Outdoor Student Spaces
Bedford Basketball Court
Fitness Trail
The Fitness Trail is a 1.25 mile long walking/hiking trail in the scenic woods of the Bedford Campus supported by an MCC Foundation Grant. A separate .75 mile loop goes around the perimeter of a frog pond.
The Fitness Trail is perfect for hiking, walking, jogging, birding, photography, meditating, reading, relaxing, and more.
Hours & Parking
The MCC Fitness Trail is open from dawn to dusk.
During weekdays, trail users are encouraged to park in MCC Student Lot D, adjacent
to Building 9 (Enrollment Center) with additional parking in Lot G near the Facilities
Building (Building 11).
During weekends, parking is available in Lot D, Lot M, and the gravel parking lot adjacent to the start of the MCC Fitness Trail.
Parking stickers are not required for vehicles parked in Lots D or G but are required
for vehicles parked in Lot E, Lot M, handicapped parking, or 30-minute parking spaces.
Violators will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner’s expense.
The Bedford Campus Map has the locations of the parking lots.
Cultural History of the Trail
Rich in history, this remarkable site was once home to the Maryvale Seminary, which opened in the fall of 1926, offering educational programs and training for the Catholic priesthood. One priest had a particular interest in the woods and a pond located on this property, and took it upon himself to cultivate these areas. This teacher of Greek and Latin dredged the pond, and landscaped the woods. Students helped with the strenuous work of pulling weed clumps out of the pond to clear it. Even after years of neglect, many of these original trails still exist.
Bay Circuit Trail
The MCC Fitness Trail is directly connected to an extensive trail system named the Bay Circuit Trail (BCT). Proposed in 1929 as an “outer emerald necklace,” the BCT traverses more than 200 miles through 50 cities and towns in Massachusetts, linking parks, open spaces and waterways from Plum Island to Kingston Bay. The MCC Fitness Trail is a small but critical section, providing an important trail link between Bedford and Billerica. Find more information on the Bay Circuit Trail, including a detailed map, at baycircuit.org.
Preserving The Trail
To help preserve the trail for years to come, A Fitness Trail Preservation Fund has been established by the MCC Foundation.
Rules of Use
Trail Restrictions
For the safety and enjoyment of trail users, and the protection of the trail and wildlife, the following activities ARE NOT PERMITTED along the MCC Fitness Trail, or in adjacent woods or meadows:
- hunting of any kind
- paintball
- camping
- swimming
- use of motorized vehicles, including dirt bikes, ATVs, quads, etc.
Dogs ARE permitted, provided that they are kept on a leash at all times, and that owners clean up after them.
Safety Tips
Though this is not a complete list of safety tips, observing the following guidelines will increase your personal safety while using the trail:
- Walk with a partner, and carry a trail map with you.
- Use fitness stations only as outlined on the instructional signs.
- Wear insect repellent and sunscreen, and carry water.
- Follow all directional signs and posted regulations.
- Use trails during daylight hours only, and stay on marked paths.
- Bring a cell phone and a whistle to use in the event you get lost or need emergency help.
- In case of an emergency, call 911 immediately.
- Carry identification that includes name, phone number, medical information, and emergency contact information.
- Be alert for natural hazards such as stinging insects, thorny vines, poison ivy, etc.
- Do not leave valuable items visible in your parked vehicle. Store valuables in the trunk or another secure location while you are on the trail.
- Make sure that young children are closely supervised at all times while using the trail.
Trail Ethics
Please help keep this space safe and beautiful for all. Do not smoke while using these trails, carry out anything you carry in, and pick up litter you see even if it’s not your own. Be respectfully quiet on these trails.
Please respect the woods and the wildlife by staying on the marked trails, do not
vandalize fitness stations, signs or trails. Feel free to remove any small debris
from the trail that may make the path hard to move on. Walkers should yield to bikers or runners, and bikers and runners should slow down and use caution when
passing walkers.
Map
