Stop 1 – Bynan Conservation area
The Bynan Conservation Area is a very large conservation area in the southwest corner of town. South Hadley purchased this land from Joseph Bynan in 1978. A conservation restriction has been placed on the land since then.
Stop 2 – Bynan Pond
Bynan Pond is the first pond that you find as you enter the Bynan Conservation Area from Lyman Terrace. It was very large in the past and still is the largest in South Hadley. You can see it to the south plus it wraps around the meets the trail again.
Stop 3 – Britton Ponds
The only natural lakes of South Hadley are all in this area. They are called the Britton Ponds. There once were six ponds in the Plains neighborhood but now there are only 4 left. Of the two that are gone – both were in Chicopee or in both towns. You will see all four during your hike around the conservation area. These ponds were named after Royal Britton – a farmer that worked the land just west of these ponds.
Stop 4 – Taylor Pond
Taylor Pond once was the largest pond in South Hadley. However, the South Hadley landfill was placed over most of it and only a remnant is left to see.
Stop 5 – farm roads
Here you can see many farm roads leading off toward the north. Most of the farms of South Hadley were in that direction.
Stop 6 – Pond number 3
On this pond you can see that the dirt roads always go completely around any given pond. This is because the ponds were harvested for ice during the winter season. Local farmers most have built these auxiliary roads to help them harvest the ice better.
Stop 7 – Bartlett Street
This street once was the north south route from Chicopee to South Hadley Center. This was one of the many routes of the Underground Railroad.
Stop 8 – Pond number 4
Pond number 4 is found on your route back to your starting point.
Stop 9 – Ponds in Chicopee
There are both farm roads and transportation roads leading to the south. These served ice harvesting to the two southern ponds and also served farmers.
Stop 10 – South Hadley Landfill
The South Hadley landfill is closed as of 2014. The read about modern details see HERE.
| number | name | location | size (yards) | depth (feet) | comments |
| 1 | Bynan Pond | near SH dump | 250 | 10 | |
| 2 | Taylor Pond | mostly under the SH town dump | 70 remains | 3 | |
| 3 | 40 | 2 | |||
| 4 | southeast of Pond 3 | 80 | 3 | ||
| 5 | Slattery | along SH and Chicopee border | 120 | GONE | |
| 6 | Snow | in Chicopee | 120 | GONE | |
| 7 | end of Glen Drive | 200 | 2 | (seasonal) |