(Since we don't have any pictures of the Bay Path in the 1600s, I don't claim that it looked like this. However, later colonial roads following the Bay Path corridor might have looked like this.)

So what is/was the Bay Path? "One such path that became a major thoroughfare in early colonial America was the Bay Path, which went from Cambridge to Springfield and the Connecticut River" (from  Science and technology in colonial ... - Google Books)

The major thoroughfare would be the old County Road which later became Rte 20, at least from Springfield to Palmer. (That road is Northern boundary of Monson from Quaboag River Westard to the Wilbraham line.

According Levi Chase, the Bay Path ran (in Monson) somewhat South of the County Road, but climbing Bald Peak, and descending on the South side, down on what is probably Bald Peak Road. I question the last part of this analysis, but not on the account of being an Indian Trail that traversed this route, but that the Bay Path (particularly after being re-routed to accomodating horse & cart traffic.)

I suggest that a more probable route was to the North of Bald Peak, then heading South between Bald Peak & Fern Hill, to avoid crossing the Quaboag River, until it was more fordable, further upstream to the North of Fenton Road.

Supporting both routes, was the locating of the Richard Fellow's Tavern site near the intersection of Rte. 32 & Hospital Road, in Ray's Trailer Park, now indicated with stone markers. While Fellow's tavern was not located on MDC property, it is almost within a stone's throw of that property. The Bay Path must have traversed the MDC property.

For downloadable images of old maps & selected parts of books mentioned, go to  Old Maps of Monson .