West Meadow

West Meadow Fern Glade Trail

Visit

Lauren Way, Lowell, MA. Directions below.

Access

At the cul-de-sac (on right) on Lauren Way, look for a fire hydrant.  The Fern Glade Trail then heads to the left down a short hill onto the property.

Check out the West Meadow Trail Map (PDF) created by youth in our summer program with Spindle City Corps.

Due to this property’s terrain, visitors should be nimble-footed due to several changes in grade.

Parking: Street parking to access trails is available at the cul-de-sac (on right) on Lauren Way.

Directions

Street parking to access trails is available at the cul-de-sac (on right) on Lauren Way, Lowell.

Please be courteous to local residents when accessing the trailhead. Only passive recreational activities are permitted.

Discover a Hidden Connection

It’s only a short walk to see much of the West Meadow Conservation property, but take your time and you’ll be treated to several unique, scenic habitats within the city of Lowell.

From gnarly “wolf” pines towering over historic stone walls, to a scenic fern glade and a sandy pine barren, this property showcases quick, interesting changes in the landscape.

This property is rich in biodiversity and provides a trail linking the surrounding neighborhood with access to the nearby Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsborough State Forest.

Wildlife Corridor

This property is valued as a biological-wildlife corridor linking several wetlands and the adjacent Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest.

The property was historically a gravel pit (used to build roads in the area) which makes the upland trails more hilly. With its past use as a gravel pit, the property provides good habitat for nesting turtles and for fox dens, both of which have been found on the property.

Deer tracks at West Meadow

Deer tracks at West Meadow

The numerous hemlock trees on site provide excellent shelter for deer that frequent the area.

Water bodies: West Meadow has a small vernal pool (seasonal, to the left as you descend the trail from Lauren Way).  In addition, at the southern end of the property there is a perennial stream which eventually reaches Flagg Brook and drains into the Merrimack River.

Gallery

Entrance in spring; photo by Jackie, land stewardEntrance in spring
Entrance in summer; photo by Jackie, land stewardEntrance in summer
West Meadow boardwalk in seasonally wet areaEntrance in early autumn
Entrance in late autumn; photo by land steward Jackie Entrance in late autumn
Entrance in spring; photo by land steward, JackieEntrance in winter
West Meadow trails in winterWest Meadow trails in winter
Wolf Pine Trail, West Meadow Conservation LandWolf Pine Trail
Constellation volunteers built a viewing platform at the vernal pool at West Meadow.Volunteers from Constellation, an Exelon Company
Historic stone walls at West MeadowHistoric stone walls at West Meadow
West Meadow trails are well marked.West Meadow Trail Marking
Students visiting the wolf pine trees at West Meadow conservation land. Wolf pines are old white pines that have large lower branches, indicating they once had room to grow out. Often found at the edge of historic farm fields, wolf pines are a great way to see historic land use patterns on the landscape.Wolf pine tree & visiting students
Snapping turtle nesting at West Meadow, photo courtesy of Bruce CoteSnapping turtle nesting on property
Autumn glow over the trails; photo by land steward JackieAutumn glow over the trails
Bunchberry or creeping dogwood is a native flowering plant in the dogwood family. Unlike its relatives, it is a creeping perennial that forms a carpet-like mat, forming colonies under trees like the pines at West Meadow. Photo taken by land steward, Jackie.Cornus canadensis (bunchberry)
Path from the sandy, upland area; photo by land steward JackiePath from the sandy, upland area
Painted turtle likely looking to nest; photo by land steward JackiePainted turtle
Fungi in the fall, photo by land steward JackieFungi in the fall
The stream in early autumn, photo by land steward JackieStream in early autumn
Skunk cabbage along the stream, photo by land steward JackieSkunk cabbage along stream
Sunlit forest in the fall, photo by land steward JackieSunlit forest in the fall
Corporate volunteers from Constellation, an Exelon Company, constructing a viewing platform.

Get Involved

Volunteers play a critical role in helping us care for and monitor our properties. If you would like more information about any of the properties or would like to volunteer as a land steward (application form), please let us know at (978) 934-0030.  Stewardship projects, in addition to regular site monitoring, on this property could include:

  • Trail maintenance

  • Monitoring invasives

  • Periodic monitoring of boundaries

  • Wildlife observations

  • Stewardship with abutters

  • Litter collection, as needed

As a land steward you help provide the additional eyes and ears we need on properties that staff can’t visit as frequently as we would like to. If you can take a regular walk at West Meadow, you can be a land steward! Check out the birds and other wildlife, maybe pick up a little trash, and let us know if you see anything really interesting or out of sort (e.g., a tree that’s fallen, trail work needed, yard waste dumping, or a broken sign). We have an easy online monitoring form that you can send to us at any time.