Russel Mill - GBF Linkup

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Russel Mill is an excellent place to go for a ride, but it's small, and hard to get more than a short ride in. Great Brook Farm offers the miles, but it's mostly easy and unremarkable. This link up tries to get the best of both worlds.


The Ride starts and stops from the ice cream stand lot in Great Brook Farm, however you do need to pay to park there Yto could easily start and stop from the Russel Mill lot by the soccer field, which is free.

The ride warms up on some easy stuff, tries to hit the highlights of Great Brook Farm (Tophet Loop West and Stone Row) as well as linking in almost all of Russel Mill, with a bit of road riding.

Remember the ice cream shop at Great Brook Farm is open in the summer, so bring money for post ride treats!

Start off at Acorn, across the street from the Lowell Street Lot. Follow the trails Boy Scout style, and take ever right you come across, this will take you around the perimeter of the Acorn trail system. After 4 right hand turns, Acorn South will meet up with Curve Street. Cross Curve Street and follow Old Morse Road (It's a private road, but is clearly marked as a trail easement on the DCR's Great Brook Farm map). At the mini rotary, turn left, and follow the road a little while longer until you find a trail leading into the woods on the left, take it.

At the T intersection take a right, and follow Fern Loop back to another intersection and take another right. This will spit you out onto Lowell Street. Take a left onto Lowell Street and follow it for a short ways, then take a right onto North Road. Follow North Road past the parking lot, to the start of Pine Point Loop. Back on the dirt follow Pine Point Loop to the start of Heart Break Ridge.

After all the road and easy trail riding, Heart Break Ridge will be lots of fun. Enjoy the ride out on Heart Break Ridge and the even more fun ride back on Tophet Loop West. Back on Pine Point Loop head back to the road by finishing the loop. On the way back hit Keyes Loop and Beaver Loop, two enjoyable short trails.

Cross the road and hop on Woodchuck, taking a short detour around Garrison Loop, and then turning right into the Thanksgiving Forest. Follow the trail streight through the Forest and out onto the road. Follow the mapped rout on the road to Russel Mill.

Great Brook Farm provides the miles to this ride, but Russel Mill brings the fun! Start out on Blue Heron Loop, and take a left towards the pump track. After you've had your fun, leave the pump track by Yellow Finch, then a right onto Red Bird Connector and a left back onto Blue Heron Loop. This will take you to Wild Turkey.

Wild Turkey offers some nice, approachable riding and it's unexpected rolling turns and flowing terrain are a real treat. After Wild Turkey, follow Lower White Owl to Upper White Owl for more fun flowing riding. After that take Green Birdhouse Loop to Orange Goose Loop.

Enjoy the turns, skinniness and drops on Orange Goose Loop, this is probably the most technical trail on this ride, and definitely the most fun. When the trail is over, turn right onto Green Birdhouse Loop and take it out of Russel Mill. Follow the mapped rout back to Great Brook Farm.