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Northfield Ramble from Mt.
Sugarloaf
Total Distance: 41.2 miles Elevation
Gain: 1539 feet
Degree of
Difficulty Index: 1539 ft /
41.2 mi = 37.54 ft/mi Terrain: Rolling
Killer Hills: None
Geographical
Region: Central Massachusetts
City/Town: Sunderland, Massachusetts
Starting
Location: Roadside parking
area on Rt. 116 about 0.2 miles west of the Connecticut River in Sunderland,
Massachusetts. From I-91
northbound take Exit 24 and go north (right) a short distance on Routes 5 and
10 to traffic light. Turn right
onto Route 116 and follow for about 1.5 miles down to roadside parking area
on left about ¼ mile short of the bridge across the Connecticut River.
Ride
Description: This is a lovely
ride through several towns in the Connecticut River Valley in
Massachusetts. The ride is on
mostly flat to rolling terrain and features a great snack/lunch stop
overlooking the Connecticut River at a Northfield river side park. After this stop the ride route heads
north up to Northfield before turning west briefly and then south through
Gill to Turners Falls. There is
a very scenic cascade waterfall on Falls Rd near the end of the ride.
Facilities and
Points of Interest:
|
Mile
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Facilities
- Points of Interest
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0.2
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Bridge
across the Connecticut River
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6.2
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Montague
Mini Mart on left
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6.4
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Montague
Center; neat little New England village green
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11.5
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Pedestrian
bridge over the Miller's River; note confluence of Miller and Connecticut
Rivers to the north
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11.6
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Go
under the French King Bridge (State Route 2) supporting truss
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13.3
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Suggested
lunch stop at Northfield picnic area overlooking Connecticut River; views;
bathrooms
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23.6
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Village
of Gill; general store may (or may not) be open; alternate lunch/snack stop
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27.3
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Immediately after crossing the
Connecticut River, the Great Falls Discovery Center is on the right, and
Northeast Utilities' fish ladder is on the left. The fish ladder has an
underwater viewing window for migrating shad and salmon. To reach the fish
ladder, use Gatehouse Road to the left of Town Hall.
The fish-way relies on the ability
of migrating fish to make the climb using their own power. They swim over a
series of rising pools in much the same way they would have overcome the
natural rises in the river before dams were built.
At the spillway ladder,
the fish climb 42 pools, passing through the gatehouse fish way. The fish
then swim past a viewing area, a counting area, and exit the fish-way above
the Turners Falls dam.
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27.3+
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Turners
Falls main drag; various stores for the next mile
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28.2
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Convenience
store on right
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37.5
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Lovely
cascading waterfall on Falls Road stop to enjoy, but remove bikes from road
surface
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40.0
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Large
(historic) sycamore tree on the right; check it out "up close &
personal"
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40.5
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Convenience
store on right at Route 47 & 116 intersection
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40.8
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Bridge
across the Connecticut River
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www.ctbikeroutes.org
Wu-WE028
abb
DLB98111
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