Muddy Brook Wildlife Management Area
The Muddy Brook Wildlife Management Area is a total of 1,937 acres. The property is made up of two parcels. The smaller, northern tract is a mix of abandoned pastures and orchards, marsh, swamp, and upland forest. The larger southern tract, bisected by Patrill Hollow Road, contains mixed upland oak-hickory and white pine forest, remnant sandplain communities, and acidic shrub marshes. Muddy Brook is an exceptionally unique area given the glacial lake delta that supports a fire adapted sandplain ecosystem containing pitch pine, scrub oak, dwarf chestnut oak, American hazelnut, lowbush blueberry, huckleberry and interspersed patches of little bluestem.
MassWildife is currently in the midst of large-scale restoration efforts to restore the fire-influenced natural communities and rare and imperiled species associated with the property. Learn more about the habitat restoration work occurring at Muddy Brook Wildlife Management Area.
Public Access
Muddy Brook is open to the public for non-motorized outdoor recreation including hiking, hunting, and fishing.
MassWildlife Muddy Brook WMA User Guide
File size: 645 KB
Directions
600 Patrill Hollow Rd, Hardwick, MA 01031
Parking is available off Patrill Hollow Rd and Muddy Brook Rd.
Ownership
MassWildlife
Year Protected
1992
Property History
In 1992, Mount Grace worked with the Mixter family to protect 647 acres of what is now the southern part of the Muddy Brook Wildlife Management Area.
