History and Hemlocks in Virginia Wood, Middlesex Fells Reservation

Having explored a large portion of the Middlesex Fells Reservation in Greater Boston, I can currently say that Virginia Wood is my new favorite portion of the park. It is a small sliver of forest isolated from the rest of the reserve via a series of roads, and lies east of the i93 bisection of the park.

Virginia Wood has one of the most documented histories of all the park sections. A large sign sits at the front of the northern entrance and details the family that owned the woods prior to its conversion into a public park. The story behind the name is a bit sad. The owner’s granddaughter, Virginia, was riding her horse through these woods and took a fall. She traveled to Europe shortly afterwards and passed away. As the land was being donated by Virginia’s mother, the Trustees who were now tasked with caring for the land decided to name the tract Virginia Woods in memorial.

At one point in its history, Virginia Wood was the site of a small mill village called Haywardville, established for the production of rubber and other goods. This is an interesting detail in that the nearby Whip Hill Park connected to the Fells to the north of Virginia Wood was also owned by a family that made its fortune in the rubber industry at a much later date, suggesting continuity of the industry in the region.

As you explore the woods you will quite easily find mill ponds created by damming and redirection of the Spot Pond Brook that crosses horizontally through Virginia Wood. This has resulted in some absolutely stunning man-made waterfalls that seem to come straight out of a storybook.

Surrounding these waterways are many beautiful Hemlock trees which create high levels of shade over the paths around the water. There are some benches that sit facing the waterfalls for those who would like to stop and admire the view or take photos, and even on a sunny day the Hemlocks create a mystical forest environment of deep, sparsely dappled shade. Sadly, Hemlocks are under attack by a few insect species, causing some of them to start dying off and creating more holes in the forest canopy. I was able to spot instances of hemlocks under attack by both hemlock woody adelgid and elongate hemlock scale, as well as hemlocks that had already died off.

Despite this tree’s struggle, this area contained some of the largest Hemlocks I had ever seen. Hemlocks grow very slowly, only reaching their maximum height after 300 years and never reaching the heights of white pine trees. I had to crane my neck to verify that they were indeed hemlock trees, suggesting these hemlocks to be rather old specimens!

Up the hill from the hemlock groves surrounding the water, white pines thrive on the highland areas nearby, showcasing how limited the Hemlock’s range is. The soil up the hill likely drains easily due to its high location, creating an ideal environment for white pines to thrive in a single species stand. On the forest floor I could see Canada Mayflower leaves making their early spring appearance.

While not a super remote area due to the proximity to roads and towns, this area of the Fells felt less busy to me than the western portion of the park. If you’re looking for a place to view waterfalls without much traversal of harsh terrain and places to sit and contemplate or just enjoy the views, this area is for you. There is a parking lot to the north of the woods. It’s small but it was not full when I went. You can also park at the Crystal Springs Parking Lot and walk a short distance with a slight incline, but you will have to cross a busy street so be careful, especially with young children!