Trail Projects

In addition to our trail stewardship, every year ECTA completes significant projects that provide safe access to trails that have become inaccessible due to flooding, deterioration of essential structures like bridge or boardwalks, or wear. These projects are customized based on location, severity of issue and types of use, and many involve innovative solutions. We rely on grants and our generous donors, sponsors and especially our members to fund these projects. Membership matters. If you are not already a member join today!

Here are some examples of our work.

Donovan Hill Trail – Trail Work

ECTA holds an easement on the trail that starts at the kiosk on Sagamore Road going up into the Donovan Reservation
ending at the ball field. There is a section at the bottom of a hill by a small bridge that collects the runoff from the
hill. The mud had gotten quite deep and was getting wider as people walked off the trail in order to avoid the mud.
Working with the Hamilton Conservation Commission we were able to get permission to fix this trail as part of our
Townwide Trail Management Plan. We worked with the abutting neighbors and Greenbelt to get permission to get
the equipment to the site and to build a small staging area. The fix, completed in the summer of 2024, is beautiful and should last for many years!

Willowdale West – Trail Work

A boardwalk was installed over a stream about 6 years ago located in Willowdale West just off Rowley Road between markers 67 and 70. It was built to accommodate pedestrians and bikers. Unfortunately, it was not strong enough or wide enough to support horses. In order for the equestrian community to get to the trails they had to go on the road. The road has little to no shoulders, is curvy so the site lines are random, and the cars travel fast. This created a dangerous situation for the horses. The equestrian community asked ECTA for help. We looked at a number of options from making the existing boardwalk wider to creating another boardwalk downstream. The least impactful solution was to cut a trail from the existing trail to the road, cross the river on the road, and cut back in after the culvert back to the existing trail. We worked with DCR to get their permission to do the work and the Ipswich Conservation Commission to get permission to build it under our Townwide Trail Management Plan.

Willowdale West – Boardwalks

Two boardwalks in Willowdale West were identified in our Trail Maintenance Project as needing repair. They had
been installed many years ago and because of all the use that they received, had started to fall apart. They were
determined to be one of the Topsfield priorities because of the significant traffic that they received, both bicycle
and pedestrian. To move forward with this project, we received permission from DCR to do the work, the Ipswich Conservation Commission gave their approval as part of our Trail Management Plan to replace the boardwalks
in-kind. And, we were able to get a grant from Athletic Brewing Company which paid for construction. They were
built and installed in June 2023 by Chip and Myles Cheston of Tasks Unlimited and Trees Unlimited.

Bradley Palmer Hill Trail – Trail Repair

This popular trail that goes up the hill out of the Asbury Street parking lot is used by every type of trail user and is an important link in the park for equestrians. Chronically wet and rocky with terrible footing this section of trail was in desperate need for permanent repair. In July 2022 we worked with R.P. Scanlon Landscaping to regrade, widen, and repack the trail with organic material and seed. We also repaired the trail at the top of the hill. The preservation of these two sections of trail was funded by the contributions to The Fund in Memory of Patrick Keough and a generous donation from Michael and Peggy Schrage.�

Donibristle Reservation – Culvert Project and Trail Repair

Completed in July 2022 in partnership with Essex County Greenbelt, this project was a much needed solution to a muddy section of the main trail. Working with T.W. Excavating we raised the trail, installed a small culvert to allow water to flow under, and added material to improve footing. Permitting and planning was provided by Greenbelt and construction was funded by ECTA.

See the before and after and view a time lapsed video of this work.

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Bridge Project – Miles River Bridge

ECTA’s replacement of a 30 year old wooden bridge that crosses the Miles River at the border of Hamilton and Ipswich preserves a key trail connection from Gardner St. to Fellows Rd. It’s an important part of a network of trails through fields and wetlands used often by a diverse group of visitors including walkers, bike riders and equestrians.

Culvert Projects – Lingerman Trail and Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich

Culverts used to be a simple solution to keep trails dry. ECTA has completed many replacements of failed culverts. Recently however, the state requirements have changed. Where once a 24 inch pipe could be replaced in kind, now the pipes need to be 1.2 times the bankfull width of the stream, which in some cases may be 5 feet. ECTA has devised a solution to these projects, some of which are deep in the woods and hard to access with vehicles. We utilize arched culverts that are easily transported and are more affordable than concrete culverts. These culverts are inviting to horses and will last for 20 years. A perfect solution that keeps up with the times!

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Lingerman culvert, before and after

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Re-surfacing Projects

Many of the trails in our 6 member towns are old and are worn with use, and they trap water in the center of the trail causing muddy and sometimes impassable and unsafe conditions. In these cases, ECTA resurfaces the trail in ways that allows the water to flow to the sides of the trail. The specific solutions vary depending on the severity of the problem. This work lasts for years.

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