Great Falls Discovery Center

November 29, 2019 Cloudy

Great Falls Discovery Center is located in Turners Falls at the intersection of I-91 and Rt. 2, along the Connecticut River. There is a visitor’s center and a trail along the canal called Canalside Rail Trail. We stopped by on a cold fall day.

The visitor’s center is situated at the entrance of the town, immediately after crossing over the Connecticut River and Turners Falls.

Inside the visitor’s center there was an excellent exhibit about the wildlife and the ecosystem of the Connecticut River Valley. There are different dioramas and animal specimens to show the various habitats. It was very well done and very educational. There was also a great view of the fall and the canal.

After the visitor’s center, we bundled up and took the Canalside Trail. We stopped to look at Turner’s Falls and the dam. The water was very swift and high.

We walked for about 2 miles one way on this trail. Near the visitor’s center, the banks of the canal was lined with abandoned industrial buildings and paper mills, and there were many old decrepit bridges across the water. The views were not very impressive.

About 1 mile from the visitor’s center, the canal widened, and mills and other buildings were no longer seen. The metal railings became wood railings, then all railings disappeared. We saw many wild geese and birds, and the scenery became much more rural.

The walk was a long on a brisk fall day. Bike riding would definitely be more pleasant. If time permits, perhaps exploring or walking across some of the bridges might be fun.

We really enjoyed the visitor center. The canal walk had views of churning water flowing past old paper mills.
The visitor center was nicely done. Along the canal walk were full of abandoned mills and abandoned bridges.
It was bitterly cold and a really long walk. I hope nobody rates this 5 stars.
There were so many abandoned bridges along the canal! It was fun.
There was a big, fast, long river! There were a lot of bridges that you couldn’t go across.

For more information: Great Falls Discovery Center official site.

Southwest Corridor Park

November 23, 2019 Sunny/Cold

Southwest Corridor Park is linear urban park in Boston that goes from the South End and Back Bay, stretching toward Forest Hills in nearby Jamaica Plain. It’s about 5 miles each way and is situated on land that was originally cleared in the 1960’s to make way for section of I-95 going into Boston. After protests, the work was halted, and this strip of land eventually became a state park in the 1980’s.

The picture below shows how it looked before the land became a park.

We walked about 2.5 miles each way, starting at the Mass Ave station of the Orange Line, heading west toward Northeastern and then west to the Stony Brook station.

Near the Mass Ave station and along the way are tablets with inscribed poetry.

The path is well marked throughout and sometimes diverges for pedestrians and cyclists.

Along the way are numerous parks, playgrounds, tennis courts, and more.

The kids loved the first playground by Northeastern University. Maybe it was the golden arches?

The Northeastern University section is especially well-kept and has all sorts of interesting architecture.

Although the day we visited was cold and clear, the park is largely open and sunny, with great views east towards downtown Boston.

One of the more striking buildings along the way is the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, shown below.

Some of the playgrounds like the one by Jackson Square were really unusual and fun for the kids. This one had a huge climbing structure (the kind you usually find indoors and have to pay for).

It even had dual ziplines, which the kids enjoyed. This was a really cool park and the highlight of the trip.

Continuing west we finally came to the Stony Brook station and looked for a cafe to enjoy some hot drinks to warm up. We found one that’s next to the original Sam Adams Boston Brewery.

After a good rest, we headed back toward Boston, retracing our route, as the sun dipped in the sky. We want to walk the remainder of the trail toward Forest Hills in the spring.

This park makes a good walk on a sunny day, with great views of the Boston skyline and playgrounds for the kids. If your feet get tired, you can always take the T.
Great urban park to walk or bike. We will sure to come back.
It’s this path that runs by the train tracks of Boston, straight into the hood and gangsta territory. Thank you Boston, very cool!
There were so many playgrounds and one had a zip line!
There’s 500 billion parks and playgrounds!

For more information: Southwest Corridor Park official site.

Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park

October 20, 2019 Sunny

This state park is along the midpoint of a canal that was used to transport goods in the 1800s from the Worcester area south to ports in Providence, Rhode Island. It’s also within the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, a park dedicated to the early years of the American Industrial Revolution.

We visited the River Bend Farm with the park, to learn about the history of the canal, and to walk the canal towpath.

The farm is by a wider and peaceful section of the canal.

Once you cross the bridge you can join the path, which is mainly for pedestrians.

There is a 1.5 mile section you can follow along the canal south from the farm, but we walked a shorter path north to the dam.

After this we drove a few minutes to check out the Blackstone River Greenway. This is a really well-maintained, flat path that follows an old railroad bed.

The riding is easy and passes through forested areas, open sections, across old bridges spanning rivers, and past small towns.

There are very few road crossings, which makes it great for younger cyclists. We took the path south a few miles into Blackstone Village, where we stopped for lunch. This small town is just on the border with Rhode Island.

Unfortunately, Ryan had a bicycle accident on the return trip, in which he knocked out a front adult tooth, so this emergency cast a shadow on our visit. 😦

However, we can say that the State Park is well worth a visit, especially during fall foliage season. And if you’re in the mood for cycling, the Blackstone River Greenway comes highly recommended. Just be sure to wear a helmet and stay on the path.

The canal and towpath make for a picturesque walk. The bikeway was well-maintained, flat, with interesting scenery.
The visitor’s center was educational. The pond and path was beautiful in the fall. The bike path was awesome.
The visitor center smelled like… musty stuff! But the path was pretty cool, so it wasn’t bad.
Walking on the path was nice but the visitor center was smelly
I liked the canal but the water was cold.

For more information: Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park official site.

Nashua River Rail Trail

October 14, 2019 Sunny

The Nashua River Rail Trail is a 12.5 paved trail that runs from Ayer into Nashua, ending about 1 mile across the New Hampshire border. We decided to start out on the southern terminus of the trail at Ayer, where you can park in the commuter rail parking lot on weekends. Several restaurants in the small downtown make this a potential lunch spot on your return.

This rail trail is wide and mainly flat and, for a beautiful fall day, it was surprisingly quiet. The relative light crowds make this easier for children to enjoy.

The trail passes by a wide variety of scenery including forested areas, fields, wetlands, and more.

Several areas offer scenic rest, and others even offer a bicycle repair pit-stop. We stopped for a break in the middle of a wetland area on our way north.

On our trip we explored only the first part from Ayer to Groton (about 4-5 miles of easy riding), turning back near the Route 119 junction. We would love to come back and ride the northern section of the path.

The Nashua River Rail Trail has beautiful scenery, light crowds, and has very few road crossings. It was a joy to ride here on a sunny day.

Great and varied scenery and relative lack of crowds makes this trail a gem.
Biking along the river was beautiful.
Biking was fun but everyone else was way too slow ‘~’
Biking is fun and it was smooth
The biking was fun but I fell like 5 times.

For more information: Nashua River Rail Trail official site.

Neponset River Reservation

June 29, 2019 Thunderstorm

This walk along the river is connected to the John Paul II Park and can be reached by continuing from that park under I-93 on a flat, even bike path.

There are numerous murals along the way, such as the one here.

Some are also poetic, and all are in good shape, without a hint of graffiti vandalism.

The walk takes you by fields with a splash park, and follows along the Neponset River, which is crossed by an interesting old drawbridge.

Past this bridge you have great views of the river on your left and an old cemetery on the right.

It’s a nice, easy path for younger walkers or riders, without many other pedestrians or cyclists.

Eventually you reach the site of an old industrial mill and the former Baker chocolate factory, where you can watch the fast moving water move over rocks and past willow trees, or stop for a rest.

If you’re interested in history, be sure to turn left (south) on Adams street, walk a block, and see the Milton Landing historical marker, which commemorates a document that inspired the Declaration of Independence.

Once you’re finished, you can return the same way, or you can take the old trolley for free from the Milton stop up to Cedar Grove, or another station near your parking spot. Just be sure to get off by Ashmont.

This pleasant walk has plenty of variety for everyone, and is a great way to see nature as well as explore some urban areas.

Lots of interesting murals, flat path, and some bathrooms (port a potties) along the way. Ends around a scenic bridge and rapids. Good path for walking or biking.
I would definitely come back biking the trail. The scenery was varied and interesting. There’s a free trolley that goes along the trail from Mattapan to Cedar Grove.
There are beautiful murals along the trail. There is also a trolley (no cost!) that runs next to the path.
I liked the trail because it was paved and the trolley was fun.
The river was beautiful. It was fun riding the trolley back to our starting point.

For more information: Neponset River Reservation official site

Lowell Heritage State Park

June 22, 2019 Showers/Sunny

The cousins came to visit, and we wanted to take them to see the mills at Lowell National Historic Park. The Merrimack River powered these first industrial textile mills in America. The Lowell Heritage State Park celebrates this part of history.

The walk along the Merrimack River leading to the Pawtucket Falls and Dam is called the Vandenberg Esplande.

The walk was lovely in the beautiful summer day. There was a stage called Sampas Pavilion where summer concerts are staged. We saw a lot of kids playing on the stage.

Many family were picnicking on the grassy field, enjoying music and food. There was also a very small beach.

As we kept walking, the path got narrower and closer to the road, which was not too pleasant. We eventually reached the Pawtucket Fall and Dam. The scenery was quite dramatic. It looked like the dam was built to run the mills during the Industrial Revolution. It was really an interesting sight and something different to see.

Right across the street there is a restaurant called “Heritage Park Ice-Cream”, which also serves food. It is not hard to imagine relaxing and spending all day in this park.

Most of the walk was through picnickers or along the road, but the highlight (just to the north) was the bridge with a rocky patch and some cascades.
A nice little walk leading to an interesting dam.
If you are looking for a peaceful stroll by the lake, reconsider your choice. This park has literally nothing but a small dam and a bridge.
The waterfall was good and the sand.
It was a nice little park where you could hang out.
I like the waterfall.

For more information: Lowell Heritage State Park official site

Charles River Reservation

June 9, 2019 Sunny

This is one of our favorite walks. The paved path runs along the Charles River on the Boston side from Watertown to the Hatch Shell/Esplanade where Boston Pops perform the 4th July concert every year, and then all the way to the Boston Harbor at the Science Museum. There are many activities along the way and many playgrounds. For example, there are two locations of Community Boating that give sailing and rowing lessons. There is also a canoe rental kiosk, and bike rental places. We also love the cherry blossoms near the Hatch Shell.

We typically park at the Artesani Playground lot in Allston. There is a splash pool as well as a few newly renovated playgrounds.

On this trip we walked down to Weeks Footbridge, about a 2-mile walk. The Boston Dragon Boat Festival was happening around the Weeks Footbridge. There were food trucks on the Cambridge side, and the rowing teams were assembled on the Boston side.

We saw a number of duck and goose families. The kids enjoyed picking up feathers as they walked. The views are always great and interesting. Many opportunities for photos of the Boston skyline, Harvard University, and sailboats on the harbor.

Kids with feathers with Harvard University on the background

Try to stay along the gravel path by the river for a more peaceful walk, although the cars along Soldiers Field are a constant presence.

This is really enjoyable in good weather, for people watching and the numerous boats that ply the river. Each section is different and brings something new.
This is one of my favorite walks.
I liked nothing. Hot, smelly, and long, the walk was torturous. However, I did get some pleasure out of kicking up dust storms to annoy people, so the day wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Just the act of walking the entire thing.
I liked collecting geese feathers and it was pretty good.
I liked seeing the Canada goose with their little babies, and I liked collecting their feathers.

For more information: Charles River Reservation official site