Over a thousand acres in Foxboro and Wrentham, 23 miles of trails, nice and hilly, great place for…read moretaking a long hike, dog walking and mountain biking. Good Mountain Biking/multi-use trails, many challenging areas, some areas are muddy year-round. Few picnic tables. Nice fall colors here as well. Convenient to I95, I495, Rt. 1, close to Gillette Stadium.

I visit Gilbert and Borderland State Forests frequently as I live in Norton. Both have pros and…read morecons, but I overall Foxboro is better imo. The wide variety of trails and the mileage of trails is why visit here more. Dog friendly and very relaxed leash policy. Trails are pretty well maintained. Very rocky and hilly. Lots of watering holes, but most are dried up toward the middle of season. Trails are marked via painted trail markers on trees or rocks. Maps are scarce so make sure to snap a pic of one before venturing. The yellow trail from start to finish is ~9 miles alone and most trails interlink with each other. Very easy to get lost if you don't know the park. Parking is free. I usually park on Mill st where the State Forest Fire department is located, but there's probably 10+ parking areas surrounding the park including one off route 1 near Gillette. Con: terrain is tough, especially if you want to run. Also easy to get lost. I can't stress this enough. Take a pic of the map before going in the park. 4/5 stars

I first found out about this path when my boss took me here after work one day. He likes to go on…read morewalks to delay returning home when his psychotic girlfriend (according to him) or her psychotic 10yr old daughter (also, according to him) are too much to handle. Sometimes his goal is to wait for them to fall asleep, then go home. I duck out before it gets to that point. The Upper Charles River Trail will eventually be 24 miles long and through Milford, Ashland, Sherborn, Holliston, and Hopkinton. It's on an old CSX right of way. I believe the Milford section is the only section complete so far, roughly ~5 miles. I don't jog that long anyway, especially with the sunset getting earlier. I usually park at Fino Field and go the trail until it intersects Route 85 by the Sports Authority, then turn back. Round trip is ~4.5 miles GPSed. The trail is paved and has mile markers in 1/4 mile increments. Traffic is pretty light when I'm there; dusk, weekdays. I see more walkers and less bikers. There are unimproved trails through the woods that you can stumble into and I'm still exploring where they all go. Also, I believe what they call "Vietnam" has an entrance on the north end of the trail across US495. NEMBA actually owns it. (http://www.nemba.org/Articles/VietnamFAQs.html) I'd like to try Vietnam out, but reading reviews saying that there are "6 foot drops out of nowhere" kind of scares me.

Update: I frequent this trail weekly and try to go a few times a week and go in the mornings when I…read moredo. Since August there's been this young couple I want to say in their early twenties with a dog and they have extremely loud music that plays vulgar songs. I don't mean to be a stick in the mud but there are young children and elderly on this trail and they don't need to hear songs about "suck a f****** d***" and other terrible expletives that shouldn't be played at an OBNOXIOUS LEVEL. Not only this but I guess it's you can smoke on this trail even though people are there to exercise so it's pretty rude!! BUT THEY'RE SMOKING WEED! Again I understand weed is recreational now so it's fine and I don't care if people smoke but they were smoking a huge blunt as a mother and a kid and her infant in a stroller passed them and I felt awful as she gave me an odd look and I was behind them. Why do that? There are plenty of areas to go off and hide and smoke do you really have to do it and pass it to each other in front of everyone's children when they're trying to get exercise? It's so rude! Also pick up your dogs shit! I think there should be more police on foot on this trail since were right by the police station or something because I am avoiding this trail until next year they are ALWAYS there. I sat by the lake for almost 2 hours in hopes they would be gone but nope. There they were passing the trail again. Do they live in the woods?? What the hell. The guy always has a backpack and they wear sunglasses. A cute little trail that's pretty clean. Usually pleasant people on this trail for the most part consisting of moms with their kids and the like.

My wife and I found this gem while exploring around the area in the very mild winter that we had in…read more2015. We've been back to this area a few times but still only in the off-season. We can park close enough to the boat launch and then explore the woods and the area, or just sit by the lake and watch the fishermen. (I haven't gone fishing in years but I wish I had had such a great place to fish then.) I imagine that during the summer it can get a bit crowded but it won't lose the charm of the wooded acreage and trails. The place is well-maintained and definitely worth a return trip.

If I could leave no stars I would, DO NOT GO TO THIS LAKE!!!…read more First time going with my family, we drove in fine, $8 parking fee, and it was empty when we arrived. Our family brought a mix of wood chips and charcoal from Walmart and the park ranger ran up to us and splashed a full bucket of water all over the grill. Yelled at us that using wood is not allowed, no one at the entrance or beforehand had disclosed that to us. It was truly embarrassing and the park ranger was so rude, didn't even bother to explain to us or offer us a different alternative to cook our food with. We were so embarrassed and my baby nephews were really looking forward to the hot dogs that were now soaked with mud. They don't allow floaties, toys, or anything near the water.

Nice trail system along the Blackstone River Water Trail. Limited walking trails but scenic and…read morepeaceful. Located in south Uxbridge. Great place to launch a kayak and explore untouched areas of Massachusetts. River leads to Rhode Island and into the Atlantic Ocean..

It is a very beautiful, well-maintained park I only walked a mile so far, on a pleasant summer…read moreday, but will go back.

Noanet Woodlands is another favorite woodsy area to add to my list (another recent favorite is…read moreanother Trustees property in Andover, the Ward Reservation). The two are somewhat similar with different color coded trails and a trail to reach a summit for the skyline of Boston (I didn't check that out here at Noanet Woodlands for this trip). I enjoyed coming here on the weekend: it was moderately trafficked (which I like so it's not *too* isolated), and easy/moderate trails (I prefer long, ambling hikes). The only thing is that the orange trail I took was a bit confusing/not super clear. The overall system does a good job, but I would be sure to download a map/have AllTrails active to ensure you don't end up in the wrong spot. I fortunately ran into some folks who helped me get back on track, but a heads up that it could get confusing as it did for me. Otherwise, a wonderful shady (important to know on hotter days) set of trails that I would recommend!

Of all the state parks in the area, Ashland has always been my favorite. It's not human-made and…read morehas great nooks and crannies that are fun to explore from a kayak or canoe on the water or along the perimeter on trails. We've been coming here since we moved to the area 25 years ago and because the entire reservoir is within the park property, it looks much the same as it did a quarter century ago. This morning I met a friend and we took our dogs for a walk. We were shocked that on a summer morning, we only passed two people along the trail- one with a dog (on leash as required) and one friendly solo human. The trails are very rooted and while I've done mountain biking here in the past, it's definitely easier to maneuver this one on foot. The trails are *sort of* marked with yellow spray paint on trees. As other people have mentioned, despite many times walking here I still always question if I'm going the right way. Even in the trail area, it's easy to wander off a bit. But also as someone mentioned, the beauty of this trail is that as long as you keep the reservoir on the same side and within view, you'll be fine! I like to park at the Boat Launch side of the park because you can access the trail right there without walking through a giant parking lot- so it feels more natural. I also like to head to the right (facing the water at the boat launch), therefore keeping the reservoir on my left the whole time. The public beach area (no lifeguards) is about halfway from the boat launch which is a great water/snack/bathroom break. The ranger station was open and the bathrooms were, as well. This section of the park has tons of shaded picnic areas and plenty of sandy and grassy space to spread out. This area used to get very busy on weekends with large gatherings - I'm not sure if that's still the case. But today there was one family group having a quiet picnic but the beach was empty. The trail around the reservoir is almost completely shaded except for the elevated causeway across the dam which is about .3miles of exposed trail- also of note are the annoying bugs that zip around this tall grass but seem to not bother humans. Ashland State Park is a great place to visit! Definitely recommend checking out this gem!

The lake is like a mirror. It blends into the blue sky and reflects the surrounding beauty. Walking…read morein the sun by the lake makes people feel relaxed and happy.

If you're looking for a peaceful outdoor escape in Central Mass, Blackstone River & Canal State…read morePark is a hidden gem. Spring is the perfect time to visit. The trees are just starting to bud, the landscape has that first hint of green, and--best of all--the bugs haven't shown up yet. Add in a warming sun, and it's ideal for a long, relaxed walk. The canal and scenic trails along the Blackstone River are great for walking, running, or biking. If you take your time, you'll spot plenty of bluegills in the water, and occasionally bass or carp. You'll also see fishermen scattered along the canal and river, adding to the laid-back, local feel. What really stands out is how quiet it is compared to other state parks. Unless there is an event, there are no large crowds, and little noise--just open space and nature. Perfect for a casual stroll, a bike ride, fishing, frisbee, a picnic, or just clearing your head.

A slightly secluded walkway. Paved and straight, it's good for a quick little run/walk. There…read morewere about a dozen people walking in the area I was in when I was there even with it being late afternoon, so I would imagine its even busier during peak times.

Lake Massapoag is, in a word, lovely. A freshwater lake that is beautiful all the way around and…read morehas north and south side public beaches/boat launches/fishing areas. Peppered between are beautiful, peaceful houses. Come on a Saturday afternoon and you'll see a team of sailboats out. Mornings, afternoons, and evenings are nothing short of delightful at Lake Massapoag. We caught 8 fish in one morning of fishing on the north side (bass and sunfish) and only one during an evening of fishing on the south side. Whatever the case, it's a beautiful place to spend some time.

Lake Massapoag is a wonderful natural feature in Sharon Massachusetts. A 353 acre body of water…read morewith boating, swimming and fishing. The size-able parking area and bandstand serve as a great location for Independence Day festivities for the community with an old time carnival atmosphere which continues for hours leading up to the fireworks. In past times there was a railroad not far that brought Boston's movers and shakers to the lake for summer recreation. Some of the buildings from that time remain, at least partially, such as the present day senior center. Lake Massapoag is the headwater of Canoe River as well as Massapoag Brook. The Canoe River leads to Taunton River and eventually to Narragansett Bay. Massapoag Brook flows to the Neponset River which empties into Dorchester Bay. One of the more interesting wildlife facts about Lake Massapoag is that there is a species of eel which migrates up the Atlantic coast and all the way to Lake Massapoag, moving overland nocturnally during rainy nights.