by Niti Seereeram
Winter is in full swing! The Fells landscape may be draped in snow, but there is still lots to explore on the trails. Read on to learn about what’s happening in the Fells this season.
In winter conditions, it is important to take proper precautions and stay inside if you feel unsafe. Winter storms can cause hazards on the trails such as slippery ice, fallen trees, low visibility, and freezing temperatures. When planning an expedition in the Fells, please check the local weather for heavy precipitation, ice, and storm conditions. We suggest wearing lots of warm layers, durable hiking boots with traction, and micro-spikes for snow and ice-covered trails. Hiking poles are also helpful in providing extra support and grip.
Once you’re properly equipped for the winter weather, it’s time to go out and explore! Tracks in the snow provide excellent insights into the activity of our local wildlife, including white-tailed deer, cottontail rabbits, and coyotes.
When tracking in the field, it’s useful to carry a field guide to identify tracks, a ruler to measure track size, a note-taking device, and a camera to take pictures of your observations.
Track patterns are often classified as hoppers, zig-zaggers, waddlers, and bounders. “Hoppers” include animals that move in short jumps with their back feet landing in front of their front feet, such as mice, squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks. “Bounders”, which include otters, fishers, and minks, move in larger leaps that leave two tracks alongside each other. Animals including woodchucks, beavers, and bears are “waddlers”, creating lopsided tracks as they move one side of their body at a time. Finally, “zig-zaggers” walk carefully, with their rear feet landing exactly where their front feet landed. Animals that display this track pattern include deer, foxes, coyotes, moose, and bobcats and are also called “perfect walkers.”
While on the search for wildlife tracks, you’re likely to encounter some that belong to a more familiar domestic species – dogs! While we love exploring the Fells with our furry friends, we must also acknowledge that all organisms make an impact on the land on which they are treading. The Middlesex Fells Reservation is a vital resource for local plants, animals, and people. While recreating in the Fells, it is important to properly dispose of dog poop and other “biopollution,” or biological pollution, that can leach harmful chemicals or parasites into the ecosystem if left in the park. To learn more about the impact of human recreation and biopollution on the environment, check out this map of dog poop bags in the Fells created by our partner organization Earthwise Aware (EwA).
There are many ways humans can sustainably recreate in the Fells. In 2024, we launched the Be Kind! Campaign with the Department of Conservation and Recreation and local town partners to provide all trail users with simple and meaningful ways to protect the Middlesex Fells:
- Stay on official Fells roads and trails: Avoid user-made “rogue trails” that disrupt sensitive habitats, soils, and hundreds of plant and animal species in the Fells, that can be easily disrupted by straying off the trail. Need a map with the official trails? Email us at friends@fells.org!
- Pack It In/Pack It Out: By packing out all trash and belongings, you’re allowing the environment around you to flourish and delight you on your next visit.
- Dogs should be leashed while on the trail to prevent disruption to wildlife and enable all guests to share the trails, including people who may be fearful of an unknown dog approaching them (outside of designated off-leash areas).
While the snow and ice can seem daunting, there are many fantastic ways to have fun in the Fells this winter! In addition to hiking, cross-country skiing is permitted on the trails. One popular winter activity in the Fells is ice climbing at the Cascade in Melrose. Just be sure to have a safety harness, rope, and climbing partner. Ice-climbing is done at the climber’s own risk.
Do you have a favorite winter activity in the Fells that you would like to share? Friends of the Fells accepts photography donations via this form.
Banner and icon image by Mary H. New.
Article Resources:
- EwA Biopollution Map
- Be Kind! Campaign
- Animal Tracks – Mass Wildlife
- Mass Audubon Snowy Activities