Self-Guided Trails

Harvard Forests 3000 acres are open to the public. There are many miles of road and trails. A map of the prospect hill tract is available.

Two self-guided nature trails, starting from the museum, provide an excellent way to enjoy a hike in the woods while learning more about the history, environment and beauty of the Harvard Forest. Note trail maps and guides are available at the kiosk in front of the museum.

Natural History Trail Through John Sanderson's Farm

Trail is one quarter of a mile long, easy walking. Follow red discs. Each dot on the map is a point of interest with notes on what you can see. The map shows what you walk through today (labels) and how the land looked 180 years ago in John Sanderson's day (hatching). New stations and trail signs were installed July 2003

Virtual Tour of the Sanderson Farm: For those of you who can not make it to our site, enjoy the experience of the natural history trail on-line.
This tour is best viewed with Internet Explorer or Netscape 7+.

Black Gum Trail

A one and a half mile hike with information corresponding to numbered stations to make your walk more interesting. Start on the 'Natural History Trail through John Sanderson's Farm' and follow the yellow discs on trees and yellow arrows. Visit the Boardwalk Loop.