Kimball Lake
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This lovely lake, approximately 28 acres in size, has adjoining cabins and hiking trails and is located at 185 Main Street in Hopkinton. Residents are encouraged to use this area for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, fishing and canoeing/kayaking.
A nature walk is also available. The trail begins at the end of the gravel road, which is adjacent to the main cabin. This woodland trail follows the shore of Kimball Lake and offers two options for walkers. The shorter route loops back to the lake while the longer route connects to South Road via New Road, an unmaintained town road. From there it’s an easy walk down Hopkinton’s Main Street back to Kimball Lake. Alternatively, turn left on Main Street and walk to Old Putney Hill Road to join the Hopkinton Village Greenway, a 4.5 mile loop that connects the Kimball Lake trails to the trails at Ransmeier Woods and Hawthorne Forest.
Directions:
Located at 185 Main Street in Hopkinton Village; accessed via the gravel road next to Kimball Lake. Parking is available at the main log cabin.Walking times:
Short yellow loop: 10 minutes; yellow trail from cabins to New Road: 20 minutes -
From the parking area at the cabin, follow the gravel road to a footpath along the lake. The original trail, marked with yellow blazes, follows along the lakeshore to the height of land and then loops back through the woods to the shore.
The main trail, part of the Hopkinton Village Greenway, continues west to New Road, a Class 6 road that connects to South Road. This section of the trail was built by the Hopkinton Conservation Commission after additional land was deeded to the town by the developers of the adjacent Fieldstone Road neighborhood.
There is a short loop off the main trail, marked with red blazes, that leads to some large boulders.
History
The Kimball Lake property was given to the town in 1982 by the Swiftwater Girl Scout Council who received the property through a bequest from the Kimball Estate. The lake and cabins were developed by two public-spirited natives, John C. Kimball of Manchester and Harold C. Kimball of New York City.
In 1931, the Kimballs hired unemployed workers in Hopkinton to rebuild the former mill dam on Mill Creek, dredge the swamp and create a lake. They constructed log cabins and operated the property as a lakeside resort, Horseshoe Trail Camp, for many years. The Kimball’s purchased the old blacksmith shop on the corner of Main Street and turned it into a restaurant called Horseshoe Tavern.
Residents are encouraged to use this area for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, fishing and canoeing and kayaking.
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TThe Kimball Lake trail map is shown below. Please click the text or image link to open/download/print the PDF map.
Kimball Lake Trails – Click here to open/download/print PDF map.
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