Great Blue Heron Loop Trail
Primary loop in the Meadow Brook Uplands passing Nipmuck Pond and protected vernal pools.
What you might spot
PlantHighbush Blueberry
Vaccinium corymbosum
Multi-stemmed shrub to 10 feet; white bell-shaped flowers in May, blue-black fruit July–August, brilliant scarlet fall foliage. The species behind commercial blueberries, but wild fruit is smaller and tangier.
Flowers May; fruit July–August; fall color September–October
📍 Quissett WMA — dense shrub thickets along the East Trail and impoundment edges; fruit ripens in late July when MassWildlife allows incidental foraging.
WildlifeEastern Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
High-domed shell with variable orange and yellow markings on brown or black background; hinged plastron allows it to close completely. Moves slowly; often found near berry patches. Massachusetts Species of Special Concern — do not relocate if found on a trail.
Active May through September; most often encountered after summer rain
📍 Mendon Town Forest — dry upland areas away from the wetland trails; most likely to be found in drier oak sections on summer mornings after rain.
History in this area
Blackstone Heritage Corridor Era
1986Mendon's inclusion in the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor connected local conservation to a wider regional preservation strategy.
LAND, CPA, and the trail network you walk
How state and local programs helped stitch together the interconnected preserves the Town lists today.
Mendon Hike Challenge
This trail is part of the official Mendon Hike Challenge (Hike 7: Meadow Brook Uplands).
View the full challenge →Permitted uses
Hunting Permitted. Please remember to stay off private land. Vernal pools protected. Metacomet Land Trust is the CR holder.
Surfaces
Accessibility
Max grade
10%
Firm surface
20%
Earthen path.