Date visited: 5/28/2025

This isn't the typical rail trail. Most rail trails are wide, either paved or with a fine stone dust or gravel surface. This is just a dirt path. We started behind the town library. The trail passes by Claypit Pond, before crossing Route 9. It was difficult to find the trail on the other side. It goes right through some backyards....literally. Some of the properties extend to the other side of the trail, including the one with the ponies in the stable. We continued on the trail, as it headed into North Brookfield.

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Date visited: 5/28/2025

We were on the North Brookfield Rail Trail, but didn't want to pass back through the flooded section on our return walk, so we headed back along the streets. We passed this place on our way to the center of town. There's a farm store, with a frisbee golf course in the back. We walked through as an alternative to continuing on the busy main road that didn't have sidewalks. It looks like a nice place, but probably not designed for dog walking. Once past the farm, there was a sidewalk on North Brookfield Road, so we were able to use that to continue on our way.

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Date visited: 5/28/2025

We wound up walking through the center of town on our way back from the rail trail. I learned from the sign, that East Brookfield is the "newest" town in the commonwealth, spinning off from Brookfield in 1920. It's also the birthplace of Connie Mack, best known as the long time manager of the Philadelphia Athletics baseball team in the early 1900's. To this day, Mack has more managerial wins than anyone ... and he also has the most losses as well! It's a big deal in town. You can see the actual house where he was born in the photo of the dogs on the bench. There's also a "Connie Mack" baseball field, and the "Connie Mack Snack Shack" as well. There's also a nice pier that looks out over Lake Lashaway. Our entire walk, counting the rail trail, was about 3.5 miles total.