MethuenRailTrail

Salisbury Eastern Marsh Trail

I finally got out to Salisbury Eastern Marsh Trail, and it is a great example of the interim stages of trail construction. These trails are most like what Methuen has to work with and the most realistic vision of what we can create.

To get to the hard pack stone condition of Salisbury’s Ghost Trail, you grade flat a base of the old rail bed gravel, and cover it with 9 feet wide landscape fabric and then with 4 inches binpac (stone dust and fine gravel mix); then roll the whole thing flat with a heavy roller.

Where the interim condition of gravel isn’t yet ideal for road bikes, with heavy soles or fat tires it is still a nice afternoon. When the trail is finished I will be among the first to go for a spin.

For most of the heavy machine labor Salisbury found local contractors who donated dozer time for grading and for the parts through the woods, they got a Recreational Trails Grant from the state, as well as some money from foundations. They also hired contractors to clear and grade and install gravel.