Ron Newman wrote:Regarding Walden Pond: I believe the town of Lincoln's official hiking and ski trail map shows the trails crossing the railroad tracks.
I was just there a few hours ago, in fact.
The state property at Walden Pond (on the north side of the tracks) and the Lincoln property to the south) both have trails that go up to the edge of the ROW. On the Walden side, there is a sign at the end of the fence that runs along a stretch of the ROW on the north side that says "Walden Pond" with an arrow, seemingly inviting anyone who wants to across the tracks. On the Lincoln side, there are sins fromt he Lincoln Conservation Commission greeting anyone who walks across the tracks from Walden.
On the tracks, there is no official crossing of any kind -- you're walking on the ballast stepping over the rail to get across. No fence, no "no tresspassing" signs at all. Its frankly not clear whether its meant to be a crossing or not.
We hiked up to the tracks from 117, thru the Lincoln trails. We turned around at the tracks and returned back south. While we took a break up there, we noticed a few groups approach the tracks -- about 1/3 ventured across, while the rest seemed to look at them, puzzled, and turned back to the side they came from.
Any time I've been there it's amazed me that its as open as it is.