Scenic babbling brook vistas along the Twelve Mile Brook Trail and along Spear Brook
Trout fishing in the Twelve Mile Brook
Stone walls along the Twelve Mile Brook Trail
Very large, mature pines and hemlocks at the Twelve Mile Brook Trail
Activities Permitted: All passive recreational activities are permitted. Please be careful not to leave litter and not to deface the property. Please park in designated areas and be respectful of neighborhoods in the area.
Hiking
Cross-country skiing / snowshoeing
Educational studies
Nature observation
Trails: The hike out and back on Twelve Mile Brook is about 1.4 miles. It is also possible to hike all of the Crane Hill trails from the Twelve Mile Brook parking lot by following the 12 Mile Brook Connector trail directly across Crane Hill Road from the parking lot entrance. The map for Crane Hill trails.
The trail from the Twelve Mile Brook parking lot on the other side of Crane Hill Road out to the stream is well defined until you cross the 1st footbridge. From there, the trail is ragged in places. When you cross the 1st footbridge, take the left trail. At a couple of points, it seems that the trail ends, but if you look carefully, you can pick it back up. Most of the trail from the 1st footbridge crossing out follows the brook. At a couple of points, it heads into the woods briefly. There is one spur trail that goes through the woods and picks back up with the brook trail three-fourths of a mile out. If you keep the brook to your right, you should be able to stay on the scenic brook trail.
Location: This trail is located on Crane Hill Road in Wilbraham, Massachusetts.
Elevation Factors:
The first .3 miles of the trail descends 283 feet until you reach the large bridge crossing Twelve Mill Brook. The rest of the trail is mostly level as it follows Twelve Mile Brook.
Directions from Crane Park on Main Street: From Crane Park on Main Street in Wilbraham, proceed past Wilbraham and Monson Academy down Main Street to Boston Road (Route 20). Take a right onto Boston Road. Continue on Boston Road for 1.1 miles. Crane Hill Road is on the right. Proceed cautiously down Crane Hill Road as the width of the underpass at its beginning is narrow, and there is a sharp left turn after you pass through it. As a result, you must beep your horn before entering the underpass to notify traffic coming from the other direction. Follow Crane Hill Road for .8 of a mile. The parking lot for Twelve Mile Brook will be on your left just after you pass Sqire Dr on your right. The 12 Mile parking area holds only a few cars.
Alternate directions from the Town Center: Take Monson Road east for 2 miles to Glendale Road on the left. Take Glendale Road north for 1.8 miles, then bear right on Crane Hill Road (easy to miss this turn). Take Crane Hill Road .7 of a mile north to the 12 Mile Brook parking area on the right or continue north an added .25 of a mile to the Crane Hill parking area on the left.