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Mason Road to Red Fox Farm Hike

Quick Facts

  • Distance: 5 miles
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Restrictions: No motorized vehicles, dogs, or bikes
  • Total Elevation Gain: 500 feet

Trailhead (Holden)

  • From Princeton, drive down Coal Kiln Road toward Holden (Mason Road). Continue past the Mason Farm fields. The DCR parking area will be on the right.
  • Map Link

Description

  • This hike begins on open DCR fields in Holden and climbs the Princeton escarpment to the Red Fox Farm and Hickory Drive area in south Princeton.
  • The route is especially enjoyable in fall and winter when the fields are cut and dry. It includes open fields, a scenic uphill meadow, and wooded paths that run parallel to Oak Circle and Hickory Drive.
  • The Red Fox Farm trail system has a public trailhead on Route 31.

Route Details

1. Mason Fields to Princeton Line

  • From the parking area, enter the woods and follow the trail uphill through several open fields.
  • Continue to a stone wall just beyond the Princeton–Holden town line. This field can be very wet in the spring.
  • A wide trail—popular with local walkers—continues through land owned by the Nimrod Hunting Club.

2. Turn Toward Red Fox Farm

  • Watch for the first well-defined trail on the left.
  • Follow this for about 0.25 miles until you reach Red Fox Farm trail signs.
  • Take the first left onto the Red Fox Loop.

3. Red Fox Loop to Boulder Area

  • Follow the loop, bearing left, downhill to a boulder field.
  • This section runs along a stone wall and passes a recently cleared DCR area—one of the prettiest parts of the walk.

4. Choose Your Finish

  • You have two options:
    • Option A: Route 31 Trailhead Continue straight to the main Red Fox parking area on Route 31. This route passes through a pine forest and crosses two wetland bridges.
    • Option B: Loop Back to Mason Fields Stay on the Connector Trail toward Hickory Drive. Turn right onto the Hickory Trail to loop back toward the Mason fields and return to the parking area.

Safety Note

This entire area is actively used by hunters. During hunting season, hikers should wear bright orange, yellow, or red for visibility.

Other Options

  • The Red Fox area includes several loop trails worth exploring.
  • You can also begin at the Red Fox Trailhead on Route 31 for a shorter 2‑mile out‑and‑back to Mason Road and the fields.
  • Trails on the Princeton side—including Cobb Brook—are close to the Worcester Road trailhead.

Seasonal Consideration

  • From early spring to mid-summer the route through the upper field can be very wet, and the hay in the field can be tall. DCR generally mows in mid summer.

 

Map

 

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