Tully Trail
The Tully Trail is a 22-mile loop hiking trail that begins and ends at Tully Mountain, passing through three towns: Warwick, Royalston and Orange. It goes along the shore of Tully Lake, along Jacobs Ridge (with its panoramic views), past three waterfalls (Doanes, Spirit, and Royalston Falls), through Royalston and Warwick State Forests, along a section of the interstate New England National Scenic Trail, past Clubhouse Pond, and past picturesque North Orange.
Public Access
The Tully Trail is open to the public for non-motorized recreation including hiking and nature watching.
Directions
Tully Lake Campground – 25 Doane Hill Rd, Royalston, MA 01368
Parking is available at the Tully Lake Campground and at various locations along the route.
Trail Map
For a current version of the Tully Trail map, contact the Trustees.
Ownership
The Tully Lake Campground is a property of the Army Corps of Engineers and the various lands throughout the trail are owned by different entities, such as private landowners, the Trustees of Reservation, Harvard Forest, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and MassWildlife.
Property History
Endorsed in 1997 as the first project of the North Quabbin Regional Landscape Partnership and galvanized by the support of the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program, the Tully Trail was completed in 2001. The trail was designed to provide the public with an exceptional hiking experience and to showcase various types of land conservation, including state forests, wildlife management areas, commercially managed forests, and privately preserved areas. The trail has led to increased trail protection efforts, such as the Commonwealth's Tully Initiative. Though the trail grew out of a partnership of various government agencies and conservation organizations, a grassroots movement of volunteers helped make the trail possible. And while large segments of land are located on protected landscapes, the trail would not have been possible without the private landowners who granted trail easements. Today, the Tully Trail is maintained by volunteers from North Quabbin Trails Association.
Learn more about the efforts to build the Tully Trail.
