Borderland State Park - North Easton, MA

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 fresh signage.  

The kids' favorite hike at this age (6) is the Swamp Trail - which, while flat in elevation, offers interesting, technical footing over roots and rocks, and boardwalks over the swamps and mud.  From the main parking lot, take the Pond Walk down to the Lodge by Leach Pond, which boasts a roaring fire in winter months.  Bear right to take the Pond Edge Trail over a small bridge with a brook underneath, and continue along the pond.  There is a sign marking the entrance of the Swamp Trail.  At one point, the trail appears to fork; bear right to continue on the trail.  Ultimately, the Swamp Trail ends back at the Pond Walk trail, which leads to the Mansion.  Once you reach the Mansion, turn right to head back to the Visitors Center and parking lot.  In total, this hike is about a mile.

For a longer, yet still flat and gentle hike, stay on the Pond Walk trail all the way around Leach Pond, or take the Tisdale Road extension around Upper Leach Pond.  The Pond Walk trail is smooth and flat, and accommodates jogging strollers.  There is also a short spur off the Pond Walk to view Puds Pond, where you may see fish jumping.  The park rangers like to say that the Pond Walk trail between the Upper and lower Leach ponds is "woman-made," as former resident Blanche Ames created it.  You can read an interesting biography of Mrs. Ames, an impressive artist and suffragette, here.  In non-COVID times, check out a mansion tour for an inside look at the historic mansion and to learn more about the Ames family who built it.

Today, we spent some time in the open field leading up to the Mansion, where we crunched the ice covering the paths.  The kids thought it looked and sounded like broken glass.  We hope to visit Borderland again this winter and look forward to more hikes there in the years ahead.

























Comments

  1. BorderlandBlancheMarch 16, 2021 at 2:07 PM

    You see that huge bell on the roof of the mansion? Blanche Ames Ames designed that house and every day she'd go ring that bell until women got the right to vote!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Whittles Walking in the Tall TreesMarch 16, 2021 at 2:21 PM

      Amazing! What an interesting fact. Thanks very much for sharing this.

      Delete

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