Photo courtesy of MassTrails10 / MassDOTShift Roams · Amherst
Silvio O. Conte: Fort River Trail
Eight lookouts across wetlands, grasslands, and river forest — fully accessible
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 stops
Trailhead Gazebo
The trail's welcoming shelter at the start of the accessible loop
Young Forest Lookout
Overlook into young forest habitat, managed to support early-succession wildlife species
Riverbend & Riparian Forest
Views of the Fort River's bend through mature riparian forest
Shrublands & Restored Wetlands
Wetlands restored by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, now teeming with wildlife
Floodplain & River Edge
The closest point to the Fort River, where floodplain meets scrub-shrub habitat
Mature Secondary Forest
A canopy of mature oaks shading the boardwalk through second-growth forest
Expansive Grasslands Lookout
Views across open grasslands managed for ground-nesting birds and pollinators
Wetland Overlook
Final lookout over the refuge's central wetland complex before returning to the trailhead
Roam it for real
Open this roam in the free Shift app to follow the route, check in at each stop, and earn the Fort River badge.