both reservations are managed with adjacent conservation land owned by the Town of Medfield. Noon Hill is a link in the Bay Circuit Trail. |
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| Trails |
| 4.5 miles of trails. Moderate hiking, strenuous in places. |
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| Literature |
| Printed trail maps are distributed free from the bulletin boards in the parking area. Please understand that supplies periodically run out. You may also download trail maps from this web site or mail order trail maps in advance of your visit. |
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| Property Acquisition History |
Original acreage a gift of W. K. Gilmore & Sons in 1959. Additional land given by
Henry L. Shattuck, with the cooperation of Daniel S. and Dr. F. Sargent Cheever, in 1960 and 1963, and by Hon. Elliot L. Richardson, Dr. Edward P. Richardson, Jr., and Dr. George S. Richardson in 1978. |
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Telephone:
781-784-0567
E-mail:
seregion@ttor.org
When to Visit:
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1 hour, 2 hours if also visiting Shattuck Reservation.
Admission Fees & Permits:
Free to all.
Regulations / Advisories:
Mountain biking is permitted only on designated trails.
How to Get There:
From intersection of Routes 27 and 109 in Medfield, take Route 109 west for 0.1 mi. and immediately turn left onto Causeway Street. Follow for 1.3 mi. and turn left onto Noon Hill Road. Entrance and small parking area (15 cars) 0.2 mi. on right. Noon Hill is across Causeway Street from The Trustees' Shattuck Reservation. Alternative directions if Causeway Street is closed due to flooding: From the intersection of Routes 109 and 27 in the center of Medfield, take Route 27 South/East about a mile to a light at South Street. Turn right onto South Street and go about half a mile to Noon Hill Street. Turn right onto Noon Hill Street (dirt) and go about half a mile to parking area on the left.
Road Map:
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