March 15, 2020 Sunny

In the spring and summer, the Chasm is usually much colder than the surrounding areas, and in March there could still be snow and ice. But we came on a warm day.

We’ve been here several times before. There is a visitor’s center, but it was closed that day. On the right of the visitor’s center, there is a playing field, a play structure, and picnic benches. On the left across the road, is the chasm entrance and other hiking paths such as Charley’s Loop Trail.

We hiked down to the Chasm. Officially it’s called the Chasm Loop Trail. It is 1/4-mile long and about 70-foot deep narrow stretch of boulders and caves. There’s a lot of scrambling over and under rocks. The marked trail through the chasm is the easiest way, but the kids always wanted to do something more daring.

Along the Chasm Loop Trail, there are descriptive names for some of the rock features, such as Lover’s Leap and Devil’s Pulpit.

After all the scrambling, we followed a sign to the “Little Purgatory”. This is a trail along the Purgatory Brook, and there are boulders and rocks on the banks that’s also fun to scramble. The kids enjoyed the exciting game of crossing the brook on logs. Other kids were doing this too, and we saw some kid fell into the brook and got completely soaked.

After the Little Purgatory, we went back along the other side of the Chasm Loop Trail, and came upon Fat Man’s Misery. This is where a large boulder had split and there’s a path in the middle. On one side there’s a steep cliff when the path emerges, and some people had fallen in the past, so we only let the kids go one way.

But they really liked this because it’s so exciting, and they went a couple of times.

There’s a similar but smaller one called Devil’s Corncrib, which is not as dangerous but also fun.

Overall, this was a bit hit with the boys.

• The chasm is really amazing and a gem of a park.
• This is always a favorite of us. Scrambling over rocks and squeezing in caves.
• Everybody gangsta till some boy starts “swimming” in the river with all his clothes on (that’s what Ryan thought).
• The chasm was cool to climb in and out of.
• There was so much rocks and I like climbing on rocks. There was river and there was logs that went from one side to the other and we got to climb on it.

For more information: Purgatory Chasm State Reservation official site

March 15, 2020 Sunny

This state park is in Brimfield (home of the famous antique fair), and has 20 miles of trails for hiking and horseback riding, as well as several ponds.

The trail starts next to a small pond that has a stone dam, which was built after the Great Depression as part of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) projects.

We decided to take a short (about 2 mile) trail out and back, leading up the hill you see in the background.

We immediately noticed the masses of downed trees and dead trees sticking up, as well as the presence of many younger trees about the same age. It was unlike other healthier forests we had seen.

It turns out that a 1/2 mile wide tornado came through this area in June 2011, causing a huge amount of property damage and killing 3 people. That was the reason for all of the destruction and uprooted trees littering the forest.

In any case, although there is no clear peak view, you can survey the other surrounding mountains from several points on the trail.

There’s also a neat lean-to at the top, with a giant boulder that you can scramble on to look around.

This walk, although not beautiful, was memorable for the reminder of the devastation that a tornado can bring. And that the forest will always recover and flourish as time goes by.

• The tornado in 2011 caused a lot of damage, which is kind of depressing even after all these years.
• The landscape was desolate and there’s no view.
• There wasn’t anyone here which wasn’t much of a surprise since it was the most BORING HIKE EVER with NO GOOD VIEWS and HORSE POOP on the trail.
• This is the one that the tornado apparently went through and all the trees are broken.
• There was horse poop at the start and the tornado went through it.

For more information: Brimfield State Forest official site

March 14, 2020 Sunny

This state forest, which is primarily in Upton, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It contains the last CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) camp in Massachusetts.

We decided to do the short hike called the Whistling Cave Trail. After a brief walk on a logging road past the main trail gate, we turned right and started to climb gently.

We stopped near a small pond when we heard what we thought was a huge flock of birds squawking nearby. It turned out to be the sounds of thousands of frogs croaking.

The trail soon branched to the left and down a rocky path. It bottomed out in an area that had been dammed by beavers and was kind of flooded, but we managed to cross on some rocks and logs to continue the hike.

We soon came to two very large boulders, which we thought formed the Whistling Cave, so we explored them for a minute or two and then continued. We were kind of disappointed in thinking that this was all we came for, but we were wrong about that.

Continuing along, we walked past a boulder strewn area with more in a small valley below us where a small stream flowed.

And then we came to the star attraction, the “Whistling Cave”, which was actually pretty impressive. It’s a huge boulder that’s piled on 2 others and really does form a cave with a short tunnel to the backside.

The trail soon met up with a wide road heading back to our starting point. From time to time, we came upon the remains of old cellars, some of which are apparently from 17th century settlers in this area.

We soon found a trail that simply said “Mammoth Rock” and thought we should explore a little. We came upon a huge, flat-topped formation in the middle of the forest, and we all went to the top for a look.

Although the view was mainly forested, it provided an interesting perspective across the open forest floor.

At this point, we headed back to rejoin the main trail, but paused to look at a few trees with large holes, clearly created by some kind of animal. From my quick research, it looks like the culprit may be a pileated woodpecker trying to make a nest in the tree or look for insects to eat.

The kids really enjoyed the singing frogs and the variety of terrain here, and the Whistling Cave turned out to be a big hit as well. It’s a very enjoyable walk with a lot to offer.

• Interesting hike with a boulder-strewn area and the “Whistling Cave” formed by giant boulders.
• We heard a lot of frogs but didn’t see any. We did see a garter snake. A pretty interesting walk with the boulders and the cave.
• wwweeeooo wwweeeooo. The tornado siren blared far away. But my parents tried to cover it up. “It’s just frogs.” Malarkey!
• There was a tornado siren but our parents wanted us to keep walking. You can see that at another state park there were broken trees.
• There was weird chirping and I thought it was a bird, but it was a frog. I liked the Whistling Cave.

For more information: Upton State Forest official site

March 8, 2020 Sunny

This state park consists mainly of the Ashland Reservoir, which served from 1895 until it was turned into a park in 1947.

We parked near the main entrance since the gate was closed for the season. It was a short 10 minute walk to the water. There’s a wide beach with a changing room and some picnic tables. The sand seemed coarse but the water was clear. Several dogs played on the shore and went for a quick dip in the water.

Heading south, we started a roughly 3 mile loop trail around the reservoir. The trail follows right along the water, but is slightly sloped and has many roots.

Looks like this beaver was pretty ambitious to choose such a huge tree!

We passed by a small peninsula with good water views and then to an area used for camping by the scouts.

Soon we reached a popular fishing spot on the opposite side of the reservoir and then started our trip toward the large dam.

Along the way we saw signs of a rope course and zipline above us. These are part of the nearby Warren Conference Center, which offers such activities for corporate and social events.

Eventually we reached the dam and the kids enjoyed running up and down the steep grassy slope.

After a while, we returned via a large picnic area to the main beach, and then along the paved road back to our car.

This state park offers some lovely views of the water, an historic dam, and at 3 miles makes a very manageable walk.

• The beach is coarse sand, but the picnic area and walk along the dam were scenic.
• There was a tiny beach and a dam. The rest of the walk was pleasant but unremarkable.
• After 4 hours of constant walking, we reached the end. My comrades collapsed onto the shore, making a soft thud. Then, my mom’s voice: “We’re halfway there, guys. Keep on moving.” Everything went black.
• The dam was cool but it was long.
• I liked the dam.

For more information: Ashland State Park official site.

February 23, 2020 Sunny

This is a small, urban woodland in the southwest part of Boston and Dedham. We parked at a small lot along Dedham Parkway at the south end of the reservation and explored the trails.

The main loop, a Healthy Heart Trail, is paved and mainly flat, and we followed it north, passing by some interesting rocky outcroppings.

We could also see the adjacent George Wright public golf course.

The walkers were greatly outnumbered by joggers on this path, which struck us as a great place for a quick jog. Maybe next time.

We soon reached a high point overlooking Turtle Pond and scrambled down to the trail around the pond.

It was a warm, sunny day and a young man was sunning and reading on the old wooden dock. We looked for turtles here but didn’t find any, and continued around the pond.

Although we hoped to make a circuit around the pond on this path, we found that we had to walk a short distance on the side of the Enneking Parkway (safe to do) and then rejoin the paved path at the southern tip of the pond.

We then made our way back along the paved trail to our car.

The reservation is small, but is very “stony” forest, which makes it pretty interesting. The relative wilderness in this urban area, along with the nicely paved trails, makes it a good walk.

• Paved loop trail through a stony forest to a small pond. Good walk for an urban park.
• There’s an easy trail but it didn’t go around the pond. It’s bordering a golf course and is very popular with the locals.
• At one point we had to walk on the road, with all the trash and brambles, but other than that, it was pretty cool.
• The paved paths were good because the other parks didn’t have them, but the walk was regular.
• I liked the paved paths.

For more information: Stony Brook Reservation official site.

February 19, 2020 Sunny

This state park in the town of Hadley surrounds Mount Holyoke and provides great views of the Connecticut River valley.

We started at the southern end of the mountain near an old cemetery, planning to climb the ridge to the north and return the same way. Immediately we hit some icy patches in the trail and had to step along the side at times.

After the initial ascent there was a strong western wind that blasted us the rest of the hike. The day was in the upper 30s with bright sun, but a cold front was approaching, ushering in the cooler air.

In a short time, you can already start to see the valley through the trees, and the trail hugs the side ledges, so there are many outcroppings that offer clear views.

Once we reached the sunnier and more sheltered areas, the wind died down and it was quite pleasant in the sun. A few patches had barren rock as you see below.

As we continued higher we found more traces of snow on the rocks and path, and came across a small “pond” that was completely frozen with thick ice. The kids loved sliding along this one.

Although I love to have scenic vistas, sometimes the trail was a little too close to the edge, as you see below. You could easily tumble off if you weren’t careful.

Finally we reached the historic “Prospect House”, which first opened as a hotel in 1851, but is now a viewing area within the park.

At the base of the hotel, you get awesome views to the northwest. On the center left in the distance, the small bump is Mt. Greylock (the highest point in Mass) and on the center right, you can see all the way to Mt. Snow in southern Vermont. In the foreground is the Connecticut River.

Although the building (now a visitor center) was closed for the season, we wandered around the outer deck to enjoy the views. Each side had a helpful map to help us spot near and distant landmarks.

Just before we left, we found this sign with the elevation. Mt. Holyoke definitely feels like a bigger mountain than 942 feet!

Since the trails were pretty icy and snowy, we decided to return via the paved road down the mountain and back to our car. The winding road was still icy in a few shady patches, but cleared as we rounded the last corner into the sun.

Below you can see the “Halfway House”. In the mid-1800s, tourists could take a steep, covered tramway up the mountain to the “Prospect House” hotel (climbing 365 feet over a 600 foot run). Unfortunately, the tram fell into disrepair and was demolished in the 1960s.

This park has plenty of draws – Mt. Holyoke and the Prospect House among them. The hike was really scenic and the views from the top are amazing.

• Awesome views west and north across the Connecticut River valley most of the time. Loved reaching the old “Prospect House” hotel with panoramic views.
• Would have been a great hike in the summer. The trails were too slippery in the winter.
• It smelled like manure the entire time up the mountain, and when we got to the top there was some hotel that we couldn’t even go inside.
• The view was nice from the mountain but the trail is okay.
• I liked the view of all places on Earth. And I liked the hotel on top. And I liked the paths like stony steps.

For more information: Skinner State Park official site

February 15, 2020 Sunny

This park has a 1,000 acres with trails mostly for hiking and mountain biking, and contains a few ponds and swampy areas as well.

We came here on a cold winter day with some snow on the ground, and set out for a walk around the pond. The park was quiet, but we did see a lone mountain biker with big, knobby tires, coming up and out of one of the paths.

Much of the trail was snowy and at a few points crossed small streams flowing from the pond, but these all had convenient bridge crossings.

The kids also loved playing on some frozen puddles, stomping the ice to see if they could break through.

The pond glowed in the late afternoon sun and was very serene. This is a view to the east.

A few bridges were not as formal and called for careful footwork.

Many areas seemed to have been dammed by beavers, although this is not one, given the size of the trees.

As we rounded the far end of the pond and headed back down the other side, the sun dropped in the western sky with a gentle glow.

Just before our hike ended, the kids found a giant see-saw to play on.

The woods here seemed pretty and wild under the snow cover, with only the occasional mountain bike (or even snowmobile) track. Spring and summer could be pleasant, but it seems to me muddy and buggy at times. I guess it’s just a matter of being prepared.

• Snowy trails with some ice but enjoyed looping around the big pond.
• Very peaceful in the winter. Trails are well marked.
• There was ice but the walk was pretty cold and boring.
• There was a lot of ice to break and slide on(yay). There was also a natural seesaw.
• There was a lot of ice to slide and break on. There was a seesaw.

For more information: Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest official site

February 2, 2020 Cloudy

Callahan State Park is next to Sudbury Reservoir. Some trails actually lead from one state park to the other. There are two main entrances to Callahan State Park. We picked the North Entrance.

There are many, many trails criss-crossing the park. The signs were good, but it’s still very hard to follow a particular trail. We got confused at different places, even though we had an app to show us the exact route.

We chose a trail that allowed us to explore a little bit of everything Callahan State Park has to offer – meadows, hills, woods, and ponds.

The trail first took us past an open meadow. There were picnic benches and the views were expansive. The trail quickly leads to the woods where people walked their dogs and there were dog poop and baggies everywhere. We had to watch where we stepped.

The trail became hilly at places, and at the edge of the park we saw a horse farm. Just before the farm, the kids spotted a cabin.

This was a fun adventure for the kids. The cabin had old mattresses and sofas inside. It seemed to be a shelter at some point, but abandoned. Now who knows what’s going on in there?

Next we walked past a pond called Beebe Pond. It was quite frozen, and at one point there was another abandoned structure. This looked like a chimney. According to our map, this is called “Chimney in Woods”.

The pond was mostly frozen, but there were cracks, and at places a spring flowed under the ice. It looked very peaceful.

• The walk had good variety for a small park but too much dog poop (as other reviewers noted).
• Too much dog poop to dodge.
• First it was the dogs, then the poop, then the abandoned shack, then the rushing river. What an adventure! Unfortunately, Ryan took my walking stick, so that was a bummer.
• We got to poke the ice with sticks but there was a lot of (dog) poop.
• I liked the loop trail because you don’t have to see the same stuff.

For more information: Callahan State Park official site

February 2, 2020 Cloudy

Sudbury Reservoir is an emergency backup reservoir for the Boston area, as an alternative to the Quabbin and Wachusett reservoirs.

From the small parking area, there is a short trail to the left, about 1000 ft, to the Sudbury Dam. The Dam is closed off and inaccessible. We saw a sign for the “Sudbury Dam Historic District” and there is a small parking area for it. But we only saw one or two abandoned buildings and the closed-off dam, so there’s not much to see.

Turning right, there is a carriage road that hugs one side of the reservoir. The trail was wide and mostly flat. Since dogs are not allowed in the state park area, the trail was clean. We saw people jogging and families with little kids.

There are many large trees planted along trail, and a beautiful stone wall. The carriage road follows the reservoir on one side, and the other side borders a small hill called Pine Hill. There are different trails branching off from the carriage road to access the reservoir or to explore the hill. However, many of these side trails aren’t properly maintained. When we tried to follow one to Pine Hill, we quickly lost the trail and had to turn around.

We went in the winter and didn’t see a lot of wildlife. However, we noticed evidence of beavers and also heard and saw large birds.

This is an easy and pleasant walk to get outdoors.

• Enjoyable walk along a dirt road with trees lining both sides.
• Pleasant enough, but not much to see though.
• An excellent example of why they should change all the state parks that are forests to state forests, so there could be around 5 state parks left and this blog wouldn’t be SO BORING.
• There was just a bunch of hills and leaves and dead bushes. OK.
• It was just a regular flat path. I liked the side trail we tried to hike.

For more information: Sudbury Reservoir official site

January 26, 2020 Showers

The Wachusett Reservoir was completed in the early 1900’s and was at the time the largest public water supply reservoir and largest body of water in Massachusetts. The dam is 115 feet tall, very solidly built, and remains the “largest hand built dam in the world” according to the sign.

In any case, we parked next to the dam and walked along the northern side of the reservoir, which touches the town of Clinton. The walk was flat and roughly 3 miles.

We started our descent on the handsome stone stairways next to the dam.

The view to the north along the South Nashua River and town of Clinton is quite pretty.

At the bottom of the dam is a large stone building as well as several paths that lead around a small pool.

We continued through the forest visible at top left and followed along a short path that led us to the shoreline.

The path soon reaches a wide open grassy area, and you can either follow a gravel path or walk closer to the water’s edge, hugging the shore. With the mild weather, the gravel was wet in places but very manageable even with sneakers.

Although we visited on a cloudy day, the views were really impressive, and the strong westerly wind was very fresh.

After reaching the forest at the end of this clearing, we turned back, trying to outrun a sudden rainstorm that blew in from the west and pelted us with a sleet/rain mix on our backs.

Despite the rain at the end, or maybe because of that, the kids enjoyed this easy walk.

• The best part was dam itself and the views north toward the town of Clinton. Worth an easy walk in good weather.
• The dam was inaccessible, but there was a variety of views on the trail.
• It was a bitterly cold night. Rain fell like bullets against the Prentice family, who were frantically running towards the nearest shelter, a small building by the reservoir splattered with graffiti. There was not a soul in sight; Anyone sensible would have gotten in their vehicles and driven speedily away as soon as they saw the weather conditions. Not a good time.
• It was raining and it was very cold but the dam was cool.
• I like the reservoir. And we jogged. And it rained. And at least I had my hood!

For more information: Wachusett Reservoir official site.

December 22, 2019 Sunny

This is a small state park that consists mainly of wetlands and encompasses a portion of the Alewife Brook as it flows north toward the Mystic River. It’s basically right next to the Alewife T station but we started the small walk from the western lot that’s accessible from Route 2 by the office parks.

Although the park is very urban, you are immediately immersed in the wetlands, and the colors are very pretty even in mid-winter.

The park also has a bunch of cute little wooden signs and some inscribed boulders.

After reaching the Alewife station you can continue along the ‘U’ shaped path heading westward. This section is more interesting, with a jogging path and a boardwalk system that explores the wetland area.

After about a half mile, we reached the end of the boardwalk loop and paused to watch some ducks before retracing our steps.

You can see the extent of the park and the interesting color contrasts in the pictures below. But also just how urban this park is, lined with office parks and condos.

A surprisingly wild corner in a busy section of Cambridge that is worth a quick stroll.

• It’s great for an urban park, with wetlands, boardwalks, and inscribed boulders. Also connects with a bike path.
• This is an urban oasis. Looks like a lot of workers nearby enjoy it tremendously.
• It was pretty fun until Miles started throwing ice at the ducks and they thought it was food. That was when it became EPIC.
• Sliding on the ice on the street was fun, and there were ducks to see in the pond.
• Me like duck. Me like ice also to slide on.

For more information: Alewife Brook Reservation official site