Trail Guidelines

Welcome to Lincoln’s Trails!

The LCC and LLCT acknowledge that we are located on the unceded land of Indigenous people, including the Agawam, Massaadchu-es-et (Massachusett), and Pawtucket. We acknowledge the violence, displacement, and forced migration perpetuated on Indigenous people and support the continued struggle for equality, justice, and liberation of Indigenous people in and around our community.  We strive to preserve and protect these lands which are currently under our care. Please contact the Conservation Office at conservation@lincolntown.org to discuss how we can make this land available for Indigenous People’s Traditional practices.

Welcome to Lincoln’s conservation lands and trails.  Your opportunity to use Lincoln’s open space is accompanied by the responsibility to be a good steward of the land.

To report any issues you see on the trails, please contact the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust at 781-259-9251; llct@lincolnconservation.org, or the Lincoln Conservation Commission at 781-259-2612 (conservation@lincolntown.org).

Please observe the following Rules while using Lincoln’s trails:

  • Conservation land is open to the public from ½ hour before sunrise until ½ hour after sunset.
  • Stay on Marked Trails: People and pets must stay on marked trails. Some of the trails are on private property, so if you are off the trail, or on an unmarked trail, you may be trespassing.
  • Trail Etiquette: Slow down and make yourself known when you approach another trail user. Everyone must yield to horses. Bikers yield to walkers and runners.
  • Bike Riding is permitted only on trails expressly marked for such use. Riders must walk bikes through wet/muddy sections of the trail. Any bike outing which involves 5 or more unrelated people must obtain a Group Use Permit (see below). Click here to view a map of Biking/No Biking Trails.
  • Horseback riding is not permitted where so marked & in wet areas where their use may result in damage to the trail. Any horse-riding outing which involves 5 or more riders must obtain a Group Use Permit (see below).
  • Dog Walking Rules
    • Dogs must be leashed or under effective voice control at all times. “Voice Control” is defined as the dog being always within the owner’s sight and hearing & trained to come immediately when called.
    • Dogs must be leashed (or held by the collar) when approaching other trail users unless the other user expressly gives permission to leave the dog off leash. Some people are not comfortable around dogs.
    •  A maximum of 3 leashed dogs are allowed per person. Visitors with 2 or fewer dogs may unleash their dogs, except where leashes are expressly required.
    • Dog owners must always carry a leash for each dog (8-foot maximum).
    • Dogs are not permitted to chase, hunt, or harass people, wildlife other dogs, horses, or livestock.
    • All dog waste must be picked up and removed from the property.
    • Dogs must be leashed:
      • In parking areas and within 100 feet of trailheads.
      • At Flints Pond Conservation Area in order to protect Lincoln’s water supply (see map).
      • In agricultural fields which are used for food production, and in pastures while livestock are on those fields.
      • Along certain trails at Mt. Misery, and in other ecologically sensitive areas & in hayfields as posted.
  • Group Activities and Special Land Use Permits are required as set forth above and are required for other activities or events when 10 or more people are involved. A Special Land Use Permit may be issued for certain activities otherwise prohibited*. See https://tinyurl.com/GroupUsePermit-Lincoln to apply.

 

  • Prohibited Activities*:
    • Operation of any motorized vehicle (e.g. ATV, dirt bike, motorcycle, snowmobile)
    • The use of paintball guns, drones, or metal detectors
    • Littering, dumping, or disposing of waste of any kind (including yard waste)
    • Defacing, damaging, installing, or removing signs, gates, fences, walls, dams, or other structures.
    • Creating, trimming, or marking trails
    • Posting of signs, selling, or distributing materials or products
    • Blocking of any fire lane, trail, or of any waterways or streams
    • Swimming, smoking, paintballs, camping, or campfires
    • Picking fungus, plants, or flowers; injuring vegetation
    • Trapping, hunting, fishing (except catch and release), harassing wildlife, carrying of firearms.
    • Commercial activities, fee-based programs, or organized group activities.

 

Trails and conservation areas owned and managed by LLCT and the Town of Lincoln should be entered at your own risk. Neither the Town of Lincoln, LLCT, nor private landowners assume any liability for injuries to persons or damage to property while on Lincoln’s trails or conservation areas. Failure to comply with the above guidelines may constitute trespassing, result in fines, or the revocation by the owner of permission for public use.

Fines: Any person violating these regulations shall be liable to the Town in the amount of $50.00 for the first violation and $100.00 for each subsequent violation.