Piper Farm Conservation Land
Piper Farm is a 70-acre landscape of fields, woodlands, and wetlands located off Rice Road, which is a spur off of Route 27 located approximately one-half mile east of the Town Center. It is part of the wooded gateway into Sudbury.
Piper Farm is a core property in a network of trails that traces a path from the Sudbury River to the Town Center from Route 27 near the Sudbury River to the Frost Farm Trails Conservation Land north of Route 117 and from the Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge to the Assabet Wildlife Refuge. As conservation land, trails are open to the public for walking, hiking, cross-country skiing, wildlife watching, etc. The fields and clearings are available for picnicking and light camping.
Vernal pools on the property provide breeding habitats for amphibians in the spring; much needed water for forest mammals, birds, and reptiles in the summer; and food for migrating animals in the fall. The woodlands offer roosting sites for Great Horned Owls and Red-tailed Hawks.
Piper Farm is a travel corridor through which wildlife species quickly shuffle across town. Piper Farm is an essential “genetic highway “that allows subpopulations of species spread across the region to mix genetically and thereby maintain a robust gene pool. Eastern Cottontails from the Sudbury River area and others from North Sudbury and beyond the Assabet River area slowly drift through this landscape, staying for several seasons or even years.
Parking
Parking for two cars is available at the beginning of Fieldstone Farm Road. Additional parking is available at the parking lot for King Philip Woods on Old Sudbury Road.
Historical Information
Piper Farm is an exploration of the human and natural history of Sudbury. Old fields, orchards, and stone walls tell stories of life in New England 150 years ago. Artifacts from colonial times and Native America are buried in the land. The interplay of plants and animals in the woodlands and fields makes each visit to the property an opportunity to see and discover new aspects of Sudbury’s natural heritage.
Trail Challenges
The entry to Piper Farm is a moderately steep narrow trail. Hikers then enter a wide open, flat field area. The trail continues through this wide area and then enters the forested area. The forest trails contain hills and moderate slopes with multiple tree roots and rocks along the trails. Some of the slopes along minor trails can be steep. Some of these wooded area trails also contain brush and are moderately challenging to hike.
Trail Comments
- “Piper Farm has an apple orchard that was used many years ago.”
- “The giant field was really beautiful. There is a great view of the forest surrounding the large area of grasses.”
- “The forest area is filled with rock walls and lush trees. The trail is really interesting inside the woods.”
- ”There is an amazing ravine overlook which shows the land sinking into the forest. There are many steep drops in the land in this area.”
- “Piper Farm’s woods have pine groves that are very scenic.”
Trail Videos
Piper Farm – Highlights
Piper Farm – Trail Hike
Trail Photographs
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