Date Of Visit: September 7, 2016
Location: 69 Moody Bridge Rd, Hadley, MA
Hours: Open everyday, sunrise until sunset
Cost: Free
Parking: There is a lot at the entrance of the trail for about 20-30 cars
Dog Friendly: Yes
Handicap Accessible: Yes
Highlights: wildlife, easy trail, flowers
Web Site: Sylvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge
Named after Silvio Ottavio Conte, a 16 term Republican member of the U.S. House of Reprentatives from Pittsfield, MA, the Silvio O. Conte National Fish & Wildlife Refuge is and easy 1.1 mile trail dotted with trees, flowers and the occasional bird.
Broken into 9 divisions and 9 units across New England, the Sylvio O. Conte parks feature a variety of parks in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire.
I chose to visit the Fort River Division in Hadley, Massachusetts during the week of the Labor holiday. So, the photos are not an accurate display of what the refuge looks like now. It is undoubtedly even more beautiful with all of the foliage this time of the year.
The refuge has mostly flat, well groomed trails with some raised platform walkways.
There are benches and lookouts along the way.
The views from the lookouts and on the trails are very pretty.
The flowers, plants and trees at the Sylvio O. Conte trail are also very pretty.
Although it was only the early part of September, I saw the signs of fall on the trail. Leaves covered parts of the trail and some of the leaves appeared to be turning color already.
As the name indicates, the Fort River runs through a portion of the trail.
The winding trails are very charming. They make you wonder what could be around the next corner. Even though it is only slightly more than a mile in length, the trail does provide a lot of surprises. One of the surprises you may find on the trail is wildlife. Deer, bobcats and coyote are said to populate the area. But, I didn’t see any of them during my visit. Oh, and then there are birds. There are lots of birds at Sylvio O. Conte trail. I photographed a few of them.
While it’s certainly not a challenging trail and you’re not likely to find too much wildlife or other surprises, I would still recommend this trail to anyone looking for a casual walk with some pretty scenery.
New England Nomad 
October 27th, 2016 at 2:00 pm
This looks great for my family, since my daughter has a disability and we push her along in a stroller chair. It’s hard to find trails that we can take her on that’s not too difficult. And it’s in my neck of the woods! Thanks for pointing it out, and the great photos.
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October 27th, 2016 at 2:09 pm
Thank you, Tina! Your comment made me think of a new category to add for if a place is handicap accessible. I have noticed a few people commenting on this very important feature. I think it’s a good idea so people will know before they go. I think you and your daughter will have a wonderful time. I especially like the lookout areas. I hope you have a great time there!
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