New Marlborough Land Trust Goodnow Preserve

442 Mill River Southfield Rd, New Marlborough, MA

About Goodnow Preserve

The Goodnow Preserve is a 300-acre property with multiple hiking trails by the Konkapot River. These family-friendly trails span over 4 miles, offering a variety of landscapes, including pastures, dense forests, and wetlands. The Field Trail runs from the parking lot into the forest, passing through a serene open field that attracts plenty of birds and butterflies, great for birding and wildlife viewing. Like many Western Massachusetts towns, New Marlborough had a bustling paper mill industry along the fast waters of the Konkapot. Historic remnants of the Lower Carroll Mill are found in this preserve, offering visitors a fantastic opportunity to learn about early mechanized papermaking in New England.

At the end of the Field Trail, hikers can choose between the Blue and Yellow trails. Both trails meander through a mixed hardwood forest on easy to moderate terrain, but the Yellow Trail provides direct access to the old paper mill. The Yellow Trail also runs through a "hidden" pasture near the river, and it gives access to the cemetery trail that runs over a quaint log bridge. On the other hand, the Blue Trail heads by a small pasture on Hadsell Street, and it is slightly longer than the Yellow Trail. Additionally, it follows an iconic stone wall that guides visitors toward the Handsell Street pasture. Although most of the terrain at Goodnow is mellow, reaching the river on either trail requires a short but steep descent of about 125 feet.

Although spring and summer are the most popular times to visit the preserve, the property is fantastic at any time of year. There is excellent foliage in the fall, and it looks especially vibrant when observing the panoramic forest views from the preserve's main open field. When snow blankets the Berkshires, the Goodnow Preserve is an excellent snowshoeing area, as its wide open logging road trails make it easy to explore the property in the snow.

Plenty of parking is available at the lot on Mill River Southfield Road. The preserve is dog-friendly as long as owners clean up after their pets.