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.

Wonderful morning on trail to frog pond. 22 bird species including Great Blue Herons, Wood Ducks…read moreand swans along with Downy and Red Bellied Woodpeckers. This place is a special gem. Sheryl was esp. helpful. So glad we stopped!

Great flat trail reservation with lots of little critters for the young ones(frogs, snakes,…read morebeetles,..) and a few small ponds for the kids to throw rocks into. We caught a majestic hawk as we paused to take a deep breath in (w/o our masks for a few seconds). It reminded us of how nature puts a pause to time and that trees indeed heal the weary soul. Our 6 yr old made some good memories here.

It was a damn fine day to be at the Wachusett Reservoir Dam, in the low 80's and partly sunny. This…read moreis a beautiful spot, with hundreds of steps to conquer if you want to go to the bottom of the dam and back up. There is also a picturesque fountain with a pool at the bottom of the dam, a great spot to picnic as there are shade trees around the fountain. There are many trails around the reservoir, boasting great views of the pristine waterfront. You can't walk on top of the dam however, as it's been closed off for security reasons. There are many aprking spots around the reservoir, and near the busy dam, you can park on the side of the road. Be careful crossing, it's busy there. We've been here multiple times, and would be happy to return.

It is not a business, it is run by the government. Totally roped off for safety concerns. So you…read morecannot go onto the top of the reservoir but can view Wachusett reservoir from the sidelines. Beautiful view, nice hike and street parking.

Lovely mostly level and paved trail for walking and biking. It is pretty and serene in fall with…read moresome nice views of the foliage and a view of fort meadow reservoir at one point. Multiple access points in multiple towns including Marlborough and Hudson.

We access in Sudbury and Hudson. It is plenty wide and paved. There is also a building and areas to…read morefish, picnic and walk. Dogs allowed. It isn't all level.

This is a forest -- and a convenient middle-of-the-way location for me and a friend…read more We met in the bumpy parking lot and walked this way then that way then this way then that way. We hiked up and down hills, around ponds, passed an abandoned hockey goal, admired old trees, oohed at chipmunks and squirrels, and walked over 10,000 steps. A fun adventure!

Forest is VERY flammable. Too flammable for my liking. On a SUNDAY NIGHT it got caught on fire from…read morea drunky and I was awakened from my slumber by sirens of 8 fire trucks. Took the firemen 2 HOURS to put it out. They even needed fire trucks from other towns. Make the forest fire proof please

What's not to like here? I suppose some may complain about…read morehaving to pay to park. Personally I'd like to see an option for those of us living in the Blackstone Valley (and others) to purchase an annual sticker. Similar to the way you might support a local zoo, for example. They would likely get higher donation amounts voluntarily, vs. the extortion-like pay-to-park each visit. Beyond the parking... For those seeking heat relief, on a hot summer day the low parts of the chasm are considerably cooler. Of course this does generally bring the crowds. Remember to bring bug spray. Children will be in awe of the rock formations and most will absolutely love climbing over, under and through the rocks, crevices and small caves. The rocks are normally slippery, more so after a rain or during the humid summer months - decent footwear is a must. Grandparents beware: not the best place to try to follow an 8 year old! However, across the street by the visitor center there's a nice playground for the kids to tire-out. If you want a longer/safer/less slippery hike you can follow Charlie's Loop trail in it's entirety (start by the covered picnic tables). Then maybe veer off onto the northwest side fire road. From there you can find a couple of trails that head back toward the parking lot. This is a great place to walk the dog(s) - leashed. Please pick up after your pet. Also a wonderful spot for snowshoeing - assuming we still get snow. re: parking - if you are local you might find a place over on Mendon Road, from which you can enter the park via the fire road (47CF+628).

Had been wanting to check this out all summer, but being a bit of a cheapo, I didn't want to pay…read morethe $20 non-resident parking fee. Now that its off-season and parking is free I checked it out. Wasn't disappointed. Some nice views, and a challenging, but not overwhelming hike. Will definitely have to come back sometime.

This was one of the best trips I've been on. A friend of mine who had taken another trip with SUP…read moreYO invited me to go with her. There were 12 of us and everyone got along. I don't know if the type of vacation (hiking and camping) helped to self select the people but by the end of the week we had gotten really close as a group. SUP YO also picked amazing guides. They were fun, funny, knowledgeable, and basically one of the gang with guide authority. The owner of the company came with us on this trip. She was fun, did everything we did, never put on any airs, and I felt like she was "one of us.". All of the food, hotel, etc was taken care of. We even celebrated a birthday for one one of the hikers in the group! I am looking for more trips to go on with SUP YO and a group of us are planning to go in another trip or a weekend hike together again!!

From the owner: SUP YO exists to connect like-minded souls through outdoor adventure. With transformative…read morepaddleboard yoga, hikes, retreats, and outdoor escapes, we inspire others to step outside of their comfort zones, challenge themselves in mind, body, and spirit, and discover their truest selves.

this is a cool spot to go on a walk. there's some places where the trail breaks off and there's…read morealso a loop path around the water which is rly nice! would recommend

This place is awesome!! Great trails but we technically only hiked for a half hour but beautiful…read moreand lush with trees and it wraps around a beautiful lake with kayak launching spots. I parked in the private lot that was next to the gated playground. Playground was small but had great stuff.

This is a great place to take an easy, mostly level, 3-mile walk around a beautiful pond. The trail…read morewhich is more like a single lane gravel road, is well marked and maintained. There also numerous, nicely marked trails off this main loop. It's a fairly quiet trail and easy enough that the occasional toddler and stroller passed. At one end of the trail, you need to walk a short way across a bridge under construction. There's not much of a sidewalk to use, but the traffic was very quiet during our weekend outing. According to their website, the initiation of Parklands acquisition was in 1899, and in 1900 the town brought in Warren H. Manning to help architect the entire layout.  There is no parking on the pond boat ramp or at the spaces next to  the bath house. This area is well-marked and the Hopedale Police Department will continue to ticket unauthorized and non-handicap vehicles parked in this area. This area is a drop-off zone only. Vehicles should be parked along Hopedale Street. We found plenty of parking on Hopedale Street, and used the green space there to lunch by the pond. There are benches scattered along the pond loop. Dogs are allowed on a leash and the trail is well marked, which according to their website is the result of the efforts of Mark Andolina, Jr., a Boy Scout from Hopedale Troop 1, who created a new trail map and installed new trail markers as part of his Eagle Scout project. We look forward to a return visit.

Great hike around the pond. the side trails off the main trail are good for mnt bike.read more