Massachusetts (MA) Walking and Hiking

Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort

37 Corey Road
Route 43 Hancock, MA 01237 Phone: 413-738-5500 Toll-Free: 800-882-8859 Fax: 413-738-5729

Many trails to choose from

Jiminy Peak offers the most extensive lift-served mountain biking in the Berkshires, not to mention loads of gorgeous hiking trails. Additionally, Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort is the largest ski and snowboard resort in southern New England, summer home to Mountain Adventure Park and the only mountain resort in North America to generate its own energy using alternative wind power. Since opening in 1948 Jiminy Peak has evolved to become a 4 season resort, offering something for everyone. Our mission is to provide positive, memorable, Mountain Resort experiences with outstanding, friendly and helpful service in remarkably beautiful surroundings; inspiring guests to return again and again.

Warfield House Inn at Valley View Farm

200 Warfield Road Charlemont, MA 01339 Phone: 413-339-6600 Toll-Free: 888-339-8439 Fax: 413-339-5754

530 acres for you to explore.

Without leaving the farm you can find everything from llama treks (seasonal) and cozy rooms. There are 530 acres for you to explore. Depending on the season there are horse and wagon rides, sheep to shear, cattle to round up, hiking or snowshoe trails, sap to gather, and unsuspected enjoyments in the most simple and wonderful events of the day.

Winnetu Oceanside Resort

At South Beach on Martha's Vineyard
31 Dunes Road Edgartown, MA 02539 Phone: 508-310-1733 Toll-Free: 866-335-1133 USA Only Fax: 508-310-7900

For Families, Romance, Weddings, and Groups

The Winnetu Oceanside Resort is located at South Beach, Edgartown, on Martha’s Vineyard and offers a spectacular, ocean-view location. Accommodations include 50 1-to-4 bedroom, air-conditioned suites with decks/patios and kitchenettes or 80 private townhouse/home rentals with full kitchens.

Our Resort enjoys direct access to the bike, walking, and jogging path to Edgartown and we offer a convenient bicycle delivery service option for our guests.

After your outing, enjoy complimentary activities at the Winnetu, including tennis, a fitness center, 2 heated pools, yoga classes, and our Children’s Day Program. Guests can also partake of our massages; Parent /Toddler and Teen Programs; life-size, outdoor chess; antique fire truck rides, and casually upscale, family-friendly dining at our Lure Grill restaurant.

Arcadia Nature Center and Wildlife Sanctuary

127 Combs Road Easthampton, MA Phone: 413-584-3009

The nature center features 25 acres of varied terrain, with five miles of trails and an observation tower. The 700-acre sanctuary includes a floodplain forest, marshes, and a grassland habitat.

Bartholomew’s Cobble

Weatogue Road, Ashley Falls Sheffield, MA Phone: 413-229-8600

This National Natural Landmark is home over 800 species of plants, including one of North America's greatest diversities of fern species, as well as abundant wildflowers. The Reservation is named for two rocky knolls that rise above the Housatonic River, and the high point, Hurlburt's Hill, rises 1,000 feet to a twenty-acre field on the Massachusetts-Connecticut border that offers panoramic views northward up the Housatonic River Valley. Visitors will enjoy hiking this diverse woodland, and the many public programs that are presented throughout the year.

Bash Bish Falls State Park

Falls Road Mount Washington, MA Phone: 413-528-0330

Bash Bish Falls is has the highest single-drop waterfall in the state. Cascading water tumbles through a series of gorges and a hemlock-hardwood ravine forest. Bash Bish Falls is located next to the 4,169-acre Mount Washington State Forest which offers 30 miles of trails, including the South Taconic Trail and wilderness camping. Hours: sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Access is free. Parking is allowed only at the designated lot. No services are available. Carry-in, carry-out all your belongings and trash. Pets are permitted on leash. Prohibited: swimming, diving, access inside the gorge and rock climbing.

Bear Swamp

Hawley Road Ashfield, MA Phone: 413-684-0148

Visitors to Bear Swamp can explore three miles of trails that lead past an old beaver dam resting atop an old stone milldam, a variety of ferns and woodland wildflowers, and scenic vistas that offer views of nearby apple orchards and the Green Mountains of Vermont beyond. Bear Swamp also features excellent bird watching and picnic tables at the Apple Valley Overlook.

Beartown State Forest

69 Bluehill Road Monterey, MA 01245 Phone: 413-528-0904

Beartown State Forest is open year-round. During the warm months Benedict Pond attracts swimmers, boaters, and fishermen. A network of trails on 12,000 acres offers visitors a chance to see animals, brooks, beaver ponds, forests, and fall foliage. Open in winter for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. Hiking on the 1.5-mile Benedict Pond Loop Trail in any season. Year-round camping available.
Unguarded swimming is available at designated area only. Pets on leash are permitted. Non-motorized boating at Benedict Pond day-use area. All Terrain Vehicles are permitted from May 1 through November. Snowmobiling is available, with parking at Benedict Pond day-use area. Park hours: Sunrise until sunset. Parking is $5 per vehicle, May through mid-October.
Boat ramp: Small concrete ramp, concrete pad ramp system or gravel ramp designed for smaller boats and parking for boat trailers. Fish species: Largemouth bass and pickerel.

Berkshire Botanical Garden

Routes 102 and 183 Stockbridge, MA 01262 Phone: 413-298-3926

The Berkshires most floral spot offers 15 acres of flora and a woodland trail. There also are greenhouses, a herb garden and a pond.

Brimfield State Forest

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

Chapelbrook

Williamsburg Road Ashfield, MA Phone: 413-684-0148

At the core of Chapelbrook is Pony Mountain, whose nearly vertical 100-foot rock face offers a challenge to very skilled, technical rock climbers. A gentle, half-mile trail leads around the western side of Pony Mountain to its summit, offering unobstructed views south toward the Berkshire foothills. Chapelbrook is also popular for its sometimes-torrential Chapel Falls. The steady trickle of Chapel Brook becomes a deluge in spring, but in summer, the pools that form under the falls offer a cool, welcome dip.

Chester-Blandford State Forest

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.

Chesterfield Gorge

River Road Chesterfield, MA Phone: 413-532-1631

This dramatic rock canyon features 70-foot-high walls carved by centuries of rushing water from the Westfield River. Fromm the half-mile trail along the cliff tops are breathtaking views of the gorge, the river, and the surrounding forest of hemlock, ash, and oak, and is home to bears, bobcats, and turkeys. A half-mile trail runs along the top of the Gorge. Easy walking. The trail from the parking lot connects to the East Branch Trail (also known as River Road), popular with day hikers and mountain bikers, which follows the river another seven miles, beyond Bliss State Forest. Trout fishing. Hours: Daily, April 1 to December 1, 8 a.m. to sunset. Facilities: Seasonal public restrooms. Picnic tables.

Chicopee Memorial State Park

Burnett Road Chicopee, MA Phone: 413-594-9416

Chicopee State Park, formerly the Cooley Brook Reservoir and Watershed has been developed as a high use active recreation area. The total acreage is 575 acres including a 25-acre pond. Activities include swimming, fishing and picnicking. Recreational uses: accessible beaches, accessible restrooms, fishing, group day use, picnicking, restrooms, scenic viewing area, swimming, walking trails.

Clarksburg State Park

1199 Middle Road Clarksburg, MA Phone: 413-664-8345

Clarksburg State Park offers 368 acres of unspoiled hardwood forest with views of the Hoosac Range, Mount Greylock, and the Green Mountains. Mauserts Pond has a day-use area with picnicking and a pavilion. The pond is surrounded by 9.5 miles of foot trails. Forty-five wooded campsites are located near the lake. Open: Year-round, sunrise to sunset. Facilities open Memorial Day through Columbus Day, with a $5 parking fee. Camping season is from mid-May to mid-October. Campsites and comfort station are available. Unguarded swimming is available at Mauserts Pond. Pets are permitted on leash. Boat Launch is available for non-motorized boats. Prohibited: Motorized off-road vehicles.

Connecticut River Greenway State Park

136 Damon Road at Route 9 Northampton, MA Phone: 413-586-8706, ext. 12

The Connecticut River Greenway connects open spaces, parks, scenic vistas, and archaeological and historic sites along the length of the Connecticut River as it passes through the state. There are over 12 miles of permanently protected shoreline, and numerous access points to the river (listed below). Several larger properties such as Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation, Norwottuck Rail Trail, and the Great Falls Discovery Center (located in Turner's Falls) provide added visitor amenities.
Park Map
River Access Points:
Pauchaug, Northfield: one mile north of Northfield Center on Route 63. Paved parking area and ramp. The boat ramp can accommodate canoes, fishing boats, recreational motorboats.
Barton Cove, Gill: 1.5 miles east of Turner’s Falls on Rte 2. Paved parking and ramp. Recreational motorboats, canoes, fishing boats.
Sunderland: canoe and fishing access managed by the town of Sunderland. At the end of School Street on the north side of Sunderland Bridge. Limited parking.
Hatfield: one mile north of Hatfield Center. Shallow draft lightweight boats and canoes.
Elwell Recreation Area, Northampton: Damon Road at Route 9 and I-91. Canoe and rowing access only. Paved access ramp to a wheelchair accessible dock on the river. Limited parking.
Oxbow Ramp, Easthampton: take Route I-91 to exit 18 south on Route 5 in Easthampton. Thirty-five parking spaces and a paved ramp. Customary use by high powered recreational craft and larger fishing boats.
South Hadley/Chicopee Boat Access: James Street at the South Hadley/Chicopee town line downstream from the Holyoke Dam. Six to eight parking spaces and gravel ramp. Shallow draft fishing boats. Popular during shad fishing season.
Chicopee Boat Access, Chicopee: one half mile off Route 116 on Melina Street. Thirty-two parking spaces and a surfaced ramp. Shallow, moderate and deep draft recreational and fishing boats. Easy canoe and rowing shell access.

D.A.R. State Forest

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.

Dinosaur Footprints

Route 5 Holyoke, MA Phone: 413-684-0148

Preserved in sandstone slabs along the bank of the Connecticut River are 134 separate dinosaur footprints from three related dinosaurs - the largest from Eubrontes giganteus, the intermediate from Anchisauripus sillimani, and the smallest from Grallator cuneatus. Since the 1860s, the Connecticut River Valley has been noted for its abundance of paleontological specimens, especially dinosaur tracks. Approximately 190 million years ago, two-legged carnivorous dinosaurs crossed these lands leaving behind footprints in mudflats. Water filled the footprints instead of washing them away, so they were preserved in the earth until ice, water, and wind eroded and exposed them many years later.

Dry Hill

Harmon Road New Marlborough, MA Phone: 413-298-3239

Dry Hill, so named because of the lack of water on its ridgeline, is home to deep woodland wildlife, such as bobcats, fishers, and coyotes, as well as many bird species. A 1 ½ mile trail follows an old woods road before becoming a narrow footpath that ascends the ridge. Higher up, the hillside is covered in mountain laurel, which blooms profusely in mid-June. The trail ends at the reservation's highest point - a stark white quartzite promontory that offers sweeping views south and southwest across the Berkshire Hills to Connecticut and New York.

Erving State Forest

Laurel Lake Road Erving, MA

This forest provides a wide variety of recreational pursuits including, boating, swimming and fishing at Laurel Lake with its beautiful, brick-lined lakeshore, camping, picnicking, hunting, horseback riding and winter sports. The woodlands are interlaced by 8 miles of forest roads, and numerous trails lead to points of scenic interest.
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.

Field Farm

Sloan Road Williamstown, MA Phone: 413-458-3144

Field Farm’s over four miles of trails offer excellent hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing opportunities in the shadow of Mount Greylock, Massachusetts’ highest peak. A center of agriculture since at least 1750, Field Farm also features a modernist house now utilized as a bed and breakfast (The Guest House at Field Farm), and the 1965 Ulrich Franzen designed “Folly” – a pinwheel shaped guest house open for tours during the summer.

Glendale Falls

Clark Wright Road Middlefield, MA Phone: 413-684-0148

Fed by more than five square miles of watershed, Glendale Falls is one of the longest and most powerful waterfall runs in Massachusetts. In spring, the waters of Glendale Brook roar over rock ledges more than 150 feet high before joining the Westfield River. A quarter-mile trail leads to bottom of the falls for viewing. The Reservation was once part of the historic 18th-century Glendale Farm, which operated a gristmill whose foundation can be explored in the woods just north of the falls.

Granville State Forest

323 West Hartland Road Granville, MA 01034 Phone: 413-357-6611

This extensive rolling terrain was once the hunting and fishing ground of the Tunxis tribe, later becoming open farmland and pastures; now it is reverting into a northern hardwood-conifer forest. Enjoy a walk along the Hubbard River as it cascades through natural rock formations forming pools and waterfalls, dropping a rapid 450 feet in 2.5 miles. Recreation at Granville includes a wooded camping area with toilet and shower facilities. Other popular activities include bird watching, wildlife viewing, snowshoeing, and mountain biking. Swimming is prohibited.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset. Access is free. Camping season is late May through mid-October. Sites available for RVs up to 35 feet long. No hook-ups or trailer waste station are available. Wheelchair-accessible sites are available. Pets are permitted on a leash. Motorized off-road vehicles, alcoholic beverages, picnicking and swimming are pronibited.

Hitchcock Center for the Environment

525 South Pleasant Street Amherst, MA Phone: 413-256-6006

Exhibits, programs and nature trails focus on the environment, ecology and natural history. There is also a library on the property.

Holyoke Range State Park

Route 116 Amherst, MA Phone: 413-586-0350

This state park features hiking and cross-country trails, picnic areas, and year-round special programs. A visitors’ center with full facilities also is available.

Jug End State Reservation

Jug End Road Egremont, MA Phone: 413-528-0330

This 1,158-acre wildlife management area has trails for hiking and cross-country skiing. The park features eight miles of the Appalachian Trail. The site also is used for environmental research.

Kenneth Dubuque Memorial State Forest

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.

Laughing Brook Education Center and Sanctuary

793 Main Street Hampden, MA Phone: 413-566-8034

An 18th century house owned by children’s author Thornton Burgess highlights the 354 acres of walking trails and natural beauty. A library and exhibits offered.

McLennan Reservation

Fern Road Tyringham, MA Phone: 413-298-3239

Hiking, Birding, Picnicking

From the entrance of the McLennan Reservation, a 1.5-mile trail follows the graceful rises and dips of this densely forested landscape before reaching the high plateau where Hale Swamp (created when beavers dammed Camp Brook long ago) is located. Round Mountain and its neighbor, Long Mountain, form the backdrop for the reservation, which was once part of the Ashintully estate, whose gardens are located at the southern end of the valley.

Mohawk Trail State Forest

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.

Monroe State Forest

Tilda Hill Road Monroe, MA Phone: 413-339-5504

Wild and rugged Monroe State Forest has deep valleys, steep mountains and tall trees. A hike to the top of Spruce Mountain or to Raycroft Lookout offers magnificent panoramas of the surrounding Hoosac and Green Mountains and Deerfield River. Activities include wilderness camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding trails, hunting (with restrictions), scenic viewing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling on a minimum of 4-inch snow base, walking trails. The forest is open sunrise to sunset year-round. Access is free. Interior roads are in poor condition. All Terrain Vehicles and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

Monument Mountain

Route 7 Great Barrington, MA Phone: 413-298-3239

For almost two centuries, Monument Mountain has been a source of inspiration to poets, novelists, and painters. The summit offers panoramic views of Southern Berkshire County, and three miles of trails lead through a white pine and oak forest. During William Cullen Bryant's stay in Great Barrington, he penned the lyrical poem "Monument Mountain," and on August 5, 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville enjoyed a well-chronicled picnic hike up Monument Mountain. A thunderstorm forced them to seek refuge in a cave where a vigorous discussion ensued, inspiring ideas for Melville's new book, Moby Dick.

Mount Everett State Reservation

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.

Mount Grace State Forest

Winchester Road Warwick, MA Phone: 978 544-3939

Mt. Grace is the second highest peak in Massachusetts. There are hiking, cross-country skiing, and horseback riding trails. Picnic areas also are available.

Mount Greylock State Reservation

Rockwell Road Lanesborough, MA Phone: 413-499-4262

The oldest state park, Mt. Greylock is the highest peak in Massachusetts. It offers a visitors' center, programs, hiking, cross-country ski trails, and a public campground.

Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation

Route 116 South Deerfield, MA Phone: 413-545-5993

With two peaks, this site offers great views of the surrounding countryside. It features hiking trails and scenic picnic spots. South peak accessible by automobile.

Mount Tom State Reservation

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

Mount Washington State Forest

143 East Street South Egremont, MA, MA Phone: 413-528-0330

Amid the red oak-northern hardwood forest, the 4,169-acre Mount Washington State Forest offers 30 miles of trails over rugged terrain and wilderness camping. Hike the South Taconic Trail to the 2,250-foot summit of Alander Mountain. Or follow the Appalachian Trail as it winds its way along the ridgeline and through Sage's Ravine. Springtime features include blooming mountain laurel and azalea; and in summer, a carpet of ferns.
Recreational opportunities: wilderness camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding trails, hunting (restrictions), mountain biking, picnicking, scenic viewing area, skiing (cross-country), walking trails.
The forest is open year-round, from sunrise until sunset. Access is free. Parking is limited to the designated lot at the park headquarters on East Streeet. Wilderness camping is available year round, first-come, first-served, no fee required. Limit up to 5 people at each site. Leave No Trace outdoor ethics are strongly encouraged. You are in Black Bear country. Never physically confront, feed, torment or throw anything at bears. Motorized off-road vehicles, snowmobiles and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

Mountain Meadow Preserve

Mason Street Williamstown, MA Phone: 413-458-3144

Mountain Meadow Preserve protects forest, fields, and wetlands along the Massachusetts-Vermont border that are home to bears, coyotes, bobcats, fox, and deer as well as butterflies, wetland amphibians, and numerous small mammals and reptiles. One trail encircles and cuts through a spectacular upland wildflower meadow. A second loop trail enters the woodland, where it leads up a hill to a summit with views of Mount Greylock and the Taconic Range.

Natural Bridge State Park

McCauley Road, off Route 8 North Adams, MA Phone: 413663-6392

This 48-acre park has the only naturally formed white marble arch and man-made white marble dam in North America. The bridge spans Hudson Brook as it twists and tumbles through a steep 60-foot deep gorge. There is an abandoned marble quarry. The site was an active commercial quarry from 1810 to 1947. In the summer months, park interpreters are on hand to explain the natural forces that created the bridge and its more recent history. There is a 0.25 mile walkway above and through the chasm and a 0.5 mile wooded walking trail.
Open Memorial Day through Columbus Day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking fee is $2. Tables and grills are available for picnicking. Please carry-in, carry-out all trash. Access is limited. Pets are permitted. Must be on a 10-foot maximum leash and attended at all times. Swimming (dangerous conditions exist), rock climbing, defacing rocks, and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.
Recreational opportunities: Fishing, historic site, interpretive program, picnicking, restrooms (accessible), scenic viewing area, walking trails.

Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary

Peck Road Wales, MA Phone: 413-267-9654

There are guided spring wildflower walks at this 3,000-acre site, which features three miles of nature trails and two museums.

Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center

Northfield, MA Phone: 413-659-3714

Visitors can enjoy 25 miles of trails, which offer great views of blooming wildflowers in the spring, and fall foliage in the autumn. Of particular interest is the hydroelectric station.

Norwottuck Rail Trail

Begins at Elwell State Park, Damon Road Northampton, MA Phone: 413 586-8706 ext. 12

This 8.5-mile trail runs from Northampton, through Hadley and into Amherst along the old Boston & Main Railroad line. Bicycle and wheelchair hand-cycles rentals are available.

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.

Petticoat Hill

Petticoat Hill Road Williamsburg, MA Phone: 413-684-0148

Spend some time in this century old forest

This hillside is covered by a 100-year-old forest criss-crossed by old stone walls and dotted with the cellar holes and foundations of early farmsteads. The Reservation takes its name from the story of a family with seven daughters that settled near the top of the hill. Each daughter wore five petticoats, and, on Monday wash days, people from miles around could see thirty-five petticoats billowing in the breeze as they dried on a clothesline. The focal point of this park is a natural bridge, but visitors can also enjoy swimming, hiking, fishing, and cross-country skiing. Special events are often scheduled.

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.

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

West Mountain Road Lenox, MA Phone: 413-637-0320

Visitors will enjoy seven miles of walking trails covering nearly 1,400 acres. Public programs are offered. Open year-round.

Questing

New Marlborough Hill Road New Marlborough, MA Phone: 413-298-3239

A seventeen-acre upland field of native meadow wildflowers attracts a variety of dragonflies and butterflies

Questing features two miles of trails perfect for hiking or cross-country skiing, extensive tracts of hardwood forest, and a seventeen-acre field of native meadow wildflowers that attracts a variety of dragonflies and butterflies. Cellar holes and stone walls, tell the story of the 200-year-old settlement known as Leffingwell, where the first non-Native American children were born in Berkshire County. This settlement was abandoned in the late nineteenth century as farmers migrated to the Midwest.

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.

Skinner State Park

Route 41 Hadley, MA Phone: 413-586-0350

This park features 10 miles of trails, which allow visitors to climb Mt. Holyoke and the Holyoke Range. Offers great view of the Connecticut River Valley.

Taconic Crest Trail

Williamstown to Pittsfield, MA Phone: 203-788-7665

This is a 35 mile north/south trail with great vistas, hardwood forests, and side trails. The trail meanders in or near western Massachusetts, from Williamstown to Pittsfield. The trail heads up into Vermont and moves back and forth along the New York and Massachusetts state borders. Petersburg Pass adjacent to Williamstown is the most popular starting destination along the trail. The trail shows classic New England geology and scenery. The paved three-quarter mile Tranquility Trail is popular with wheelchair-users and other visitors who favor its smooth surface. A wheelchair-accessible picnic area and restroom are located nearby.
How to Find It: From Route 7 in Williamstown, MA, turn onto Route 2 west at the Taconic Park Restaurant approximately half way between the Store at Five Corners and the Williams Inn. (This road is known locally as the Taconic Trail.) At the top of the hill is a large parking area on the left. Park there, and cross the road to access the trail head to the Snowhole near Vermont state line or just head south to Berlin Mountain by hiking up the trail leading up the hill at the back of the parking lot.

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.

Tyringham Cobble

Jerusalem Road Tyringham, MA Phone: 413-298-3239

Visitors to Tyringham Cobble can hike two miles of trails, a section of which is a link in the Appalachian Trail, that pass over the twin knobs of the Cobble offering spectacular views of Tyringham Valley. Small trees and shrubs have taken root among dramatic rock outcrops and glacial boulders, and wildflowers, blackberries, blueberries, and wild strawberries grow in clearings and open meadows. The Cobble was used as pastureland for a Shaker community in the late eighteenth century, but today provides excellent opportunities for bird watching, picnicking, and cross-country skiing.

Wahconah State Park

Route 9/8A Dalton, MA Phone: 413-442-8992

Located in the heart of the Berkshire Hills, Wahconah Falls offers visitors spectacular scenic views anytime of year. Wahconah Falls Brook flows over several smaller tiered falls then cascades about 40 feet into a deep pool. Picnic or fish in the shade of the northern hardwood-conifer forest, or take a hike on the 0.5 mile loop trail (moderate difficulty) through open woods. The park is open year-round, from sunrise to dusk. Access is free. Pets are permitted. Must be on a 10-foot maximum leash. Universal Access: a smooth, graded path leads down from the parking area to the picnic area and view of the falls. Swimming and alcoholic beverages are prohibited.

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.

Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary

Off Nathan Ellis Highway East Falmouth, MA 02536 Phone: 781-259-9500 Toll-Free: 800-AUDUBON

Hours: May-August, daily, dawn to dusk. Fee charged.

This preserve features groves of holly, as well as a colony of barn swallows. Sixty-five varieties of holly trees are planted throughout the sanctuary. Self-guided trails take visitors through the sanctuary.

Cape Cod National Seashore

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).

Captain Bangs Hallet House

11 Strawberry Lane (off Route 6A) Yarmouth Port, MA 02675 Phone: 508-362-3021

Open: June 1 through October 15, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with tours at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.

The original part of this Greek Revival sea captain's house was built in 1740. A century later, additional portions of the house were built. The kitchen has its original 1740 brick beehive oven and butter churn. A nice collection of china, pewter, maritime artifacts, and clothing from the sea captain era are displayed here. The 50 acre property has nature trails. Open throughout the summer on select afternoons.

Green Briar Nature Center

6 Discovery Hill Road East Sandwich, MA 02537 Phone: 508-888-6870

Open: January-March, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; April-December, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

Located on the shores of Smiling Pool and adjacent to the famous Briar Patch of Thornton Burgess’s stories, Green Briar offers interpreted nature trails and a spectacular wild flower garden. Adjacent to Green Briar is the 57-acre Briar Patch Conservation Area, home of Peter Rabbit and many of the other Thornton Burgess animal characters. Walking trails are open to the public. Admission by donation.

Lowell Holly

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.

Mashpee River Reservation

Quinaquisset Avenue and Meetinghouse Road Mashpee, MA Phone: 508-679-2115

Open: Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset

Two miles of trails wind through Mashpee River Reservation to a pristine shoreline. Natural spawning areas and excellent water quality make the Mashpee River one of Massachusetts' finest sources of sea-run brook trout. The Reservation's woodland and shoreline trails form a link in the Cape Cod Pathways trail system, and offer excellent opportunities for bird watching and cross-country skiing.

Nickerson State Park

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.

Shawme-Crowell State Forest

Route 130 Sandwich, MA 02563 Phone: 508-888-0351

This quiet year-round campground at the beginning of Cape Cod has more than 285 sites in a wooded setting. More than 15 miles of roads and trails provide hiking and equestrian access to more than 700 acres of pitch pine and scrub oak landscape. Parking access to the beach at Scusset State Reservation is provided in camping fee. The regular camping season is from mid-April through mid-October. Amenities include restrooms, camping, hiking, hunting (with restrictions), interpretive programs, picnicking, showers, cross-country skiing, swimming, trailer and RV dumping, walking trails. Off-season camping is available Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

South Cape Beach State Park

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.

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Route 6 and West Road South Wellfleet, MA 02663 Phone: 508-349-2615

This nature center offers a variety of educational programs for children and adults, including walks and workshops. Enjoy a naturalist-led bird walk on our property or listen to an evening lecture. This sanctuary has a nature center, walking trails, trail to Goose Pond, seasonal classroom, gardens, and a campground. Picnicking, birdwatching, restrooms, wheelchair accessible. Of particular interest is the boardwalk trail through the salt marsh.

Bear’s Den

Neilson Road New Salem, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

On its way to the Quabbin Reservoir, the Middle Branch of the Swift River passes through the steep granite cliffs of Bear's Den. A short trail forks at the entrance - the left spur leading to the gorge, the right leading to the stream bed below the falls. In 1675, the great chief King Philip met here with neighboring chieftains to plan attacks on Hadley, Deerfield, and Northampton. A black bear shot on the property gives the Reservation its name, though more romantic - yet unsubstantiated - stories exist.

Brooks Woodland Preserve

East Street Petersham, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Once home to Nipmuc, the Brooks Woodland Preserve is an undisturbed forest of red oaks, hemlocks, and white pine. Visitors may hike or cross-country ski along 13 miles of woodland trails and former woods roads. Old stone walls cross the forest floor, passing through patches of maidenhair ferns, winterberry, and partridgeberry. Along parts of the Swift River, Moccasin Brook, and Roaring Brook, beaver dams have created swamps, and a cascade of glacial boulders provide dens for porcupines. Six early-nineteenth-century farmsteads can be rediscovered in the Preserve by their remaining fieldstone cellar walls, porch steps, and chimney supports.

Dexter Drumlin

George Hill Road Lancaster, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

A favorite spot for winter sledding, Dexter Drumlin is maintained as a graceful, open meadow with lovely views of historic Lancaster and its surrounding farmland. A narrow mowed footpath traverses the crest of the hill and loops back along the stream to the entrance affording the visitor the opportunity to view grassland birds making use of the drumlin and the adjacent floodplain fields for nesting and raising their young.

Douglas State Forest

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.

Doyle Reservation

Lindell Avenue Leominster, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Pierce Park at the Doyle Reservation was part of a former turn-of-the-century grand estate featuring a twenty-nine-room stucco mansion with a ballroom and conservatory, a matching stable, extensive horse paddocks, Pierce Pond (across Merriam Avenue), and an extensive system of bridle paths through woodland and around the pond. Ten acres of the original landscaped grounds have been restored as a neighborhood park, and most of the trees and shrubs are from the estate's original design and plantings.

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.

Elliott Laurel

Route 101 Phillipston, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Once pastureland, Elliott Laurel is now a quiet woodland traversed by old stone walls. Its scenic foot trail crosses an open field before climbing a rocky hillside to a south-facing overlook, then leads gently through shaded woods dotted by white pines and hemlocks before descending past rock outcrops to a red maple swamp. The return leg of the trail passes thickets of spring-blooming mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) for which the Reservation is named. At peak in mid-June, the pink flower buds of mountain laurel gradually open to reveal brilliant white flowers, brightening the shady woodland floor.

Federated Women's Club State Forest

West Street Petersham, MA Phone: 508-939-8962

The forest’s 984 acres stretch to the south and west in the watershed of the Quabbin Reservoir. Please Note that NO pets are allowed on Watershed Property. Groves of pine and stands of maple, birch and hemlock invite the visitor along the wooded roads. The road along Fever Brook is outstanding for its scenery. A wildlife sanctuary compromising 140 acres has been set aside in the center of the forest, attracting migrating and native wild fowl. In the southwest section is the forest's chief geological feature, the Gorge. Limited-service campsites are available on a first come/first serve basis. Recreational uses include fishing, hiking, hunting, and cross-country skiing.

Fisher Museum of Forestry

Route 32 Petersham, MA Phone: 508-724-3302

This unique museum focuses on the topography of New England's countryside and how it has been affected throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Hiking trails lead from the center out into the forest. There is an admission fee.

Jacobs Hill

Route 68 Royalston, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Get back in touch with nature

Visitors to Jacobs Hill can hike two miles of trails that closely track the ridgeline of the hill, passing through a forest of beech, maple, ash, and birch, and connecting two spectacular overlooks. Both trails take in impressive views of the forested slopes of Tully Mountain, Mount Grace, and the Berkshire Hills. Further south along the trail, a stream tumbles over the ridgeline, creating the dramatic Spirit Falls, and at the eastern edge of the Reservation lies the stream’s source: Little Pond, a classic northern bog.

James W. Brooks Woodland Preserve

Petersham, MA Phone: 508-840-4446

Trails criss-cross the landscape of this preserve, which is ideal for bird-watching. Areas for fishing and cross-country skiing also are available.

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.

Leominster State Forest

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.

North Common Meadow

Main Street Petersham, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Once pastureland, the broad expanse of North Common Meadow now preserves the rural charm and character of Petersham Center. The upper meadow produces hay that is cut by a local farmer, and the lower meadow supports a variety of wildflowers and features a small lily-covered pond. From the field adjacent to the Petersham Historic Society building on Main Street, visitors can take in a sweeping view of Mount Wachusett. North Common Meadow is a part of the Petersham Historic District, designated a Local Historic District in 1966 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Otter River State Forest

86 Winchendon Road Baldwinville, MA Phone: 508-939-8962

Otter River State Forest is a popular camping and day-use facility in north central Massachusetts. Its developed facilities are centered on Beaman Pond and include 85 campsites, a swimming beach, ball field and picnic areas. Yurt camping is also available. Camping season is mid-May through mid-October. Campground office hours at 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Swimming is permitted from 10am to 8pm at designated buoy areas only.

Peaked Mountain

Butler Road Monson, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

From the 1,227-foot summit of Peaked Mountain, a panoramic view unfolds taking in Connecticut's Shenipsit State Forest to the south, Mount Monadnock to the north, and Mount Wachusett to the northeast. In between lies a sweep of rolling New England countryside with forested hills and ridges, valley farms, and small villages. The Valley View overlook provides views of nearby Boulder Hill and the City of Springfield to the west. Other trails at peaked Mountain encircle tranquil Lunden Pond, where visitors might glimpse beavers, herons, and other wildlife drawn to the quiet waters.

Purgatory Chasm State Reservation

198 Purgatory Road Sutton, MA Phone: 508-234-3733

A unique natural landmark, Purgatory Chasm runs for a quarter of a mile between granite walls rising as high as 70 feet. Popular with picnickers and rock-climbers alike, the Chasm is believed to have its origin in the sudden release of dammed-up glacial meltwater near the end of the last Ice Age, approximately 14,000 years ago. Trails lead to a wide variety of rock formations, with such romantic names as The Corn Crib, The Coffin, The Pulpit, Lovers' Leap and Fat Man's Misery. Recreational uses: walking, hiking, picnicking, hunting, accessible restrooms.

Quabbin Reservoir and Visitor Center

485 Ware Road / Route 9 Belchertown, MA Phone: 413-323-7221

Quabbin Reservoir is one of the largest man-made public water supplies in the United States. Created in the 1930s by the construction of two huge earthen dams, the reservoir is fed by the Swift River and the Ware River. The New Salem and Enfield lookouts offer magnificent views of the reservoir. The Quabbin Interpretive Services Program operates the Quabbin Visitor Center and provides general information. An automated telephone system - 413 323-7221 - provides 24 hour access to current information on fishing, hunting, programs, rules and regulations, and public access. Since this is a public drinking water supply, swimming, wading, and dogs are prohibited. Permitted uses are shoreline fishing, hiking, bicycling walking, bird watching, snowshoeing, hunting, with restrictions, and picnicking. Information: www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/quabbin.htm

Redemption Rock

Route 140 Princeton, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Real New England History

Redemption Rock is the site of the famous release from captivity of Mary White Rowlandson, who was taken with her three children, and twenty other captives by a force of Nipmucs, Narragansetts, and Wampanoags when they attacked Lancaster on February 10, 1676. The Native Americans were angered by the spread of colonial settlements, the conversion of forests into farmland, and injustices at the hands of colonists. She was ultimately ransomed at Redemption Rock by John Hoar of Concord, who negotiated her release with the Native American leader, King Phillip.

Rock House Reservation

Route 9 West Brookfield, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Butterfly garden!

Located near two long Native American footpaths, the large size and height of the Rock House’s southern exposure made it an excellent winter camp for Native Americans, suggesting its use as a trail camp and meeting place. Following the arrival of colonists in the mid-seventeenth century, the area forests were gradually cleared for farming. Today, a forest of pine and mixed hardwoods has reclaimed the landscape, and visitors can hike along three miles of trails that take in Carter Pond, the Rock House, Balance Rock, a butterfly garden, and stands of red pine and spruce.

Royalston Falls

Falls Road Royalston, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Concealed within a dense forest

The rushing waters of Royalston Falls have carved a deep gorge out of granite. Here, Falls Brook plunges forty-five feet into a basin. In summer, ferns cling to the chasm's walls; in winter, freezing spray creates a fantastic landscape of ice. Upstream, the swirling brook has carved natural bridges through the bedrock. The wild and undisturbed appearance of the area today belies the landscape's history. For many years, the land was cleared and farmed, and during the 19th century, was also the site of town picnics and gatherings in the summer months.

Rutland State Park

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.

Streeter Point Recreation Area

6 Streeter Point Avenue Sturbridge, MA Phone: 508-347-9316

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.

Swift River Reservation

Nichewaug Road Petersham, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Swift River Reservation welcomes visitors with the opportunity to hike, mountain bike, cross-country ski, and horseback ride over 439 forested acres. Located where the East Branch of the Swift River links all three tracts of the river, the reservation’s natural features include extensive rocky ledges, ravines, open fields, a beaver-dammed swamp, vernal pools, and forest edges along woods roads. In the late 1700’s, much of the reservation was cleared for farms that were largely abandoned by the early 1900’s, and the forest returned only to be decimated by a major hurricane in 1938. Today most of the Reservation's mixed hardwood forest dates to this hurricane.

Tantiusques

Leadmine Road Sturbridge, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

Tantiusques preserves the site of one of New England's first mining operations. Before the arrival of European colonists, the Nipmuc mined graphite here for use in making ceremonial paints. In 1644, John Winthrop, Jr., son of the first Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, purchased the mine and surrounding land from the Nipmuc and began the first commercial mining operation on the site. The mine's ownership passed to Boston merchant Frederick Tudor in 1828, who successfully mined graphite for over 25 years. Later mining attempts failed, however, and by 1910 all operations had ceased. Today, careful observers can see mine cuts, ditches, and tailings piles made by the various operations.

Upton State Forest

205 Westboro Road Upton, MA Phone: 508-435-4303

This 2660-cre forest offers visitors a natural diversity of flora and fauna. The focal point of the forest is located at 205 Westboro Road in Upton, where visitor parking, the main trail head and park information is available. This is a carry-carry-out facility. While the forest is unstaffed, it is open to the public year-round at no charge. Trail users can enjoy hiking, casual walking, horse back riding, cross country skiing, and snowmobiling. Off Highway Vehicles (OHV’s) are prohibited.
Recreational opportunities: hiking, horseback riding trails, hunting (restrictions), mountain biking, skiing (cross-country), walking trails.

Wachusett Mountain State Reservation

345 Mountain Road Princeton, MA Phone: 508-464-2987

Rising above the forest to a height of 2006 feet, Mount Wachusett stands as a unique landmark within the central New England landscape. From the summit, a clear day reveals views of Mount Monadnock in New Hampshire, the Berkshires to the west, and the Boston skyline to the east. The 3,000-acre Wachusett Mountain State Reservation surrounds the summit and offers a wealth of natural and recreational resources. Recreational activities at the reservation including hiking, nature study, hawk watching, picnicking, skiing, and hunting. The reservation offers 17 miles of hiking and walking trails.
Wachusett Mountain is part of an extensive greenway area, including Leominster State Forest, Massachusetts Audubon's Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary and Minns Wildlife Sanctuary. It is also the location of the largest known area of Old Growth Forest east of the Connecticut River in Massachusetts, with trees dating over 350 years old. Evidence of the glacial activity which shaped the mountain can be seen at Balance Rock. The mountain access road is open to personal vehicles from Memorial Day through the last Sunday in October. Operating hours for the roadway during this season are 9 a.m. till sunset daily.

Wachusett Reservoir

River Road Clinton, MA Phone: 978-365-3272

An artificial reservoir featuring bird watching, fishing areas, and walking trails. There is an admission fee.

Wells State Park

Route 49 Sturbridge, MA Phone: 508-347-9257

This 1,470-acre park features hiking and cross-country ski trails, in addition to picnic areas. A visitors center offers park information and rest facilities.

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.

Beaver Brook Reservation

Mill Street Waltham, MA Phone: 617-484-6357

Small nature preserve offers biking paths, fishing and swimming areas, interpretive programs, and small historic sites. Full toilet facilities are available.

Black Heritage Trail

46 Joy Street Boston, MA Phone: 617-725-0022

Beginning at the African Meeting House on Smith Court, this walking tour follows the history of the African-American community in 19th century Boston. Many of the sites are open to the public and are listed separately under the Historic Sites section. The the walk includes the following: The African Meeting House (1806), Smith Court, the Abiel Smith School (1834), the George Middleton House (1797), 54th Regiment Memorial on Boston Common, Phillips School, the John J. Smith House, the Lewis and Harriet Hayden House, and Coburn's Gaming House (1844).

Blue Hills Trailside Museum

1904 Canton Avenue Milton, MA Phone: 617-333-0690

Museum offers hiking trails, live animals and regularly scheduled programs. There is an admission charge.

Boston by Sea: A Seafaring Adventure Through Boston's Past

Rowes Wharf Boston, MA Phone: 617-542-8000

Cruise the Harbor aboard Mass Bay lines as live actors bring the history of Boston and its Harbor to life through authentic maritime music, original skits, and fascinating true stories. Learn about the Boston Tea Party, "Old Ironsides," pirates, and more. Tours depart from Rowes Wharf.

Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area

Boston, MA Phone: 617-223-8666

Come enjoy Boston's newest national park. The Harbor Islands offer a quiet place to relax, explore, camp, swim, or picnic. Boat-based Discovery Cruises operate Wednesday-Friday at noon, and tours to Boston Light ("The ultimate Lighthouse experience," according to the Boston Globe) operate Thursday-Sunday. Ranger-led activities and special events are offered on many islands for a variety of audiences. Not only are these islands a source of natural beauty and wonder--they're also rich in history and legends, with tales of pirates, shipwrecks, wars, abandoned prisons, and even ghosts! It's all right in Boston Harbor and accessible by boat or ferry from Long Wharf downtown or the South Shore... so near, and yet so far away!

Boston Women's Heritage Trail

Boston, MA Phone: 617-522-2872

This walk honors some of the city's most prominent women, encompassing Beacon Hill, the North End, Chinatown, and downtown Boston. Maps for this walk are available at Boston Common.

Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary

280 Eliot Street Natick, MA Phone: 508-655-2296

At this sanctuary, visitors can enjoy nine miles of hiking trails, in addition to lectures and other programs in a renovated horse barn.

Callahan State Park

Edmands Street Framingham, MA Phone: 508-653-9641

Callahan has seven miles of marked trails and is used for activities including fishing, hiking, horseback riding (horses not provided) and cross-country skiing. Within the park are nearly 100 acres of open fields. Recreational activities include mountain biking, hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and walking.

Carson Beach

William J. Day Blvd. South Boston, MA Phone: 617-727-5114

This sandy beach, maintained by the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, is one of the best swimming beaches in the area, with nearby public amenities and great views of the harbor. New sand, new walkways, benches, lighting, shade shelters and award winning landscaping have helped to make Carson Beach a popular destination. "Mother's Rest" and its fishing pier have also been rehabilitated, making for a beautiful picnic area with a fantastic view of the Harbor. Life guards. To reach the beach on the subway take the Red Line to JFK/UMass. Or use the bus on routes 5, 8, 11, 16, or 41. Parking available.

Castle Island, Pleasure Bay, M Street Beach and Carson Beach

William J. Day Boulevard South Boston, MA Phone: 617-727-5290

Fort Independence, built between 1834 and 1851, is the dominating feature of this historic site, surrounded by a small park with fishing and swimming areas, and bike trails.

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.

Chase Woodlands

Farm Road Dover, MA 02492 Phone: 508-785-0339

Chase Woodlands’ 2-½ mile network of gently sloping paths wind through peaceful groves of white pine, beech, hemlock, and yellow birch. As in most of Massachusetts, this woodland consists of second- and third-growth trees, the original virgin forests having been felled to clear land for agriculture in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Picturesque stone walls traverse the woods, marking former farm fields from the property’s agricultural past.

Fork Factory Brook

Hartford Street Medfield, MA 02052 Phone: 508-785-0339

Fork Factory Brook’s easy network of trails track the edges of lovely hay fields and meander through wooded upland offering views of surrounding forested wetlands and the remains of a 19th-century pitchfork mill. For a brief time after the Civil War, owners used the mill for a paper cutting enterprise, but it fell into disuse with the advent of coal-power. When Main Street was widened in 1927, the mill was dismantled and the granite reused to construct a house on Foundry Street. Much of the mill site now sits under Route 109, and all that remains is its broad earthen dam and stone raceway.

Garden in the Woods

180 Hemenway Road Framingham, MA 01701 Phone: 508-877-7630

The New England Wild Flower Society maintains this garden, the largest landscaped collection of native plants in the northeastern United States. Guided tours are offered weekdays at 10 a.m. and weekends at 2 p.m.
Hours: April 15-Labor Day, daily, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; September 2-October 31, daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; after October, trails close for the season. Museum Shop remains open with winter hours. Fee charged.

Governor Hutchinson’s Field

Adams Street Milton, MA 02186 Phone: 781-821-2977

Named for Governor Thomas Hutchinson, the last Royal Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, this hilltop meadow offers views of the Neponset River, its tidal salt marshes, the Boston skyline, and the Boston Harbor Islands. Hutchison’s over royalist leanings made him the object of public ridicule in the years leading up to the Revolutionary War, and in 1743 he built for his family a modest country estate on Milton Hill to escape the city. All that remains of the estate today is the field and a "ha-ha" which formed the western boundary of the formal garden.

Hammond Pond Reservation

Hammond Pond Parkway Newton, MA Phone: 617-698-1802

Visitors to this small nature preserve can enjoy fishing, hiking and biking trails, and picnic areas.

Harborwalk

Boston, MA Phone: 850-337-8250

A self-guided walk that traces the history of the Boston waterfront. The tour begins at the Old State House, brochures are available at the National Park Service Visitor's Center on State Street.

Hopkinton State Park

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.

Innovation Odyssey Tour

28 State Street Boston, MA Phone: 617-350-0358

Visit the people and places behind Boston's great inventions. An actor/tour guide brings Boston innovations - from the telephone to the Internet - to life on this cutting-edge, two-hour tour of Boston and Cambridge. Sites include Harvard, MIT, and the Ether Dome at Mass General Hospital. Imagine a world without computers, telephones, or anesthesia. Tours depart from 28 State Street, every Saturday at 2:00 pm. A shuttle from the Museum of Science departs at 1:40 pm.

Literary Trail of Greater Boston

Omni Parker House Boston, MA Phone: 617-350-0358

A tour for everyone who loves history, good books, and beautiful settings. Discover the homes, gathering places, and landscapes of America's most beloved authors on a guided tour, or on your own with the Self-Guided Tour Package. Travel from Boston to Cambridge and Concord and visit sites such as Walden Pond, Longfellow House, Concord Museum, and Orchard House. Tours depart from the Omni Parker House the second Saturday of the month, beginning August.

Malcolm Preserve

Stearns Street Carlisle, MA 01741 Phone: 978-840-4446

The Malcolm Preserve provides a northern gateway to some 1,300 acres of conservation land. A short hiking trail connects the Malcolm Preserve with Two Rod Road, which leads through historic Estabrook Woods. The land comprising the Malcolm Preserve and the adjacent Malcolm Meadows development was once part of a 38-acre farm which raised fruit crops, including raspberries, strawberries, apples, peaches, and pears, as well as vegetables and cut flowers for local markets.

Medfield Rhododendrons

Woodridge Street Medfield, MA 02052 Phone: 508-785-0339

Home to important and rare stand of Rhododendron maximum, the great laurel or rosebay rhododendron, one of only three species of evergreen rhododendrons native to eastern North America. Though listed today as a "threatened" species, rosebay rhododendrons were once more common in Massachusetts; approximately half of the historical populations in Massachusetts have been lost. Currently, there are seven known populations, and the Medfield Rhododendrons colony represents the largest and easternmost population in Massachusetts.

Mystic River Reservation -- Mystic Lakes -- Sandy Beach

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.

Noanet Woodlands

Dedham Street Dover, MA 02030 Phone: 781-821-2977

Named after a chief of the Natick Indians, Noanet Woodlands features 17 miles of shady trails and wooded roads ideal for walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and horseback riding, and a hike up Noanet Peak rewards visitors with a view of Boston's skyline above the forest canopy. In the early nineteenth century, Noanet Brook was home to a large rolling and slitting mill that made barrel hoops, wheel rims, nail plates, and nail rods from forged iron. Today the mill's twenty-four-foot-high dam and twenty-foot-deep wheel pit are preserved, but visitors will have to imagine the towering thirty-six-foot wheel that powered the mill.

Noon Hill

Noon Hill Road Medfield, MA 02052 Phone: 508-785-0339

The midday sun passes over the ridge of Noon Hill, giving the Reservation its name. Follow the trail leading to the 370-foot peak, and enjoy sweeping views south across the rolling hills of Walpole and Norfolk. Noon Hill’s 4 ½ miles of trails along forested ridges and slopes feature pine, beech, birch, and hemlock, offer glimpses of turn of the century low stone walls, and in spring, the forest floor is scattered with wildflowers. Picturesque Holt Pond was created around 1764, when Sawmill Brook was dammed to create a mill pond.

Quincy Shores Reservation

Quincy Shore Drive Quincy, MA 02205 Phone: 617-727-5290

Quincy Shore Drive links Wollaston Beach with Caddy Memorial Park and Moswetuset Hummock. The 2.3-mile beach is popular for its jogging/bicycling trail and swimming. Caddy Park on the southern end of the beach has over 15 acres of fields and marsh as well as a play area, lookout tower and picnic tables. Moswetuset Hummock, on the beach's northern end, is a mixture of woodland trails and open marshland. The site which has a short loop trail, offers views of Quincy Bay and 144-acre Squantum Marsh. Open year round, dawn to dusk. Bathhouse open July to September.
Directions: by MBTA: Wollaston Beach - Red Line to Wollaston Station, walk to Hancock Street, turn right and walk one block to Beach Street or take Wollaston Beach/Ashmont bus #217. Caddy Park - turn left on Beach Street and continue on Quincy Shore Drive. Moswetuset Hummock - Red Line to North Quincy Station, MBTA Bus #211 to Squantum, exit at East Squantum Street and Quincy Shore Drive, proceed to the small wooded knoll 200 yards east.

Revere Beach

Revere Beach Blvd. Revere, MA Phone: 781-289-3020

Lifeguards are on duty from late June to early September. Revere Beach boasts miles of shoreline which welcomes throngs of visitors every summer. Along the boulevard there is a bandstand for summer concerts, a bathhouse and many shade shelters. Revere Beach is very accessible by public transportation which makes it a popular spot for people from all around metro Boston. Open year round, dawn to dusk.

Rocky Woods

Hartford Street Medfield, MA 02052 Phone: 508-785-0339

Just 30 minutes from downtown Boston

Rocky Woods features over six miles of former woods roads and footpaths rambling through rolling hills of white pine and red oak. Explorers of the four ponds on the reservation may find bullfrogs and painted turtles, and visitors can enjoy catch-and-release fishing from these shores. Recent landscape renovations have created a scenic meadow, grassy common areas, sandy shorelines, and plantings of ornamental shrubs. Restrooms, picnic tables and a pavilion are onsite, and future plans include creating a visitor center and improved children's play area.

Shattuck Reservation

Causeway Street Medfield, MA 02052 Phone: 508-785-0339

Across the street from Noon Hill, Shattuck Reservation comprises a forested upland neck of oak and pine overlooking a wet meadow and red maple swamp. Visitors can enjoy hiking, horseback riding and bird watching. A 1.5 mile loop trail leads from the neck across wetlands to two islands that offer views of the Charles River, and the reservation's old stone walls indicate that it was once nineteenth-century pasture.

Stony Brook Nature Center

North Street Norfolk, MA Phone: 508-528-3140

This nature center includes a self-guided hiking trail. An extensive boardwalk system helps visitors explore Teal Marsh and its wildlife.

Stony Brook Reservation

Turtle Pond Parkway Hyde Park, MA Phone: 617-698-1802

Sunfish and Perch await anglers in Turtle Pond at this 475-acre park and wildlife refuge, featuring fishing areas, biking and hiking trails, public swimming, and picnic areas. Programs are scheduled throughout the year.

The Minuteman Bikeway

Arlington to Bedford, MA Phone: 617-641-4891

This 10.5 mile bicycle trail begins in Cambridge (Greater Boston area), and winds its way through Arlington, Lexington and ends in Bedford. Along the way are the historic site of Lexington Common and the Minuteman Statue.

Weir River Farm

Turkey Hill Lane Hingham, MA Phone: 781-740-7233

Originally part of a picturesque, early-twentieth-century country estate, Weir River Farm encompasses 75 acres of fields and pastures, woodlands, and a complex of farm and estate buildings, including barns and a carriage house. On a clear day, visitors can view Boston Harbor and the North Shore from the top of Turkey Hill. The farm is being managed to preserve its historic pastoral character, and offers public programs throughout the year, as well as opportunities for hiking, bird watching and picnicking.

Whitney & Thayer Woods

Route 3A Cohasset & Hingham, MA Phone: 781-740-7233

The ten miles of trails at Whitney & Thayer Woods include a memorial walk through a lovely stand of flowering shrubs, Ode's Den, (named after Theodore "Ode" Pritchard, who lived under one of the boulders after losing his home in 1830), and the 187-foot summit of Turkey Hill, affording spectacular views of Cohasset Harbor. Visitors can also view a cinderblock NIKE building, once part of an anti-missile radar control station sited here during the Cold War to thwart potential nuclear attack by the Soviet Union.

World’s End

250 Martin’s Lane Hingham, MA Phone: 781-740-6665

World's End is one of the 30 islands of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreational Area, and comprises over four miles of walking paths that offer dramatic views of the Weir River, Hingham Harbor, and the Boston skyline. In 1889, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted was commissioned to design a residential subdivision here, and his plan included 163 house plots connected by tree-lined roads. The cart paths were cut and the trees planted, but the development never occurred. These wide paths now line broad grassy fields that attract butterflies and are managed to provide habitat for grassland-nesting birds.

Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge, Wasque Reservation, East Beach

Dike Road (on Chappaquiddick Island adjacent to Martha's Vineyard) Edgartown, MA 02539 Phone: 508-627-7689

Chappaquiddick Island’s eastern edge is a barrier beach that extends for seven miles from Wasque Point past the Cape Poge Lighthouse to the Gut. The refuge offers 14 miles of beachfront and oversand vehicle and walking trails. Facilities include picnic tables, bike rack, restrooms, which are open May 30 to October 30. Fresh water is available by hand pump at the Wasque and Mytoi parking areas. Annual over-sand vehicle permits available for qualified vehicle owners. Tours include a natural history tour, a wildlife kayak or canoe tour, a fishing discovery tour, and Cape Poge Lighthouse tour. Entrance fee May 30 to October 15; free to pedestrians off season. Open year-round, daily, 24 hours. Gatehouse open May 30-October 15, daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cedar Tree Neck Wildlife Sanctuary

Indian Hill Road West Tisbury, MA

This preserve along the Martha's Vineyard north shore features several trails with numerous scenic views.

Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge

Wauwinet Road Wauwinet (on the island of Nantucket), MA 02554 Phone: 508-228-5646

Coskata-Coatue Wildlife Refuge is known for its historic lighthouse, white sand beaches, and world-class fishing. Rolling maritime dunes cover more than 200 acres. Refuge includes 16 miles of over-sand vehicle and walking trails and beach front. Gray and harbor seals feed in the Great Point riptide. Facilities include public restrooms between the Wauwinet Gatehouse and Great Point Lighthouse and at the lighthouse. Both are open May 1 to October 31. Bike rack at the Wauwinet Gatehouse. Seasonal tours of the Great Point Lighthouse and the natural wonders of the refuge. Hours: Year-round, daily, 24 hours (10 p.m.-5 a.m. - fishing access only). Cost: Free to all pedestrians and boaters.

Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary

Edgartown Road Edgartown, MA Phone: 508-627-4850

Vistors to this nature center will find plenty of self-guided trails, as well as live native birds. Of particular interest are ospreys nesting in their natural environment. There is an admission fee.

Long Point Wildlife Refuge

Off Long Point Road West Tisbury (on the island of Martha's Vineyard), MA Phone: 508-693-7662

At more than 600 acres, Long Point is one of the largest publicly accessible properties on Martha's Vineyard. It encompasses beach, dune, and woodland. Popular in summer, the property is also an off-season treasure, especially for birders and other nature-watchers. The property has 2.1 miles of flat trails through woods and open areas, plus beachfront. Easy walking. Hours: Mid-June to mid-September, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (gate closes at 6 p.m.). Mid-September to mid-June, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of two hours. Facilities: Public restrooms. Picnic tables. Bike rack. Small visitor center.

Manuel Correllus State Forest

Barnes Road Edgartown, MA Phone: 508-693-2540

Correllus State Forest occupies over 5,100 acres in the center of Martha's Vineyard. It is managed for passive recreation, mostly hiking and cycling on its 15 miles of bike paths. It is also the focus of one of the largest environmental restoration projects in the country. The Great Plain that forms much of Martha's Vineyard supports an unusual concentration of rare species and extensive examples of several uncommon sand-plain communities, including grasslands, heathlands, barrens, and woodlands, dominated by mixed oak-pine.

Menemsha Hills

North Road, Chilmark Martha’s Vineyard, MA Phone: 508-693-3678

The highlight of Menemsha Hills is Prospect Hill, one of the highest points on Martha's Vineyard, whose spectacular view includes the village of Menemsha, the Elizabeth Islands, and Gay Head Light. Former woods roads and footpaths pass through several distinct ecosystems, including perched wetlands that support red maples, cinquefoil, beech, and black cherry. At Menemsha Hills bluffs, a view of the Great Sand Bank provides a reminder of the Vineyard's glacial origin, and to the northeast stands the remains of a tall brick chimney, the last vestige of a 19th-century brickyard that operated here.

Norton Point

Edgartown (on the island of Martha's Vineyard), MA Phone: 508-627-7689

This 2.5-mile-long strip of sand and dunes served as a vital link between Martha's Vineyard and the island of Chappaquiddick until 2007, when a major ocean storm caused a breach in the barrier beach. This beach provides opportunities for shellfishing, swimming, bird watching, and picnicking. In the autumn, the extensive sandflats are used by migrating shorebirds for feeding and resting. Due to recent beach erosion, there is only 1.8 miles of oversand-vehicle trails. There are 4.5 miles of walking trails and sandy roads in the upland area.
The western end of Norton Point Beach abuts the state-owned bathing beach, South Beach, which has lifeguards and seasonal restrooms and changing areas. The eastern side of Norton Point Beach abuts Wasque Reservation, owned by The Trustees of Reservations, which is also connected to Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge.
Open year-round, daily. Dogs must be kept on a leash at all times.Free for pedestrians. Oversand vehicle (OSV) permit fees: Annual permits are $100 if vehicle is not registered on Martha's Vineyard; $60 if vehicle is registered on Martha's Vineyard. Permit is valid April 1 to March 31. Daily OSV passes are available at the gatehouse only; $30 if vehicle is not registered on Martha's Vineyard; $20 if vehicle is registered on Martha's Vineyard.

Agassiz Rock

School Street Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944 Phone: 978-356-4351 Fax: 978-356-2143

Big and Little Agassiz Rocks are dramatic examples of giant boulders plucked from bedrock and moved in the last glacier age. Little Agassiz Rock rests - seemingly precariously - on a jagged stone, leaving a man-sized opening underneath. Nearby thirty-foot-tall Big Agassiz Rock sits. No one knows how far it extends below the ground. In 1874, students from the Essex Institute named the site for Louis Agassiz, the Harvard professor of natural history who first theorized that the rocks were shaped and deposited by glaciers. Prior to Agassiz's theory, it was widely believed that the scattering of rocks throughout New England were the result of Noah's great flood.

Appleton Farms & Grass Rides

Route 1A Ipswich, MA 01938 Phone: 978-356-5728 Fax: 978-412-9587

Established in 1638, Appleton Farms is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in the United States. Scenic views of rolling grasslands, grazing livestock, ancient stone walls, four miles of tree-lined carriage paths, and historic farm buildings welcome visitors for hiking, bird watching, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Farm operations include a community-supported agriculture program, a retail feed and mulch haying operation, livestock and dairy programs, and educational programs are offered to the public throughout the year.

Bear’s Den

Neilson Road New Salem, MA Phone: 978-840-4446

On its way to the Quabbin Reservoir, the Middle Branch of the Swift River passes through the steep granite cliffs of Bear's Den. A short trail forks at the entrance - the left spur leading to the gorge, the right leading to the stream bed below the falls. In 1675, the great chief King Philip met here with neighboring chieftains to plan attacks on Hadley, Deerfield, and Northampton. A black bear shot on the property gives the Reservation its name, though more romantic - yet unsubstantiated - stories exist.

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.

Coolidge Reservation

Summer Street (Route 127) Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA 01944 Phone: 978-356-4351 Fax: 978-356-2143

A short easy hike to the tip of Coolidge Point rewards the visitor with the magnificent Ocean Lawn views of Magnolia Harbor, Kettle Island and Great and Little Misery Islands. At one time, this vast lawn was the site of the Coolidge family's "Marble Palace," a Georgian-style mansion designed in 1902 by Charles McKim. The Ocean Lawn is now an open, grassy expanse broken only by large shade trees. Picturesquely edged by rocky headlands that extend into the sea, it is bordered on the west by Kettle Cove and Black Beach, and is a classic New England landscape, perfect for picnicking.

Crane Memorial Reservation

Argilla Road Ipswich, MA Phone: 508-356-4351

Set on a barrier beach, this preserve features nature trails, and is the perfect site for bird watching.

Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary

Route 117, South Great Road Lincoln, MA Phone: 617-259-9807

Visitors to this nature preserve will enjoy hiking trails, live farm animals and hayrides. During the winter season sleighrides are offered.

Essex National Heritage Area

New Liberty and Essex Salem, MA Phone: 508-740-1650

The area offers visitors three Heritage Trails to walk: The maritime trail, the early settlement trail, and the industry/textile and leather trail.

Halibut Point Reservation

Gott Avenue Rockport, MA Phone: 978-526-8687 Fax: 978-356-2143

Easy hiking trails lead to scenic vistas, a low rocky coastal shelf with impressive crashing waves, and interesting tide pools. Cooperatively managed with adjacent Halibut Point State Park, the two miles of trails edge the former Babson Farm Quarry, now filled by natural underground springs. Granite quarried here at the turn of the 20th century paved thousands of city streets and built bridges, tunnels, monuments, warehouses, and buildings, such as Boston's Custom House Tower.

Halibut Point State Park

Gott Avenue Rockport, MA Phone: 508-546-2997

Halibut Point is a beautiful coastal seascape. Looking seaward, the view stretches from Crane Beach in Ipswich to Mount Agamenticus in Maine and the Isles of Shoals off the coast of New Hampshire. A Visitors Center located near the Babson Farm quarry features exhibits about the park's natural and cultural history. The 60-foot tall structure offers panoramic views.
The park is open 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day; a parking fee is charged. The park is open sunrise to sunset from Labor Day to Memorial Day. On weekends from Memorial Day through Columbus Day tours of the quarry are offered. Other programs include wildflower walks and tidepool programs during the summer and seabird walks during the winter. Recreational uses: Fishing, historic site, picnicking, scenic viewing area, cross-country skiing, walking trails.

Harold Parker State Forest

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.

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary

Perkins Row Topsfield, MA Phone: 508-887-9264

10 miles of trails and an observation tower are set in this natural preserve.

Lawrence Heritage State Park

1 Jackson Street Lawrence, MA Phone: 508-794-1655

Open daily 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

A restored boarding house with two floors of interactive exhibits tells the tale of Lawrence, one of the nation's first planned industrial cities. Along with stories of Lawrence's mill workers and industry, the workers' role in the 1912 Bread and Roses Strike is relived with images and sounds. Walk along the esplanade of a 19th-century canal and through a park created within the walls of an industrial-era building.
The Visitors Center includes a turn-of-the–century kitchen and models of the mills and boarding houses. Visitors can trace the routes of more than 30 immigrant populations who settled in Lawrence. A video presentation of the Great Strike of 1912 tells the story of nearly 30,000 workers and the nation’s labor struggles.
The park offers free band concerts, lectures, drama performances, children’s events, games, sailing lessons, special events and guided tours. The Bread and Roses Festival on Labor Day is an annual highlight. Guided tours are offered by reservation.
Pemberton Park, off Canal Street near the Central Bridge, offers superb views of the city’s mills and historic dam, and oportunities for fishing and boating. The park property is about five acres and will soon extend to the Great Stone Dam. Walking trails, lighting and benches make this park an attractive place to visit in daylight or at dusk.

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.

Maudslay State Park

Curzon Mill Road Newburyport, MA Phone: 978-465-7223

This park features 19th century gardens and plantings, rolling meadows, towering pines, and one of the largest naturally-occurring stands of mountain laurel in Massachusetts. Most breathtaking are the ornamental trees and masses of azaleas and rhododendrons that bloom in May and June. An exquisite place for walking, biking, horseback riding and informal picnics. Cultural events are a regular feature during the summer. During the winter a portion of the park is off limits due to roosting bald eagles, but the remainder provides excellent cross country skiing and winter walks. Parking Fee at is $2.

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.

Misery Islands

Salem Sound Salem, MA 01970 Phone: 978-526-8687 Fax: 978-356-2143

Ruins of a turn-of-the-century summer colony...

Explore Great and Little Misery Islands for stunning coastal views, scenic hiking trails, ruins of a turn-of-the-century summer colony, even the remains of a shipwreck! A two-mile system of trails provides access to most parts of Great Misery Island, and Little Misery is accessible by wading across a narrow, shallow channel at low tide. The name Misery Islands arose from the ordeal of shipbuilder Robert Moulton, who became stranded on the islands for three miserable days during a December storm in the 1620s. Today Misery Islands are easily accessible by boat or by ferry service from Salem.

Salem Heritage Trail

Salem, MA Phone: 508-744-0004

This self-guided walking tour highlights Salem's important and historic contribution to American history. Sites include: House of the Seven Gables, the Peabody Essex Museum, Ropes Mansion (1727), the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, the Salem Witch Museum, Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House, Witch Dungeon Museum, the Witch House. Details about each of these sites are available in the historic sites section.

Salisbury Beach State Reservation

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.

Sandy Point State Reservation

Parker River Wildlife Refuge, Refuge Road Ipswich, MA Phone: 508-462-4481

Sandy Point is at the southern tip of Plum Island, a classic Atlantic Ocean barrier island. The 77-acre park is among the state's most beautiful and popular coastal beaches. It is also an important nesting area for the piping plover and the least tern. Recreational activities include walking, beachcombing, fishing, and birding. Access is through the abutting Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The reservation is open sunrise till sunset. Parking is allowed only in two designated areas. When these lots are full, the reservation is temporarily closed. Pedestrians have free access to the beach, but must stay clear of all fenced areas.

Stavros Reservation

Island Road Essex, MA 01929 Phone: 978-526-8687 Fax: 978-356-2143

Stavros Reservation’s most popular feature is White's Hill, a scenic overlook that offers panoramic views of Crane Beach, the Crane Wildlife Refuge, and Halibut Point. An easy trail leads to the fieldstone base of a former fifty-foot-high tower constructed in the 1890s for property owner Lamont G. Burnham, Esq. The structure was used as a pumping tower to supply water to the Burnham farm, and it was said that Mr. Burnham stationed a sentry there to lookout for coal barges rounding Halibut Point. When the sentry identified a boat belonging to Burnham, a fast horse would be dispatched to Newburyport to put a price on the cargo.

Ward Reservation

Prospect Road North Andover, MA 01845 Phone: 978-682-3580 Fax: 978-682-3580

The focal point of the Ward Reservation is 420-foot Holt Hill, the highest point in Essex County. At the summit, visitors can see Boston's skyline and the Blue Hills to the south, and explore the "Solstice Stones”, a compass-like arrangement of stones set on the peak. The narrow stone in the NE quadrant points in the direction of where the sun rises on the summer solstice (around June 21), the longest day of the year. Located at the foot of Holt Hill is Pine Hole Bog, a rare quaking bog that features concentric rings of distinct vegetation, each characterized by different growing conditions.

Weir Hill

Stevens Street North Andover, MA 01845 Phone: 978-682-3580 Fax: 978-682-3580

Weir Hill’s (pronouced "wire hill") four miles of easy hiking trails meander over a double drumlin that rises 305 feet, includes more than a mile of scenic shoreline on Lake Cochichewick, and a broad meadow that provides magnificent views of Stevens Pond and the Merrimack Valley. The Reservation is named for the fish weirs (woven fences with stakes) that were once submerged by Native Americans in Cochichewick Brook to catch alewives before they reached Lake Cochichewick to spawn. Picnicking, bird watching, and cross-country skiing in winter invite visitors year round.

Willowdale State Forest

Linebrook Road Ipswich, MA Phone: 508-887-5931

Willowdale offers trail-use opportunities on 40 miles of trails and fishing and boating on 100-acre Hood Pond. There are no developed recreational facilities at the forest, which is two separate parcels divided by Route 1. The eastern block of the Forest abuts Bradley Palmer State Park and the Ipswich River.
Recreational opportunities: hiking, horseback riding trails, hunting (west side of Route 1), mountain biking, skiing (cross-country), walking trails.

Ames Nowell State Park

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.

Caratunk Wildlife Refuge - Audubon Society of Rhode Island

301 Brown Avenue Seekonk, MA Phone: 508-761-8230

This 196-acre refuge is easily accessible from Providence, and features fields, woods and a large nature center. From I-95 take the Broadway exit, Exit 6. in East Providence. Bear left at the bottom of the ramp, onto Warren Avenue. Turn left at the first set of lights, onto Rte. 114 North. Travel approximately 2 miles and then turn right onto Rte. 152 North. Continue on Rte. 152 across a reservoir and into Seekonk. After you pass the middle school on the left, turn right onto Brown Avenue. Caratunk is 7/10 of a mile on the right.

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.

Ellisville Harbor State Park

Route 3A Plymouth, MA Phone: 508-866-2580

Ellisville Harbor is a unique coastal property, including an 18th century farmstead, beachfront, salt marsh, rolling meadows, and red pine forest. It's also one of the most scenic spots on the South Shore coastline, where you can see small fishing boats, a barrier beach, sphagnum bog, forested upland and open meadows. Recreation activities include walking, bird watching, beach combing, sightseeing, fishing, and cross-country skiing. In fall and winter, harbor seals can often be seen just off-shore.

Fort Phoenix Beach State Reservation

Green Street Fairhaven, MA 02719 Phone: 508-992-4524

One of the smaller parks in Massachusetts, Fort Phoenix State Reservation combines historic features, scenic views and a variety of recreational facilities. Minutes from downtown New Bedford, the park contains a half-mile of Buzzards Bay beachfront. Adjacent to the park is Fort Phoenix, a national landmark Fort which gives the park its name. From the ramparts remnants, one can gaze across the bay where the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War was fought, to the rolling meadows of the Elizabeth Islands.

Freetown-Fall River State Forest

Slab Bridge Road Assonet, MA Phone: 508 644-5522

Freetown State Forest is a vast tract of public land. Near the main entrance is a day use area, with wading pool, picnic area, fields and restrooms. The remainder of the forest offers 50 miles of unpaved roads and trails. Horseback riders, dog sledders, mountain bikers, and seasonal motorcycle and snowmobile users are welcome, as are hunters and anglers in season. Rattlesnake Brook, which meanders throughout much of the property, is stocked with brook trout each spring. Profile Rock is a 50-foot outcropping. The 5,441-acre forest also includes the Watuppa Reservation, which belongs to the Wampanoag Nation, and is the site of annual tribal meetings.
Recreational opportunities: fishing, hiking, historic site, horseback riding trails, hunting (restrictions), mountain biking, off-road vehicles, picnicking, scenic viewing area, skiing (cross-country), walking trails.

Holmes Reservation

Court Street and Robbins Road Plymouth, MA Phone: 781-821-2977

Holmes Reservation is an open, grassy field located in the heart of Plymouth - a treasured piece of open space in an otherwise developed city center. Visitors can take in distant views of Plymouth Harbor, Duxbury Beach, Clark's Island, and Gurnet Point. Before the Revolutionary War, a section of the field was part of a famous "Muster Ground" where Plymouth farmers in the militia would gather to practice shooting their muskets and marching in formation.

Horseneck Beach State Reservation

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.

Lloyd Center for Environmental Studies

430 Potomska Road South Dartmouth, MA Phone: 508-990-0505

Visitors can enjoy walking trails and exhibits at this nature preserve, set on 55 acres.

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.

Miles Standish State Forest

Long Pond Road Carver, MA Phone: 508-866-2580

Forest features 14,651 acres of camping, hiking and biking trails, cross-country skiing, canoeing, swimmiing, and fishing areas.

Norris Reservation

Dover Street Norwell, MA Phone: 781-821-2977

A walk through Norris Reservation’s two-mile trail system takes in a cathedral of pines, groves of beech, and scattered American holly. A granite outcrop, set too deep for early farmers to remove, emerges from the forest floor. Stone walls mark former property boundaries, pastures, and croplands, and a rustic boathouse serves as an observation deck over the North River. Visitors can also enjoy bird watching, cross-country skiing, and fishing on the shores of the North River.

Slocum’s River Reserve

Horseneck Road Dartmouth, MA Phone: 781-821-2977

Formerly known as Island View Farm, Slocum's River Reserve includes mature woodlands, agricultural fields, and pastures that slope down to the western bank of the Slocum's River. Two miles of easy trails cross the Reservation and protect more than 3,000 feet of frontage along the river. Adjoining private farmland and pastures produce corn, alfalfa, and horticultural nursery stock and are used to graze livestock.

South Shore Natural Science Center

Jacobs Lane Norwell, MA Phone: 617-659-2559

Nature trails are the focal point of this site, which includes a trail for the visually impaired. Exhibits and programs are scheduled here daily.

Two Mile Farm

Union Street Marshfield, MA Phone: 781-821-2977

Deriving its name from rights granted in the late 1700’s to the Town of Scituate to harvest salt hay "two miles along the river and half a mile inland on each side," Two Mile Farm preserves one of the region's most scenic and dramatic river views. Trails pass through a white pine woodland, tracking the toppled remains of old stone walls and former farm cart paths. Each trail slopes down to the marsh's edge to a view of the grassy banks of the North River, a designated National Natural Landmark, and the Stetson Meadows beyond.

Wompatuck State Park

Off Route 128 Hingham, MA Phone: 617-749-7160

This state park cross-country, hiking and bike trails. Fishing areas and swimming are also available. There is a public campground with picnic and rest facilities.

Wompatuck State Park

Off Route 128 Hingham, MA Phone: 617-749-7160

This state park cross-country, hiking and bike trails. Fishing areas and swimming are also available. There is a public campground with picnic and rest facilities.

Berkshires/Pioneer Valley/Mohawk Trail	Cape Cod	Central Massachusetts/Sturbridge
Greater Boston and Cambridge	Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket	North of Boston/Merrimack Valley
South of Boston/Plymouth

MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts has lots of city and country trails for walking and hiking

Many trails to choose from

530 acres for you to explore.

For Families, Romance, Weddings, and Groups

Hiking, Birding, Picnicking

Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center

Norwottuck Rail Trail

October Mountain State Forest

Spend some time in this century old forest

Pittsfield State Forest

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

A seventeen-acre upland field of native meadow wildflowers attracts a variety of dragonflies and butterflies

Robinson State Park

Sandisfield State Forest (York Lake)

Savoy Mountain State Forest

Skinner State Park

Taconic Crest Trail

Tolland State Forest

Wahconah State Park

Wendell State Park

Windsor State Forest

Ashumet Holly Wildlife Sanctuary

Hours: May-August, daily, dawn to dusk. Fee charged.

Open: Daily, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (longer during the summer)

Captain Bangs Hallet House

Open: June 1 through October 15, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, with tours at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.

Green Briar Nature Center

Open: January-March, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; April-December, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

Open: Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset

Open: Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset

Open: Memorial Day to Labor Day

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary

Dunn Pond State Park