Great Brook XC Ski Touring Center

Carlisle's Great Brook State Farm Park, with its miles of trails, its "zoo," and its ice cream parlor, is a Mecca for hikers, cross country skiers, and off-road cyclists. What's more, recently completed renovations have culminated in a beautifully landscaped "Interpretive Center". In short, a fine place to start a walk or bike ride. Great Brook features two parking areas, one at the ski touring center on Lowell Road, and another off North Road, the main entrance to the Park. We'll launch from the former. 

For driving directions from www.mapquest.com, use the endpoint "curve street at lowell road" in Carlisle. If you're a diehard still willing to chance our directions, try these:

From Route 128/95

Take Exit 31(Routes 4 and 225) west toward Bedford and drive Route 225 through Bedford to Carlisle Center. Soon after passing by Bedford's fire station, watch for Route 225 to branch left from the combined 4-and-225 just after Route 62 enters from the left and almost precisely opposite a Volkswagen dealership. You're on the right track if, a few minutes after making this left, you cross the Concord River and a little later pass Kimball's Ice Cream stand. At the Carlisle rotary, marked by a statue of a lachrymose woman, right arm raised in salute to her war dead, turn right past Fern's convenience store to Lowell Street and drive it roughly two miles to North Road (the Park's main entrance, featuring a cow-bedecked "Ice Cream" sign, on the right) and then another quarter mile or so, up the hill. On the right you'll find a large dirt parking lot and a barn (the Touring Center in winter). Drive into the lot and park. Mapquest estimates the drive from 128 via this route to be about 30 minutes.

From Route 495

Take Exit 32 for Boston Road east toward Carlisle, cross directly over Route 110, and proceed from there as Boston Road becomes Carlisle Road and continues to a stop sign at Route 225. Turn left on 225 and drive to the Carlisle rotary , go left three quarters of the way around it, past Fern's convenience store, to Lowell Street, and drive Lowell Street roughly two miles to North Road, the entrance to Great Brook, on the right. The parking lot is about a quarter mile further up Lowell Road on the right.  Approximately twenty minutes are required to get from 495 to North Road.

*** Good Luck !!! ***

Need to contact us? Call 978-808-0900.