Mt Toby & Sunderland Fire Tower, MA
• 4-star hikes
• 3 mile trails
• Moderate | Gain 920 feet
• Sunderland, MA | Pioneer Valley
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Fog over the Connecticut River on a crisp fall morning.
Mount Toby State Forest is a great place to escape into wilderness among a network of quiet woodland trails close to the town of Sunderland and the Connecticut River. The location is also a demonstration forest managed by the University of Massachusetts Amherst for teaching, research and demonstration.
In this article we define the shortest hike to the summit of Mount Toby and its fire tower, commencing from one of two trailheads. Our preferred trailhead is at scenic Cranberry Pond, so we can begin our walk with an appreciation of Mount Toby's reflection in the pond's surface before treking to the summit. In icy conditions you may decide to start at the main trailhead however, as the section of Reservation Road past the pond is not maintained during winter months. The main trailhead is also the starting point for another trail to Sunderland Caves, which we've linked in the 'Trailspotting Nearby' section below.
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4★ Mt Toby from Cranberry Pond
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions GPX? |
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4★ Mt Toby from Reservation Rd
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions |
If you're starting at Cranberry Pond you'll be beginning on a narrow trail that follows the pond's western shores. You can either turn right to connect with a service road or continue past the pond where the two trails merge. If you're starting at the main Reservation Road trailhead then you'll be walking the service road from the beginning.
You could continue up the service road to reach the summit, though that's a 5.4 mile out-and-back way journey along an inspiring route. We prefer to fork off onto the narrower Blue Trail, which is easily identified as it's where the power lines servicing the fire tower make a direct route up the mountain. The Blue Trail joins with a segment of the Robert Frost Trail and becomes moderately steeper as you get closer to the summit. Those looking for less steep switchbacks here can follow Robert Frost trail signs which lead off into the forest and back again, featuring some marginally easier terrain though has sections with difficult wayfinding. With the summit as your goal, however it's difficult to get lost.
Cranberry Lake makes for a picturesque trailhead.
Mount Toby has been home to a fire lookout tower for over a hundred years, with the original structure being an open wooden platform. It is often referred to as Sunderland Fire Tower. Accoding to the Fire Lookout Association the most recent structure is from 1951 and includes a cabin that was last replaced in 2002. Though members of the public can't enter the locked cabin, they are free to climb the eight flights of metal stairs to find a great vantage point above the trees, with splendid views of the Connecticut River Valley.
Trailspotting has located all fire towers known to be still standing throughout New England, including the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We've mapped and categorized them based on the interests of trail users, providing hiking opportunities to reach these structures and reviews of trails that lead to them. Check out our link at the bottom of the page for more.
Friends on their routine Mount Toby hike.
The still active Mount Toby Fire Tower.
Tangents:
• Public Maps at AllTrails: Mount Toby Trail
• Facebook Group: Comment, Follow Us
New England Fire Towers
Discover our map of fire towers and the trails to find them.
Discover our map of fire towers and the trails to find them.
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Explore trail reviews of mountain-top hikes with Trailspotting.