The West River winds through some 567 acres of white pine and red oak forest, broken here and there by rolling meadows. Red maple swamps and several bogs fill the lowlands while three small brooks feed the river. Corps Rangers manage the woodlands to improve fish and wildlife habitat.

Woods, fields, wetlands and streams provide habitat for both resident and migratory wildlife. Red fox, raccoon, deer and an occasional coyote find protection in the woods. Open fields attract rabbits, mice, butterflies, hawks and owls. Streams and wetlands are home to fish, spring peepers, box turtles and great blue herons, among others.

The diverse habitat makes it one of the finest birding areas in Worcester county with over 200 species sighted annually. Spring and fall migrations bring the greatest diversity of species, with waterfowl and wading birds resting along the river, while herons and rails poke among the stream side plants for food. Winter visitors can listen for hoots of early-nesting owls and look for flocks of sparrows, juncos, chickadees, cedar wax wings and golden-crowned king lets in the snow-covered branches.

NEARBY: Only a mile away is the historic Blackstone Canal. West Hill Dam is located within the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, an affiliated area of the National Park Service. The Corridor, which encompasses 20 cities and towns between Worcester, Massachusetts and Providence, Rhode Island, is the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. For more information on the Blackstone Corridor, call (401) 762-0250.