East Side Hiking Trail

I love to hike, and the idea of urban hiking really appealed to me. I think Worcester is one of the only cities where a hike through the center of town leads to a really rewarding pay-​off in terms of the view. I have this feeling, though, that I am one of the only people who uses this trail for its intended purpose.
It’s incredibly hard to find the entrance. I parked on Shrewsbury St. then walked along the forest line until I found the hidden entrance. It was a really steep initial ascent. In fact, I fell on the way down and almost sliced my hand open on a broken beer bottle. As a mental health professional, I am aware of the surprisingly large percentage of city residents who camp in the woods around town, and I saw at least three of their encampments. There was a 5 minute stretch where I walked along Bell Pond, surrounded my loud teenagers, laughing kids and smoking adults. I like the solitude of hiking, but again, this is urban hiking!
The trail is not really well marked. There were several times when I stood at one marker and could not see the next. I would walk a bit, then back-​track until I found the trail. I finally made it to the quarry and got my view.
All in all, I did 2 miles in about an hour. I probably won’t do that stretch again, but I’m looking forward to parking somewhere on the other end of the trail and hiking the rest of it.