Following a Native American Trail

After a day of high winds and heavy rains I figured the 2007 autumn season for color would be at an end, but I headed out to Uxbridge, Massachusetts for a hike along the King Philip Trail anyway. The trail once used by Metacomet also known as King Philip during the 1675 King Philip Wars will take you out to Look Out Rock. It is said that Metacomet would use this vantage point to look out over the fertile valley and decide where his warriors would make their next raid on the settlers homesteads. During the 332 years since the time of the King Philip Wars, the area has seen some change. Although this area of Uxbridge is still rural at one time there was a junkyard on the site and now cleaned up, it's been one of the show pieces of the Blackstone Heritage Corridor.

Pulling into the parking lot at the trail head I was pleased to see that even after all the rain and wind of the day before there was still fall color in the trees. The King Philip Trail first takes you though a open field that was most likely the junkyard. Near the end of the area you an see how nature is taking back the wounded earth with small trees and brush. The trail enters the woods and you travel through a large white pine grove that blocks out the sky. With every step the smell of pine is kicked up from the heavy carpet of pine needles on the ground. The park service has also cleared all the lower branches of the trees to about 10 feet and gives the whole area a cathedral in the pines feeling. Following the banks of Rice City Pond which is more of a wetland that the Blackstone River meandering though, you have a good view of Goat Hill in browns, reds and yellows of the vegetation. Crossing two foot bridges built by the Blackstone Valley Technical School as a service project you hike through a hard wood forest along the slope of Wolf Hill. While hiking in this area I heard a strange bell ringing coming up on me from behind. After a while another hiker came into view and with him was his young Springer Spaniel. The dog had a bell on so the hiker could keep track of the pup. After about two miles you come to a junction, here I stayed on the far left trail and the pup and owner head off to the right. Hiking up a steep slope I arrive at the top of Lookout Rock.

The view from the summit was spectacular, looking out over the valley the autumn color of the trees stood out boldly against the cloudless blue sky. In the valley you could follow the Blackstone River as it snaked it's way through the wetlands. Overhead a Redtail hawk flies by, gliding in the wind currents and the bell of the spaniel can be heard in the distance. While sharing a drink with my chocolate lab, he looked up and barked. Flying just overhead was a turkey vulture. For several minutes it circle only feet above my head looking down at us as to say you could be my next meal. Leaving Lookout Rock to the Turkey Vulture we follow a trail that runs along the ridge line to another rock outcrop. This outcrop also offers some excellent views of the valley before the trail dropping over the edge. Traversing down a steep slope you return to the trail junction. From this point we turn back, following the edge of Rice City Pond to the parking lot.