Eagle Reserve Conservation Area

Eagle on branch - Credit: Jeff Blanchard

Eagle Reserve Conservation Area is a 139-acre mix of woods and wetlands, including a floating Spruce-Tamarack Bog and a Level Bog, which is a complex community that floats upon a large beaver-influenced pond. Thanks to a Massachusetts Recreational Trails Program Grant, our new David H. Small Community Trail provides people with limited mobility access to the beauty of this amazing wildlife refuge—a patchwork of ponds and wetlands providing habitat and refuge for wildlife in a sheltered wetland where no signs of human habitation are visible. A breeding pair of bald eagles has nested near the waterside in past years. Rare pied-billed grebes are also found on the reserve, as well as blue heron, Canada geese, bald eagles, ravens, mallards, hooded mergansers, black ducks, and a rare juvenile golden eagle.

The land also serves as a natural classroom for the nearby Royalston Community School in partnership with Mount Grace's TerraCorps program.

2023 – Mount Grace was awarded a grant from the Hollis Declan Leverett Memorial Fund to support our efforts to control invasive species that are encroaching on the shoreline at Eagle Reserve. To learn more about the impact of invasive species and what we’re doing about it, click HERE.

Public Access

Eagle Reserve is open to the public for hiking, nature watching, hunting, fishing, canoeing/kayaking, and has an accessible trail (David H. Small Community Nature Trail).

Directions

David H. Small Community Trail (accessible trail): 55 Winchendon Rd, Royalston, MA 01368

Parking available

Peninsula Trail: 70 Winchendon Rd, Royalston, MA 01368

Parking available across the road at Birch Hill Wildlife Management Area. Head right out of the parking lot and the trail head with kiosk is across the road at the start of the guard rail.

Stone Road Trail: Drive ¼ mile on Stone Road. Parking available along roadside. There is a hayfield to the right and the trail begins behind the hayfield.