Photo courtesy of MassTrails10 / MassDOTFort River Trail (Silvio O. Conte Refuge)
Eight lookouts across wetlands, grasslands, and river forest — fully accessible
Part of the MassTrails 10
Ten signature shared-use trails across Massachusetts, selected by MassDOT and DCR for 2026. Complete them all to earn the Trail Master badge — plus 50 bonus entries in the Shift Your Summer sweepstakes (June 15 – August 15). Complete all 0 routes to earn the Trail Master badge.
A fully accessible loop through the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge in Hadley. Eight lookout points offer views of young forest, floodplain, restored wetlands, and the Connecticut River Valley from crushed-stone paths and boardwalks with benches every 100 yards.
Numbered pins are the roam's stops; gold rings are bonus stops. Check in at each stop in the Shift app to complete the roam.
The route
Visit all 8 stops to complete this roam
Trailhead Gazebo
Starting point
The trail's welcoming shelter at the start of the accessible loop
Learn more →Young Forest Lookout
Overlook into young forest habitat, managed to support early-succession wildlife species
Learn more →Riverbend & Riparian Forest
Views of the Fort River's bend through mature riparian forest
Learn more →Shrublands & Restored Wetlands
Wetlands restored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, now teeming with wildlife
Learn more →Floodplain & River Edge
The closest point to the Fort River, where floodplain meets scrub-shrub habitat
Learn more →Mature Secondary Forest
A canopy of mature oaks shading the boardwalk through second-growth forest
Learn more →Expansive Grasslands Lookout
Views across open grasslands managed for ground-nesting birds and pollinators
Learn more →Wetland Overlook
Final stop
Final lookout over the refuge's central wetland complex before returning to the trailhead
Learn more →How it works
A roam is a guided, self-paced adventure you follow in the free Shift app.
Follow the route
Open this roam in the Shift app and follow the turn-by-turn route at your own pace.
Check in at each stop
The app detects when you arrive and checks you in automatically. No scanning, no codes.
Earn the Fort River badge
Complete the roam to earn the Fort River badge and 10 XP. Finish all 0 routes in the MassTrails 10 for a bonus badge.