There’s something about walking alone in the old forests of New England that can make the the hair on the back of your neck stand at attention. One particularly spooky hike can be found in the aptly named Witches Woods of Beverly. While these woods may be lovely during the daylight hours, they become dark and deep as the sun begins to set.
Flickr/Matthais These woods supposedly got their name from the infamous Salem witch trails. In the early 1690s, persecuted locals fled the town of Salem and took shelter in the dense forests of Beverly. Some of these refugees were thought to have remained in the forest, practicing their craft.
However, there is another theory regarding this area’s spooky moniker. Some local historians suggest that reports of supernatural occurrences and strange sightings in these woods began in the 1670s, a full two decades before the witch trials.
Facebook/Greenbelt - Essex County’s Land Trust There are stories that say locals avoided the woods due to the widespread belief that the trees of the forest were actually intelligent and malevolent. Local lore asserted that the land actually drew witches to the forest because of its innate magical (and some say evil) properties.
About a century later during the American Revolution, soldiers using the forest as a training camp reported that they sometimes saw their slain comrades roaming amongst the trees before turning to smoke.
Facebook/Greenbelt - Essex County’s Land Trust In the mid-1800s, wealthy families began building mansions in the Beverly area. Some of these massive estates were destroyed in a mysterious fire that raged through much of the Witches Wood. Hikers can still see some of the damaged trees and ruins left by this blaze.
If you’re brave enough to hike through this haunted forest, you’ll be rewarded with some true natural beauty. The forest is actually filled with vernal pools in the spring, which attract various amphibians like toads, frogs and salamanders.
Facebook/Greenbelt - Essex County’s Land Trust
You can also use the area for birding and nature study, as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter season.
Flickr/Matthais
These woods supposedly got their name from the infamous Salem witch trails. In the early 1690s, persecuted locals fled the town of Salem and took shelter in the dense forests of Beverly. Some of these refugees were thought to have remained in the forest, practicing their craft.
However, there is another theory regarding this area’s spooky moniker. Some local historians suggest that reports of supernatural occurrences and strange sightings in these woods began in the 1670s, a full two decades before the witch trials.
Facebook/Greenbelt - Essex County’s Land Trust
There are stories that say locals avoided the woods due to the widespread belief that the trees of the forest were actually intelligent and malevolent. Local lore asserted that the land actually drew witches to the forest because of its innate magical (and some say evil) properties.
About a century later during the American Revolution, soldiers using the forest as a training camp reported that they sometimes saw their slain comrades roaming amongst the trees before turning to smoke.
In the mid-1800s, wealthy families began building mansions in the Beverly area. Some of these massive estates were destroyed in a mysterious fire that raged through much of the Witches Wood. Hikers can still see some of the damaged trees and ruins left by this blaze.
If you’re brave enough to hike through this haunted forest, you’ll be rewarded with some true natural beauty. The forest is actually filled with vernal pools in the spring, which attract various amphibians like toads, frogs and salamanders.
In terms of the actual terrain, this hike ranges from very easy to moderately challenging. There is some rocky terrain to navigate if you want to push yourself, but you can also easily choose an easier route through flatter areas.
Witches Wood is now officially known as Beverly Commons. Parking is available to the right of the wood on Stone Bridge Road. To reach the forest, from Route 128, take exit 17 and head south on Grapevine Road toward Beverly Farms. Continue for 1.25 miles and turn right onto Greenwood avenue.
Want more spooky Massachusetts lore? Check out these 10 spine-tingling local hauntings said to be true.
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