Massachusetts has water & boat ramps for paddling, canoeing, kayaking
Featured Listings
Route 2 (Mohawk Trail)
Charlemont, MA 01339
Toll-Free: 800-532-7483
We offer 1- to 7-day clinics for beginners to experts
Always wanted to learn to kayak, try rock climbing, practice your canoeing techniques or hone your whitewater skills? Zoar Outdoor, New England’s Leader in Outdoor Adventure, has assembled a team of friendly professional instructors with in-depth technical training and field experience to offer the best in outdoor adventure instruction. We offer 1- to 7-day clinics for beginners to experts from our base in southern New England.
Informational Listings Courtesy of VisitNewEngland.com
86 Dearth Hill Road
Brimfield, MA
Phone: 413-267-9687
This rolling, heavily forested property has over 20 miles of roads and trails and is used primarily for hiking, walking, horseback riding and fishing. Dean Pond Recreation Area, located in the western portion of Brimfield State Forest, has a pavilion, comfort station, 100 linear feet of beach and picnic facilities. The roads are popular for equestrian use and related special events. Accessible Restrooms. Recreational uses: fishing, group day use, horseback riding trails, hunting (with restrictions), mountain biking, picnicking, cross-country skiing, swimming, walking trails. Headquarters and Dean Pond Recreation Area are located off of Route 20 in south-central Mass
C.M. Gardner Park
Route 112
Huntington, MA
Phone: 413-354-6347
C. M. Gardner State Park is located in the rolling Berkshire foothills along a scenic section of the Westfield River East Branch. In summer the sunlit mountain river here is a delightful spot to relax. A wooded picnic area is available on the banks of the river. The park is open from sunrise until sunset, year-round. A $2 fee per vehicle is charged from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Pets are permitted except on the beach area. Boating: a canoe launch area is available.
Route 20
Chester, MA
Phone: 413-354-6347
Chester-Blandford State Forest offers a rustic park experience and spectacular Sanderson Brook Falls. Boulder Park features an easy interpretive trail and pavilion. Hike up an easy grade for a mile to see the cascade at Sanderson Brook Falls; hike the Newman Marsh Memorial Trail to the top of Observation Hill. Forest is open year-round, sunrise to sunset. Access is free. Limited number RV sites. Carry-in, carry-out all trash. Be aware of bears. Pets permitted on a leash. Motorized off-road vehicles prohibited. Swimming prohibite at Sanderson Brook Falls. Recreational uses: fishing,
hiking,
horseback riding trails,
hunting (restrictions),
mountain biking,
picnicking,
cross-country skiing,
walking trails.
1199 Middle Road
Clarksburg, MA
Phone: 413-664-8345
136 Damon Road at Route 9
Northampton, MA
Phone: 413-586-8706, ext. 12
Route 112
Goshen, MA
Phone: 413-268-7098
This public forest includes Upper and Lower Highland Lakes, with a swimming beach, picnic area, and group picnic pavilion. There are 15 miles of mixed-use trails through the forest. The campground offers 51 wooded campsites with showers and a private beach. Wheelchair accessible campsites available. Summer activities include: paddling, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and mountain biking. Winter activities are ice fishing, skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Open: year-round, sunrise until sunset. A $5 fee per vehicle from Memorial Day through mid-September. Camping from mid-May through mid-October. Off-season camping October through April. All facilities accessible to handicapped. Guarded Swimming is available at the day-use area. Unguarded swimming is available at campers-only beach. Pets are permitted except on the sandy beach area. Non-motorized boating is available. Snowmobiling is available, conditions permitting. Parking at day-use area parking lot off Route 112.
Laurel Lake Road
Erving, MA
This forest provides a variety of recreational pursuits including boating, swimming, and fishing at Laurel Lake; camping, picnicking, hunting, horseback riding and winter sports. The woodlands are interlaced by eight miles of forest roads, and numerous trails lead to points of scenic interest.
Boat ramp: Small concrete ramp; gravel ramp designed for smaller boats and parking for boat trailers. Fish species: trout, largemouth bass, pickerel,
Recreational opportunities: swimming, boating (all types), boat ramp, camping, canoeing, fishing, group day use, hiking, horseback riding trails, hunting (restrictions), interpretive program, mountain biking, picnicking, scenic viewing area, skiing (cross-country), walking trails.
Hampton Ponds State Park
1048 North Road
Westfield, MA
Phone: 413-532-3985
Located in the City of Westfield, Hampton Pond State Park offers water based recreation activities and picnicking.
Recreational opportunities:
Beaches,
Restrooms, boating (all types),
boat ramp,
canoeing,
fishing,
picnicking,
swimming.
Route 8A
Hawley, MA 01339
Phone: 413-339-5504
This 7,882-acre northern hardwood and spruce-fir forest offers 35 miles of mixed-use trails, six miles of hiking trails and one mile interpretive trail around Hallockville Pond. Discover an abundance of historic sites including cellar holes from the abandoned village of South Hawley; a fieldstone beehive charcoal kiln; and remains of mill complex. Open: year-round, sunrise to sunset. Access is free. Interior roads are in poor condition. Carry-in, carry-out all your belongings and trash. Snowmobiling: is available on 35 miles of trails, conditions permitting. Parking is available at King Corner garage on Route 8A. Prohibited: All-terrain vehicles and alcoholic beverages.
175 Mohawk Trail / Route 2
Charlemont, MA 01339
Phone: 413-339-5504
More than 6,000 acres of mountain ridges, deep gorges and tall old-growth trees support a diversity of plant and animal life. Fifty-six wooded campsites are available seasonally, and six overnight log cabins are available year-round.Discover miles of rivers and streams for excellent trout fishing, a swimming area, and a day-use picnic area. Open: Year-round, sunrise to sunset. A $5 fee per vehicle charged from May through mid-October. Camping season is mid-April through mid-October. Cabins are available year-round. Recreational vehicles are permitted on designated sites. Off-season camping is available. Pets are permitted on tent sites only, on leash. Motorized off-road vehicles prohibited.
Mount Everett Road
Mount Washington, MA
Phone: 413-528-0330
A cluster of parks noted for their spectacular scenery and stunning views The Dome of Mount Everett in this 1,356-acre state reservation. Seasonal road access and parking is available to the Guilder Pond day-use area. From there, a 0.75-mile path leads to the top of Mount Everett. At the 2,624-foot summit is a breathtaking panorama of Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut. Picnicking is available at Guilder Pond which features a spectacular display of blooming mountain laurel and azalea in the spring. The Appalachian Trail winds its way along the ridgeline and through Sage's Ravine.
The park is open year-round, sunrise to sunset year-round. Access is free. Parking is permitted in designated areas only. No services are available. Carry-in, carry-out all belongings and trash. Never physically confront, feed, torment or throw anything at bears. Rattlesnakes reside here. Never approach, handle, provoke or move snakes. Take precautions to avoid ticks. Check for ticks at regular intervals. Pets are permitted. Must be on a 10-foot maximum leash. Motorized off-road vehicles and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
125 Reservation Road
Holyoke, MA
Phone: 413-534-1186
Mount Tom boasts an unparalleled view of the Connecticut Valley north and south, the Berkshire mountains to the west and the Pelham hills to the east. This 2,082-acre facility offers 20 miles of hiking and walking trails; picnicking; canoeing and fishing on Lake Bray; and cross country skiing and ice skating in the winter; and a children's play area. Lake Bray is a small water body of less than 10 acres. The Oxbow, located two miles north of the Route 5 entrance to the park, is an alternative site for boating. This is one of New England’s best hawk watching spots.
Recreational opportunities: accessible fishing, accessible hiking trails, accessible vista, accessible restrooms, canoeing, group day use, picnicking, skiing (cross-country), visitors center, walking trails
October Mountain State Forest
Woodland Road
Lee, MA
Phone: 413-243-1778
At 16,500 acres, October Mountain is the largest state forest in Massachusetts. Visitors can camp, hike, and enjoy the outdoors while they visit nearby Tanglewood and other Berkshire Region points of interest. Forty-seven 47 campsites dot a sunny hillside and offer a great base to explore this vast forest. Trails are available for every level of experience, and include the famous Appalachian Trail. One of the most scenic trails lead through Schermerhorn Gorge, a striking natural feature which has intrigued generations of geologists.
The forest is open from sunrise to one half-hour after sunset. Access is free. Camping season is from mid-May through mid-October in designated campground only. RV size is restricted to 34 feet. No electric hook-ups available. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Don't forget you are in Black Bear country. Never physically confront, feed, torment or throw anything at bears. All Terrain Vehicles are permitted during daylight hours on designated trails only, from May 1 through last Sunday in November (call ahead for details). Snowmobiling is available on four-inch minimum hard-packed snow base.
Recreational opportunities:
Camping,
non-motorized boating,
boat ramp & public landing,
fishing,
hiking,
hunting (restrictions),
mountain biking,
off-road vehicles,
skiing (cross-country),
trailer / R.V. dumping,
walking trails.
Boat ramps: Car top boating is available at Housatonic River (public access nearby at New Lenox Rd.), Buckley Dunton Reservoir and October Mountain Reservoir day-use area.
Pittsfield State Forest
1041 Cascade Street
Pittsfield, MA
Phone: 413-442-8992
Streams, waterfalls, and flowering shrubs abound in this forest. Wild azalea fields are a profusion of pink blossoms in June. The forest has two camping areas, two picnic areas, and a swimming beach. Fishermen frequent scenic Berry Pond. The vista from the top of Berry Mountain, accessible by auto road from April to December, is a striking panorama and a great place to watch the sun set. Balance Rock State Park is located in the northeast corner of Pittsfield State Forest. Here a huge 165-ton limestone boulder is balanced precariously upon bedrock, a natural curiosity.
Recreational opportunities:
accessible hiking trails, accessible picnicking, accessible restrooms, accessible scenic vista, non-motorized boating, fishing, group day use, historic sites, horseback riding trails, hunting (restrictions), mountain biking, nature & birding trails, off-road vehicles, skiing (cross-country), swimming, walking trails.
Robinson State Park
462 North Street
Feeding Hills, MA
Phone: 413-786-2877
Robinson State Park serves as a major day use area for the Springfield region. A paved road that runs along the River’s edge creates access to the park available for cars, foot traffic, bicycles, strollers, and wheelchairs leading to the swimming pond, playing fields picnic areas and the launch area for canoeing and kayaking. About 20 miles of trails in the park are shared by walkers, hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. Many of them offer scenic views of the Westfield River.
Recreational opportunities:
hiking trails,
bicycling paths,
canoeing,
fishing,
group day use,
mountain biking,
picnicking,
scenic viewing area,
skiing (cross-country),
swimming,
walking trails.
Sandisfield State Forest (York Lake)
York Lake Road
Sandisfield, MA
Phone: 413 229-8212
Within the rolling northern hardwood forests of Sandisfield State Forest is York Lake, featuring a popular day use area with a 300-foot beach for unguarded swimming, a picnic area and a boat launch ramp. York Lake is stocked with trout by Mass Wildlife three times each year. Other seasonal activities including walking and hiking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. Hunters are also welcome (in season). The moderately difficult 2-mile Pond Loop Trail offers scenic views of the lake.
Sandisfield State Forest is open from sunrise to one half-hour after sunset, year-round. Facilities are available from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and a $5 parking fee applies. Parking is permitted only at designated areas. Unguarded Swimming is only available at York Lake designated beach area. Picnicking is available at York Lake day-use area. Please carry-in, carry-out all your trash and belongings.
Boat ramp: Ideal for kayaks, canoes and small sail boats, available at York Lake (ramp available), West Lake (no ramp) and Thousand Acre Swamp, Cookson State Forest (ramp available) day-use area.
Savoy Mountain State Forest
260 Central Shaft Road
Florida, MA
Phone: 413-663-8469
At Savoy Mountain State Forest, North and South Ponds offer tranquil places to fish, picnic and swim. Forty-five campsites and one group site are located in an old apple orchard. Four log cabins are available for year-round rental. Over 50 miles of wooded trails invite year-round recreational access to spectacular natural features. Spruce Hill on the Busby Trail has breathtaking views, especially during fall foliage and hawk migration. At Tannery Falls, Ross Brook flows through a deep chasm and cascades 50 feet to a clear pool below.
The park is open year-round, 8 a.m. to dusk. Parking fee of $5 is charged in summer at the at North Pond day-use area and for visitors to the campground. Camping season is from mid-May to mid-October. Off-season camping is available only at the four cabins. Reservations are suggested. Unguarded swimming is available at the North Pond day-use area. Pets are permitted, except on the beach area and in the cabins. Must be on a 10-foot maximum leash. Boat ramp: non-motorized boating is available at day-use area. Prohibited: Motorized off-road vehicles, alcoholic beverages, swimming or rock climbing at Tannery Falls area.
Recreational opportunities:
camping, picnicking, restrooms, hiking trails, nonmotorized boating, boat ramp, canoeing, fishing, hiking, historic site, hunting (restrictions), mountain biking, nature & birding trails, scenic viewing area, showers
skiing (cross-country), swimming, walking trails.
Tolland State Forest
410 Tolland Road
East Otis, MA
Phone: 413-269-6002
The centerpiece of this state forest, located in the rolling southern Berkshire Hills, is the 1,065-acre Otis Reservoir. The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities. A public boat launch ramp is available, popular with trout and bass fishermen. The campground is located on a scenic and wooded peninsula. A day-use area with sandy beach and several multi-use trails is available. Hunting is open (in season) for all types of game including turkey, bear, and deer.
Recreational opportunities:
restrooms, boat ramp, camping, fishing, hiking, hunting (restrictions), interpretive program, mountain biking, off-road vehicles, picnicking, showers, skiing (cross-country),
swimming, trailer / R.V. dumping, walking trails.
Wendell State Park
392 Montague Road
Wendell, MA
Phone: 413-659-3797
Located south of the Millers River, Wendell State Forest covers 7,566 acres of rolling forested hills, streams, ponds, and trails. Ruggles Pond is the main day-use area. This 10 acre pond offers crystal clear water for swimming and fishing. Picnic sites and a ball field with a pavilion are located nearby. There is a small boat launching ramp located at the Northern end of Wickett Pond. The Metacomet-Monadnock Trail traverses the forest boundaries and offers a small Adirondack shelter for trail users.
Recreational opportunities:
Boating,
boat ramp,
canoeing,
fishing,
group day use,
hiking,
horseback riding trails,
hunting (restrictions),
mountain biking,
picnicking,
scenic viewing area,
skiing (cross-country),
swimming
walking trails.
Windsor State Forest
1838 River Road
Windsor, MA
Phone: 413-684-0948
Windsor State Forest's cascading waterfall at Windsor Jambs stands out for its spectacular beauty. Windsor Jambs Brook plunges through a 25-foot-wide gorge, with 80-foot-high granite walls rising on either side; a beautiful and refreshing place to visit.
The popular day-use area along the Westfield River offers a 100-foot sandy beach for swimming with wooded picnic sites. Twenty-four limited-service campsites are available (no showers or flush toilets). Trails and old dirt roads that wind through the "The Bush" are favored by hikers, cross-country skiers, and snowmobiles. Fishermen and hunters are also welcome.
Recreational opportunities:
accessible restrooms, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding trails, hunting (restrictions), mountain biking, picnicking, scenic viewing area, skiing (cross-country),
snowmobiling, swimming, walking trails.
Salt Pond Visitor Center at Nauset Road and Route 6
Eastham, MA 02642
Phone: 508-255-3421
Open: Daily, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (longer during the summer)
Forty miles of pristine sandy beach, marshes, ponds, and uplands support diverse species. Lighthouses, cultural landscapes, and wild cranberry bogs offer a glimpse of Cape Cod’s ways of life. Swimming beaches and walking and biking trails beckon visitors. The park's six oceanside swimming beaches have life guards from late June through August. Eleven self-guided nature trails are open year-round. Parking lots are open year-round, daily, 6 a.m. to midnight.
Salt Pond Visitor Center is Cape Cod National Seashore's main visitor facility, with orientation movies, a bookstore, a museum, and restrooms. The Visitor Center is also convenient to the popular 1.5-mile Nauset Marsh Trail and the Buttonbush Trail, a quarter-mile trail that features a guide rope and text panels in Braille, and the Nauset Bicycle Trail.
The Province Lands Visitor Center is located on Race Point Road, off Route 6, at the northern end of Cape Cod National Seashore, approximately one mile from Provincetown. It is open May 1 through October 31, daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone number is 508-487-1256.
The observation deck at this Visitor Center provides a 360-degree view of the Province Lands dunes, the Outer Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. Exhibits about local plants and animals and the Pilgrim's landing in Provincetown are featured.
Other highlights of the National Seashore are the Fort Hill Area off Route 6(Eastham); the Coast Guard and Nauset Light beaches, Nauset and Three Sisters Lighthouses off Route 6 (Eastham); the Marconi Station Site(Wellfleet); the Highland Lighthouse (Cape Cod Light) and Highland House (Truro); and the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station (Provincetown).
South Sandwich Road
Mashpee & Sandwich, MA 02563
Phone: 508-679-2115
Open: Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset
Lowell Holly’s 135 acres feature stands of a wide variety of holly trees, rhododendrons, and mountain laurel, but the property’s most intriguing feature may be its two peninsular knolls, jutting into Mashpee Pond and Wakeby Pond. Both vantage points offer spectacular views over these large ponds. Mashpee and Wakeby ponds are renowned for their exceptional trout, smallmouth bass, chain pickerel, and bluegill. Four miles of carriage paths and footpaths connect all points of interest, including two small sandy beaches. Activities at the reservation include swimming, fishing, boating, bicycling, birdwatching, hiking, food concessions, restrooms, bathhouses, and wheelchair access. Year-round parking area is free to all. Seasonal parking area is available Memorial Day through Labor Day. Fee is $6 per car or motorcycle. Boat landing fee is $6 for daily landing fee or $40 for seasonal permit.
Route 6A
Brewster, MA 02631
Phone: 508-896-3491
Travel to the upper campgrounds in Nickerson State Park, you may think that you have been transported to the Berkshire Hills or the piney woods of the Carolinas. Nowhere are the sand dunes and salt marshes usually associated with Cape Cod. Instead, you are surrounded by woods that slope down to the banks of eight crystal clear fresh water ponds, known as kettle ponds.
Nickerson's 1,900 acres offer 420 campsites, yurt camping, an amphitheater, eight miles of roads, hiking trails, an eight-mile bike path that connects to the 25-mile Cape Cod Rail Trail, and ponds stocked year-round with trout. Cape Cod Bay is within walking or bicycling distance. You can swim and canoe at Flax Pond; birdwatch or catch-and-release fish at Higgins Pond; or join the interpretive and recreational programs offered by park staff.
Park amenities include: beaches, camping, fishing, picnicking, restrooms, bike paths, nonmotorized boating, boat ramp, yurt camping, canoeing, hiking, horseback riding trails, mountain biking, showers, cross-country skiing, swimming, trailer and RV dumping, walking trails.
Great Oak Road
Mashpee, MA 02649
Phone: 508-457-0495
Open: Memorial Day to Labor Day
South Cape Beach, located between Waquoit Bay and Vineyard Sound, contains a wide variety of coastal environments, including barrier beach and dunes, salt marsh, scrub oak/pitch pine woodland and "kettle" ponds. A magnificent white sand beach stretches for over a mile. Newly constructed over-the-dune boardwalks, a small parking area and bathrooms make this a lovely place to spend a day at the shore. Interpretive programs are offered during the summer months.
Athol Road
Royalston, MA
Phone: 978-840-4446
When the tranquil waters of Lawrence Brook reach Doane's Falls, they tumble in a sequence of dramatic waterfalls. Along the way, large boulders in the streambed, small forested islands, and flat rock slabs divide the fast-rushing stream before it empties into Tully Lake. On the southern bank of Lawrence Brook, just upstream from the falls, is Coddings Meadow, a little-known clearing in the wood that offers views of the quiet waters of Lawrence Brook and is an excellent launch site for exploring the brook by canoe or kayak.
107 Wallum Lake Road
Douglas, MA
Phone: 508-476-7872
Bordering both Connecticut and Rhode Island, this popular 5,907-acre state forest offers a variety of recreational opportunities. Visitors can enjoy swimming, boating and fishing at Wallum Lake and hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling on miles of woodland trails. Facilities include two pavilions, boat ramp, swimming beach, picnic area and restrooms.
The Midstate Trail, a long-distance hiking trail that extends through central Massachusetts to Mount Watatic in the north, runs through the forest.
Douglas State Forest also includes a rare example of Atlantic White Ceder swampland. A 5-acre portion of this swamp is designated as a Massachusetts Wildland. It is accessible to the public via a boardwalk trail.
Dunn Pond State Park
289 Pearl Street
Gardner, MA
Phone: 508-632-7897
This 119-acre park features a 20-acre pond, walking trails, swimming, fishing, picnicking, public programs, and play equipment. Private canoes and non-motorized boats are allowed on the pond. In the winter the trails are open for cross country skiing. Ice skating is allowed on the pond and often there is a fire blazing in the visitor center’s fireplace. All activities offered by the park are accessible to people with disabilities. Parking fees are $5 for cars. Annual passes are $35 for Massachusetts residents and $45 for out of state residents.
Lake Dennison Recreation Area (Beach and Campground)
219 Balwinville State Road (Route 202)
Winchendon, MA
Phone: 508-939-8962
More than 4,000 acres offer visitors swimming, canoeing, and fishing areas. Trails for hiking and cross-country skiing are available. There is a public campground with 150 campsites. There is a swimming beach on Lake Dennison. The campground office hours are 10 a.m.–10 p.m. The regular camping season is from late May to early September. Beach is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
90 Fitchburg Road / Route 31
Leominster, MA
Phone: 508-874-2303
Leominster State Forest is a 4,300-acre parcel of forested off of Route 2 (exit 28), and convenient from Boston and Worcester. Parking is available along Route 31. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, parking fees are charged in the paved lots. The forest offers recreational opportunities year round, ranging from mountain biking and swimming in the summer to cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter.
The trails at Leominster State Forest offer a wide variety of terrains. For hikers, The Midstate Trail, a 95-mile long-distance trail that runs from Rhode Island to the New Hampshire border, passes through the western edge of the park. A popular day hike along the Midstate Trail begins at Redemption Rock on Route 140 in Princeton and heads north over a scenic ridgeline which includes Crow Hill Ledges.
The terrain available to mountain bikers ranges from rolling unpaved fire roads to multi-use trails. Hiking trails are off limits to bikers. There is rock climbing at Crow Hill Ledges. Permits are required (no fee) and are available at the park headquarters between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
The swimming beach at Crow Hill Pond is located next to two picnic areas with picnic tables, grills, and a modern bathhouse. Lifeguards are on duty from mid-June until Labor Day. All other ponds in the park are off limits to swimming. Kayakers, canoeists and fishing enthusiasts enjoy using Paradise Pond. Several put-ins are available. Crow Hill Pond (swimming beach side) is stocked with trout. Hunting is also allowed in the park. Winter recreation includes cross country skiing, snow shoeing, and snowmobiling. Snow mobiling is limited to the unpaved roads and the multi use trails. There is no camping at Leominster State Forest.
Moore State Park
Route 31
Paxton, MA
Phone: 508-792-3969
1 Sawmill Road
Paxton MA
Moore was the site of grist and saw mills from 1747 through the early part of this century. What remains today is stone mill foundations, a restored sawmill, and mountains of glorious rhododendrons, azaleas and mountain laurel. Turkey Hill Brook, dropping 90 feet in less than a quarter mile, was a good mill site, and as many as five separate mills may have been built here. The remnants of the mill-village at Moore give a glimpse of the old rural manufacturing economy.
Recreational opportunities:
Canoeing,
fishing,
hiking,
historic site,
hunting (restrictions),
interpretive program,
scenic viewing area,
skiing (cross-country),
walking trails.
Route 122A
Rutland, MA
Phone: 508-886-6333
Rutland State Park is a 300-acre recreation area with developed facilities for fresh water swimming, picnicking, and boating. At Whitehall Pond, there is a swimming beach and adjacent picnic area. Uses includes paddling, fishing, hiking, hunting (with restrictions) mountain biking, cross country skiing, and walking.
Spencer State Forest
51 Howe Road
Spencer, MA
Phone: 508-886-6333
Spencer State Forest, a 965-acre area, provides swimming and picnicking facilities on Howe Pond. Other activities offered at Spencer include fishing, canoeing, hiking, Nordic skiing and snowmobiling. The Midstate Trail, a long-distance hiking trail that extends through central Massachusetts to Mount Watatic in the north, runs close to the park.
Recreational opportunities:
Canoeing,
fishing,
hiking,
historic site,
horseback riding trails,
hunting (restrictions),
picnicking,
scenic viewing area,
skiing (cross-country),
swimming,
walking trails.
6 Streeter Point Avenue
Sturbridge, MA
Phone: 508-347-9316
Toll-Free: 508-347-9316 (summer)
This accessible area has a 100-car parking area and offers fishing, swimming and picnicking on 400-acre East Brimfield Reservoir. Boating access is from ramps located on US Army Corps of Engineers-maintained ramps on Route 20.
Whitehall State Park
Route 135
Hopkinton, MA
Phone: 508-435-4303
This park consists almost entirely of water: the 592-acre Whitehall Reservoir. The area offers boating, fishing, a public boat ramp, and hiking trails. Watercraft speed limit is 12 MPH. Personal watercraft (includes Jet Ski/Wave Runners) are prohibited. Please remove aquatic vegetation from boats, engines and trailers before entering and exiting the lake. Please no waterskiing, boarding or tubing. Snowmobiles may be used for ice fishing during day light hours.
Route 135
Ashland, MA
Phone: 508-435-4303
Ashland State Park has 470 acres including the 157 acre Ashland Reservoir. The park is operated seasonally and provides opportunities for swimming, picnicking, boating, fishing, bicycling and hiking. Beach improvements at the park include facilities for wheelchair access to the boathouse and by ramp into the pond.
South End Pond
Millis, MA 02054
Phone: 781-821-2977
Accessible only by boat, Bridge Island Meadows is surrounded by wetlands and thus a private favorite of intrepid paddlers. Kayakers can paddle on the Charles River, turning west into a stream that leads to South End Pond. Bolder paddlers can creep along Bogastow Brook to South End Pond. Landing is a challenge, as grasses grow tall and thick. A successful journey is rewarded by bushwhacking to a 130-foot tree-covered knoll at the south end of the reservation offering glimpses of the surrounding floodplain.
Fisher Street
Needham, MA 02492
Phone: 781-821-2977
Scenic paddling along the Charles River will take you to this reservation, where the Charles River makes a nearly 180-degree twist in the valley, a wooded shoreline of birch, hemlock, and beech conceals an upland peninsula that rises gently to a 20-acre open field, which has been farmed for more than a century. A narrow footpath tracks the river along the Reservation's shoreline, while the field's highest point offers views of the Charles River.
Fisher Street
Needham, MA 02492
Phone: 781-821-2977
Scenic paddling along the Charles River will take you to this reservation, where the Charles River makes a nearly 180-degree twist in the valley, a wooded shoreline of birch, hemlock, and beech conceals an upland peninsula that rises gently to a 20-acre open field, which has been farmed for more than a century. A narrow footpath tracks the river along the Reservation's shoreline, while the field's highest point offers views of the Charles River.
Charles River Reservation
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-698-1802
This natural refuge offers canoeing, hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, and more. Interpretive programs are scheduled there throughout the year.
Route 30
Natick, MA
Phone: 508-653-9641
Cochituate State Park is a popular regional day use park featuring water-based recreational opportunities including boating, swimming, windsurfing, and fishing on its three large lakes. Picnicking, swimming, and boat launching are limited to the main area of the park on the middle lake and boaters can gain access to the other lakes through channels under roadways. Jet skis are not allowed on the lake.
Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, MA 02125
Phone: 617-727-5290
Malibu Beach, Victory Road Park, and Tenean Beach provide the public with coastal access along the extended mouth of the Neponset River. Malibu Beach offers protected swimming and bathhouse. Victory Road Park is a passive park with indigenous planting on a reclaimed landfill. Tenean Beach is a popular swimming beach with playground facilities, tennis and basketball courts. Nearby Savin Hill Beach, restored to its original Olmsted Brothers design, has a tot lot, baseball fields and protected swimming. Together these facilities are an important link in the continuous pathway and greenway system from Castle Island in South Boston to the Neponset River. Open year-round, dawn to dusk.
268 Cedar Street
Hopkinton, MA
Phone: 508-435-4303
Hopkinton State Park offers a year-round recreation, including two guarded swimming beaches, stocked fishing, a group picnic site, 12 shaded picnic areas, 10 miles of marked trails, open field space, a boat launching ramp for non-motorized watercraft, and seasonal boat rentals. The swimming areas are supervised by lifeguards from late May through Labor Day. The waterfront has a handicapped accessible ramp.
Hours: Summer, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; rest of the year, 8 a.m.-sunset. Pets on leash are welcome. Trail system is multi-use. Hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, cross country skiers are welcome. Snowmobiles are permitted when snow cover is at least four inches deep.
Off Mystic Valley Parkway
Medford, Somerville, Everett, MA
Phone: 617-727-5380
Open year round, dawn to dusk. The banks of the Mystic River are almost entirely publicly owned from the Amelia Earhart Dam at the mouth of the Mystic Lakes. The property is accessible via the MBTA public transit system. The property includes:
Mary O'Malley Park.
The park has striking views of the harbor and the Tobin Bridge over the Mystic River. A boat landing and shelter are located on an historic granite pier and a wind sculpture by William Wainwright enlivens the waterfront. Tennis courts and a large open lawn area for concerts and picnics are also available.
Torbert Macdonald Park. Macdonald Park has an award-winning landscape design of the meandering paths, trees and open lawns provides space for rest and enjoyment as well as bicycling, jogging, walking and informal games in a riverside setting.
Draw Seven Park. The Draw Number Seven Railroad Bridge, which once crossed the Mystic River, gave this park its name. This park provides field game space for Somerville and adjacent communities. Draw Seven Park offers nine acres of parkland including two soccer fields, a bikeway/walkway, a picnic area with shelter and beautiful landscaping.
Mystic Lakes. Today the Mystic Lakes are popular for freshwater swimming at Sandy Beach. Special sailing programs are available at the Tufts University Boathouse. The Upper Mystic Lake is for non-powered boats only. The Lower Mystic Lake is for power boats with no wake. Information about Shannon Beach: 617-727-5380.
Farm Road
Dover, MA 02492
Phone: 508-785-0339
From the entrance on Farm Street, boaters can portage to the put-in, or canoes and kayaks on the Charles River can land along the plantation of red pines that lines much of the reservation's frontage on the river. Over two miles of trails traverse woodlands featuring a large, massed planting of Dexter hybrid rhododendrons and an oak and hickory forest, whose trails and understory plantings were laid out by landscape architect Fletcher Steele.
South Main Street
Sherborn, MA 01770
Phone: 508-785-0339
Known as the "Gates of the Charles," Rocky Narrows’ canoe landing connects to a two-mile loop trail that follows the river's edge to the Rocky Narrows Overlook. The overlook rewards visitors with views of steep, hemlock-clad rock cliffs that form a narrow river passage - the landmark that gives the reservation its name. Further south along the trail is King Philip's Overlook, named for the Wampanoag chief who warred against the early settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Bradley Palmer State Park
Asbury Street
Topsfield, MA
Phone: 508-887-5931
This 721-acre former estate features pine needled paths, acres of sunny rolling meadows and spectacular rhododendrons which line old carriage roads. Peak bloom is usually in mid-June.
Hunting is allowed at Cleveland Farm. Archery hunting only at Prospect Hill. No rentals of horses or equipment available.
Recreational opportunities:
pool,
canoeing,
fishing,
hiking,
horseback riding trails,
hunting (restrictions),
mountain biking,
picnicking
skiing (cross-country)
walking trails.
Essex River Estuary
Ipswich, MA 01938
Phone: 978-356-4351
Fax: 978-356-2143
The Crane Wildlife Refuge is a patchwork of coastal and island habitats that includes a portion of Castle Neck and seven islands in the Essex River Estuary (Choate, Long, Dean, Dilly, Pine, Patterson, and Round). Surrounding the Crane Wildlife Refuge is the Great Marsh, the largest contiguous salt marsh in New England, covering more than 25,000 acres from Hampton Harbor, NH to Gloucester. The largest of the Refuge's islands, Choate Island, supports abundant wildlife, and during the 18th and 19th centuries, Choate Island and Long Island were connected by a causeway, comprising a prosperous farming community.
305 Middleton Road
North Andover, MA
Phone: 508-686-3391
Harold Parker State Forest, which lies in Andover, North Andover, North Reading and Middleton, comprises just over 3,000 acres of central hardwood-hemlock-white pine forest. The forest has over 35 miles of logging roads and trails and offers quiet seclusion to off-road hikers and bikers. Non-motorized boating is allowed on any of the 11 ponds. No horse, boat, or bike rentals.
Lorraine Park Campground, located about two miles from the Headquarters, at 133 Jenkins Road, contains 89 sizeable campsites that are spread out sufficiently to provide a real "forest" camping experience. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and a grill. No electric or water hookups are available; the bathrooms have hot water showers. Camping is offered late May to early September; office hours are from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Camping office phone is 978-475-7972.
Recreational opportunities: hiking, mountain biking, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, camping and picnicking.
Lowell Heritage State Park
160 Pawtucket Blvd
Lowell, MA
Phone: 978-369-6312
Lowell boasts a remarkable network of 19th-century canals created to provide power to the bustling textile mills that operated along the water's edge. Today the buildings remain and continue to evoke the sense of a great industrial city. Visitors can participate in activities, including canal rides, and explore exhibits about Lowell's role in America's industrial history presented in conjunction with the Lowell National Historical Park. A Victorian garden in the heart of the downtown area, and over two miles of landscaped esplanade, summer concerts, and swimming and boating in the Merrimack River are additional attractions at this popular park. The swim area is managed by the City of Lowell from July to August.
The Rourke Brothers State Boat Ramp, Route 113 (Pawtucket Blvd.) is open seasonally to the public to provide boating access to the Merrimack River. The boat ramp (managed by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation) is composed of 42 trailer lots, 2 HP trailer lots, 18 car top lots, and 2 HP car top lots. There is no fee to use the use the ramp or to park. The entrance to the boat ramp is directly across from Tyco Electronics, Inc. located at 1011 Pawtucket Blvd. and is one-half mile west of the Rourke Bridge.
Recreational opportunities: Accessible Restrooms
bicycling paths,
boating,
boat ramp,
canoeing,
fishing,
hiking,
historic site,
scenic viewing area,
swimming,
visitor's center,
walking trails.
Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest
Trotting Park Road
Lowell, MA
Phone: 978 369-6312
Located in three towns, this forest contains 1,140 acres including 180 acres of ponds, swamps, and wetlands. The forest has six miles of trails offering hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. Hunting is permitted in season.
Recreational opportunities:
nonmotorized boating,
fishing,
hiking,
horseback riding trails,
hunting (restrictions),
skiing (cross-country),
walking trails.
Middlesex Falls Reservation
Woodland Road
Winchester, MA
Phone: 781-322-2851 or
Natural refuge set on over 2,000 acres. Visitors here can enjoy biking, hiking and cross-country ski trails. Canoeing, fishing, and swimming areas are offered, as well as a visitor's center with historic information.
Beach Road, Route 1A
Salisbury, MA 01952
Phone: 508-462-4481
Salisbury Beach is one of the state's most popular ocean beaches, stretching 3.8 miles along the Atlantic Ocean. This 521-acre park offers swimming, boating, fishing, and camping, and is very popular with trailer campers. Facilities include a 484-site campground with renovated bathhouses, an extensive day-use parking lot, three new comfort stations for beach users with boardwalks over the dunes, and a new playground and pavilion area. The facility also has two boat ramps on the Merrimack River at the campground's southern edge. In fall and winter, harbor seals often sun themselves on the jetty.
The campground office hours are 8 a.m.–10 p.m. The camping season is from early May to mid-October. Off-season camping is available from mid-October to late November for Thursday, Friday and Saturday night stays. There is a $2 per night surcharge for camping fees at Salisbury Beach. the $2 surcharge will be added to the day-use fee for cars and buses.
Linwood Street
Abington, MA
Phone: 617-857-1336
Ames Nowell is a year-round day use area with recreational activity centered around Cleveland Pond which is popular with boaters and fisherman. Development includes a picnic area, ball field and several miles of trails along the pond edge and the surrounding woods.
Recreational uses: non-motorized boating; canoeing, fishing, group day use, horseback riding, mountain biking, picnicking, restrooms, cross country skiing, walking trails.
Borderland State Park
59 Massapoag Avenue
North Easton, MA
Phone: 508-238-6566
Borderland is one of the most historically significant tracts of publicly owned land in the Commonwealth. Created in the early 1900s by artist and suffragist Blanche Ames and her botanist husband Oakes, Borderland offers many of the same pleasures that the Ames family enjoyed: walking and horseback riding on woodland trails, fishing and canoeing in the ponds, or, in winter, ice-skating and sledding.
Barney's Joy Road
Dartmouth, MA 02748
Phone: 508-636-3298 (summer)
An 1800-foot saltwater beach is backed by rambling hills of beach grass and shaded, grassy picnic sites. A broad, scenic marsh lines the Slocum River on the park's eastern edge. The beach is ideal for families with children. The Buzzards Bay surf is calm and shallow, giving rise to warm water temperatures through most of the summer. It is also a great spot to see egrets, herons, ospreys, terns and hawks.
The park is open mid-May to mid-September, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays. No pets allowed on the beach. Kite surfing, skim boards, boogey boards or flotation devices are not allowed. Powerboats and jet skis are not allowed to land on the beach. Recreational uses:
Fishing, canoe/kayaking, picnicking, restrooms, showers, swimming, walking trails.
Dighton Rock State Park
Bay View Avenue
Berkley, MA
Phone: 508 822-7537
A "glacial erratic" boulder known as Dighton Rock once rested on the shore of the Taunton River adjacent to this park. Covered with petroglyphs, the rock is now installed in a small museum. The museum (open only by appointment) exhibits several explanations of the carvings, which range from Portuguese explorers to Native Americans. The park, which covers 85 acres in the town of Berkley, is a popular local picnic spot. The park is open 7 days a week. The museum is open by appointment only.
Recreational opportunities:
nonmotorized boating,
canoeing,
fishing,
hiking,
historic site,
mountain biking,
picnicking,
restrooms,
skiing (cross-country),
walking trails.
Route 88 South
Westport, MA 02790
Phone: 508-636-8816
Located at the western end of Buzzards Bay, the sandy, southwest-facing, 2-mile long beach is breezy all year round, providing excellent wind surfing and a respite from sweltering inland temperatures. Behind the dunes near Gooseberry Neck is a 100-site campground.
The regular camping season is mid-May through mid-October. Swimming is permitted only at designated beaches. Pets are not allowed at swimming areas. Recreational uses: beaches, camping, picnicking, restrooms, boating (all types), boat ramp, fishing, historic site, picnicking, showers, swimming, trailer / R.V. dumping.
Massasoit State Park
Middleboro Avenue
Taunton, MA
Phone: 508-822-7405
This 1,500 acre park features canoeing and boating areas, swimming and fishing. Hiking and cross-country ski trails are also available. There are picnic areas as well as a public campsite.
Webb Memorial State Park
River Street
Weymouth, MA
Phone: 617-740-1605
Park with swimming and canoeing areas, as well as rest facilities.
