Crow Hill

Where: Crow Hill, Leominster State Forest MA
When: December 24, 2025
With: Solo

Crow Hill, just east of Mt. Wachusett, has been on my radar for some time. It has cliffs used by rock climbers and military groups for training, and I've looked at the trails nearby for mountain biking. A recent post by an AMC group of their hike there brought it to mind again, so when I felt the need for some trail time, I had my destination set.

There was some familiarity as I approached and pulled into the Rocky Pond parking lot. I'd been here before, snowshoeing with a neighbor many years ago. There was only 2-3" of snow on the ground today, so snowshoes weren't needed this time, but I pulled on microspikes before setting off. My plan was for a loop route suggested online, climbing up and over the Crow Hill ledges before returning on forest trails back to the parking lot.

I was the first traveler on the Sawyer Run Trail, putting fresh footprints in the snow. I could've bare-booted it, but the spikes gave me just a bit more grip. After a short walk, the trail came to an intersection, where I turned left and descended to the road. I crossed to another parking lot with two trucks and made my way toward the trails to the ledges. There was an immediate fork, with some footprints heading left up a service road, and others going right, up the Ledges Trail.  A check of a trail app showed the two routes would rejoin, so I went left for a slightly longer walk.

The footprints I was following left into the woods when the road turned (perhaps a hunter?), leaving me to make first tracks once again. In short order the road ended at a parking area (emergency access for the rock climbing area), and the Ledges Trail came in and continued up the hill. It passed through a small picnic area (a couple of tables) then began a steep climb up a rugged, rocky route. I was extra careful with my foot placements as I climbed, aware I was the only person out in the area.

The climb topped out, and paths departed to the right (along the ridge) and the left (up the hill). Figuring I was headed for the summit, I went left. A short bit of climbing got me to a point with no more "up", presumably the summit, though there was no cairn or other marker. I followed trails leading from that point, thinking I might find something nearby, but there was nothing. I explored a bit, backtracked, checked my trail app, and finally decided to head east and downhill on informal paths.

Eventually I found myself back at the top of the rocky climb. This time I paid attention to the trail signs and went right. Once again, the first tracks on the trail were mine. Combined with pleasant temperatures and no wind, the solitude was just what I needed to satisfy my "I need to be in the woods" mood.

The path, now part of the Midstate Trail, followed the top of the ledges. Views began to appear and I stopped for a photo.

Continuing, I came to an open viewpoint, so another photo.

The trail continued along the top of the ledge a bit further before coming to a trail junction, with the Midstate Trail heading north and the Crow Hill Trail - my route - going east and down toward the road. The drop was steep and rocky at first, and snow balling up under my spikes made the descent a bit hairy at times. I was walking on platform shoes that kept falling apart! I made it down without any significant problems (or injuries) though, and soon the road was in sight.

Crossing the road, I passed through another parking lot, walked across a dam between the Upper and Lower Crow Hill Ponds, then got on the Wolf Rock Trail, heading south along the lower pond toward my car. It was a pleasant walk through the woods, fairly level the entire time, and I stopped at one point to get a photo of Crow Hill across the pond.

Soon after, I met a woman with a big, beautiful dog, then I had the trails and forest to myself until I was nearly back at the car, where I met a couple with two happy dogs. A few steps more and my hike was completed.