Walking in the Tall Trees

Today we hiked at F. Gilbert Hills State Forest in Foxboro, MA.  The property is owned and managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).  There is no cost to park or visit, and there are several parking lots, with overflow available to accommodate plenty of visitors. This was our first visit to the Forest, and we chose the Healthy Heart loop, based on DCR's suggested hikes .  The trail was very well marked with Healthy Heart signs and blue blaze paint, so it was easy to follow.  We had just had a snowstorm here a few days ago, so the trails were snowy, yet packed down enough to be passable with boots.  Other visitors used snow shoes and cross country skis.  The trail itself was moderately challenging in the snowy conditions, with a number of hills.  The Forest advertises the loop as 1.6 miles long, but it was a little short of 1.5 miles based on Scott's GPS watch.  There are a number of other trails, indicated on t...

This is a guest post from Kristen's husband, Scott: With today being a holiday and Kristen needing to work, I took the opportunity to take the girls to the Governor Oliver Ames Estate in Easton, MA.  The Ames Estate is another Trustees property, and it was our second Trustees property visit during this long weekend.  There is no cost to visit, but Trustees memberships are encouraged. The Ames Estate is similar to Bird Park with some paved trails and some natural unpaved trails.  When we have gone there for walks in the past, we usually do a loop starting at the main entrance toward the the Shovelshop Pond, with the Pine Grove extension, and then a wooded trail through the hemlock knoll toward the fish pond, which ends behind the main house.  That route, shown on the property map , is about a mile. Our main focus today was sledding; the Ames Estate has an excellent sledding hill just behind the main building.  The hill can get very crowded, but if you arrive ear...

We spent a lovely afternoon at Francis William Bird Park in Walpole, MA today.  Bird Park is owned and operated by The Trustees of Reservations , a non-profit whose mission is to protect places of ecological, scenic, and historic importance in Massachusetts, and is supported by the Friends of Bird Park .  There is no cost to visit. The park was originally created nearly 100 years ago as a respite for industrial workers, and it offers a nice mix of wooded trails and paved/smooth paths through open fields.  There is also a small, scenic pond fed by a babbling brook.  A property map is available here .  The main parking lot is on Polley Lane, but we prefer the smaller lot on Pleasant Street because of its proximity to the playground - a perfect size for young visitors.   Today, we started off with a round of Winter Nature Bingo by taking a walk in the wooded area, then looping north toward the pond, and then ending in the open fields by the Music Court....

Today we visited one of my favorite local spots, Borderland State Park in North Easton, MA.  We didn't make it very far, due to unexpectedly icy trail conditions, so I'm writing this description and including some photos from past visits as well.  Over the past (almost) ten years since we moved to the area, my husband and I have been to Borderland many times to run, walk, and hike.  We took our kids on their first hike there - in baby carriers when they were a few months old - and are glad that they're now able to join us for longer excursions.  It's well-maintained and beautiful in any season. Borderland is operated by the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), and is also supported by the Friends of Borderland .  Parking costs $5 per day for MA residents, or you can buy an annual pass , which is good at most Massachusetts state parks and beaches, for $60.  A detailed, accurate trail map is available here , and the trails are well marked with...