Quantcast
 
 

South of Boston/Plymouth has woods and beach places to walk

Massachusetts > South of Boston > Outdoor Activities > Walking and Hiking
Walking and Hiking
Discover Quincy

City of Quincy Welcome Center - 1259 Hancock Street Quincy, MA, 02169 Phone: 617-471-1700

Walkable Quincy offers trails that improve your health, educate you and provide phenomenal views

The number and variety of historic sites in Quincy are rivaled by the number and variety of hiking and walking trails, pathways and urban strolls. With 52 park locations and 11 beach areas, there are plenty of places to stretch your legs. For true hikes, head to the Blue Hills Reservation, where you’ll find 125 miles of trails through forests, pine woodlands, past bogs and ponds. Hike up to the Blue Hills Weather Observatory for a fabulous Boston skyline view. For something less intense, there’s the 3/4-mile John Adams Health Walk, retracing the routes taken by the second president, who lived to 90. And there’s the Presidents Trail, an urban walking trail through parks and fields, past historic homes, local shops and restaurants.
Learn More
Sawmill park in Acushnet MA
The Sawmill

32 Mill Road Acushnet, MA Phone: 508-999-6363

The Sawmill is a public park on the north end of New Bedford aside the Acushnet River where a lumberyard once stood, . Visitors are welcome to walk the easy trails (some are wheelchair accessible), go fishing, paddle , or look for birds and wildlife. The Hawes Family Learning Center has exhibits about the natural history of the river. Expect to see dragonflies, ospreys, and ducks. Nature creates a fishway in the spring: a series of pools and boulders that fish navigate as they migrate upstream. There is a ramp for small boats. In winter, people may snowshoe here. Property map. Map.
Hours: Open dawn to dusk with a parking lot and on-street parking. Free admission. Dogs allowed on leash.
Hiking Trails - Wompatuck State Park - Boston, MA - Photo Credit Mass. State Parks
Wompatuck State Park

204 Union Street Hingham, MA, 02043 Phone: 617-895-8245

Good for camping, fishing, hiking, and walking

Wooded bridle paths and hiking trails. - Trail Map (PDF) - Recommended Spring '22 Hikes (PDF)
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.
See You in Plymouth this Thanksgiving! Visit our Destination Plymouth page!
Caratunk Wildlife Refuge - Audubon Society of Rhode Island

301 Brown Avenue Seekonk, MA, 02771 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.
Trails & Picnic Area - Myles Standish State Forest - Carver, MA - Photo Credit George Butler
Myles Standish State Forest

194 Cranberry Road Carver, MA, 02330 Phone: 508-866-2526

Explore the natural treasures at Myles Standish State Forest, including cranberry bogs and the ecologically fragile kettle ponds, and pitch pine and scrub oak forest areas. Discover 13 miles of walking paths, or sign up for a summer interpretive program for a guided walk through the site. - Trail Map (PDF)
Hiking Trail - Freetown-Fall River State Forest - Assonet, MA
Freetown-Fall River State Forest

110 Slab Bridge Road Assonet, MA, 02702 Phone: 508-644-5522

50 miles of unpaved hiking trails lead travelers through the forests of southeastern Massachusetts. Be sure to look for Profile Rock, a natural spectacle which is said to resemble Chief Massasoit. Part of this forest belongs to the Wampanoag Nation. - Trail Map (PDF)
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.
Shoreline Trail - Ellisville Harbor State Park - Plymouth, MA - Photo Credit Stephen Kovach
Ellisville Harbor State Park

1861 State Road - MA Route 3A Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-866-2580

The main trail is about one mile long; it will lead you to a rocky beach with sea creatures and harbor seals.
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.
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.