Westford Hill Distillery 20-Mile Loop

Length: 19.8 miles

Elevation change: 1530 ft.

Surface: 9% on gravel (dirt) roads

Difficulty: Moderate- with hill climbs

Bike recommendations: a road bike with good tires able to ride on improved dirt roads, a gravel bike or an e-bike with appropriate tires

Updated 11/16/2023

Description:

This route is designed to pass Westford Distillery and Cash’s Country Store (you can stop for appropriate refreshment at either or both) as you explore some of the beautiful scenic back roads of Ashford. The route does travel along or cross Route 89 several times which requires care. It is recommended that you only do this in the clockwise direction to so you hit the impressive hill on Waterfall Road as a down hill experience.

Parking: 

Park on the side of the road at the Route 89 end of Frontage Road. This is less than 0.1 miles from exit 72 on I-84. Frontage Road is wide and can easily accommodate cars pulled off and parked on the side.

Route Directions: 

• Head toward Route 89.

• Turn right onto Route 89 (Ference Road) and go to mile 0.2 taking your first left onto Hillside Road.

• This is a dangerous intersection from both directions so take care watching carefully for both hidden on-coming and back traffic.

• Follow to 0.6 mile and take your first right onto Waterfall. (Side note: The field on the left as you head down Waterfall Road is Westford Airstrip and very occasionally small planes do land there.)

• Follow Waterfall Road until its end at mile 3.2, Route 89 and the stop sign. There are some wonderful hills to enjoy on this road. 

• Turn left onto Route 89 (Turnpike Road). This is the center of historical Westford with several wonderful old houses.

• Continue straight at the blinking red light (3.3 miles) onto Boston Hollow Road.

• Take your first right at the bottom of the hill (mile 3.7), turning right onto Eastford Road. Eastford Road is a scenic road that winds through the Yale-Myers and Natchaug forests. Stay to the side because there are a number of blind corners.

• At mile 5.2 go straight onto Moon Road. It is a rural, well-maintained gravel road.

• Follow it to mile 6.4  and take your first right onto Horse Hill Road.

• Follow it to mile 7.6 and take your first paved right onto James Road.

• Follow James Road to its end at mile 9.1. Here you again meet up with Route 89 (called Westford Road here).

• Turn left on 89 and take an immediate and sharp right (mile 9.2) onto Perry Hill Road. This is a tough uphill but it isn’t long. Stay to your right because there is a blind corner a short way up.

• Follow Perry Hill Road until the stop sign at Krapf Road at mile 10.5. Turn right staying on Perry Hill Road.

• Take the first right at mile 11.1 onto gravel Lipps Road. This is one of the designated scenic roads in Ashford.

• Follow this until the end at mile 13.0. Turn left onto Westford Hill Road.

• Bear to the left immediately at the fork in front of the Westford Hill Church onto Chatey Road.

• Keep to the right at the fork at mile 13.7.

• Westford Distillery is at mile 13.9 on your right. If the timing is right (Fri, Sat, Sun afternoons during spring summer and fall) they are open for creative cocktails (both alcoholic and NA) on the deck. Check out their FB page for more details because they close occasionally for special events. It is a delightful place to rest and enjoy the surroundings.

• Upon leaving turn right onto Chatey Road.

• Take your first right at mile 14.5 onto Kidderbrook Road.

• Follow it to the stop sign at the end at mile 15.3. Turn right onto Turnpike Road.

• Follow this past the beautiful twin ponds to the blinking light at mile 16.3.

• This is again Route 89. Turn left onto Route 89 (Ference Road here - yes it has lots of different names!)

• Follow until mile 17.6 and turn left just after Cash’s Country Store (stop in for a sandwich or other snack) on to Old Town Road.

• Follow Old Town Road until the stop sign at mile 17.9. Continue straight to stay on Old Town Road.

• Follow Old Town Road watching on your left for the serpentine stone wall in the woods at mile 18.5. It is just as the road dips down to Tinkerville Brook.

• Old Town Road ends at the stop sign at mile 18.8. Turn right onto Frontage Road.

• This will bring you back to the start point and your car at mile 19.8.

• Almost 20 miles!

Links to Places to Visit

Westford Distillery (FB is more updated than website)

https://www.facebook.com/WestfordHillDistillers/

http://www.westfordhill.com/home.html

Cash's Country Store

https://www.facebook.com/cashscountry/

http://www.cashscountrystores.com