I love coming in the fall it's so quiet and peaceful here …read more It's a nice long walk around the island. Wish the observation towers would be repaired. We saw deer running around. Many places on the island and nearby to take amazing pictures.

Gooseberry Island is a wonderful outdoor location full of history and the splendors of nature in…read morecoastal New England. I have been here twice; once for the beach and a second time for island hiking. The island is accessible by a man-made causeway connecting the mainland and the island over a sandbar that was used back in the day to originally gain entrance to this small piece of land. The island has a small beach with softer sand perfect for lounging around, catching some rays. The water is free from much seaweed and is great for small children as there are not many waves that come crashing into shore in this section adjacent to the parking lot. The lot fills up quickly in the summer months and it is recommended to get there early if you don't want to fight long and hard for a space to pull into. The rest of the shore is quite rocky but makes for some great shell and interesting rock finds. The remainder of the island is covered with thick, thorny brush. There is a main path that allows for hiking throughout the island. Of priority interest on the island is its history as a coastal defense installation; still seen today are a pair of WWII towers used for large artillery. Apparently there are other underground bunkers as well but they are mostly hidden by brush these days. Unfortunately, these structures are now covered in graffiti. It is very interesting to discover the history of this island's recent past. The island is open sunrise to sunset in the summer. Port-a-Johns are available for hikers and beach-goers... they are kinda disgusting (as most are) and never seem to have toilet paper so plan accordingly. Dogs are permitted on leashes. There is a boat launch available... I watched a couple people unload jet skis into the water during my time here most recently. Best of all... its free! If you're out early, pass by the parking fees at Horseneck beach and travel a bit farther down the road to visit this location!

There is a good sized dirt parking area here with security lights. A trail map is located at the…read moretrail head and the paths are very clearly blazed. You can see they have been through and cleared winter debris from the trail. The terrain is rocky with plenty of roots and has a slight incline. Nothing too strenuous. An excellent location to get into the woods for a quick day hike.

This is such a hidden gem! I would def recommend making the trek out to enjoy it. We followed a…read moreroute on all trails but took our own way sometimes too making our hike about 6 miles. It wasn't very green yet but we cannot wait to come back in a month. There were some deer tracks, two garter snakes, a frog, and lots pretty birds. Oh and a crab! Our pup did great too. Make sure to check for ticks. We found a few on him!

Sometimes, the most unique and interesting places are the ones you stumble across, and they just…read moregrab you and tell you to stop for a look. Let's cover the basics of the sanctuary with it being free and having nine miles of trails broken up into small pieces with most being 1/3 of a mile here and 6/10 there. www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/allens-pond#guidelines www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/allens-pond/trails I think like most people, we went to the parking lot off of Horseneck Road at the Field Station Entrance. It's a very small lot with maybe 7 legit parking spaces and the rest of us were being squirrely in the grass and along the fence line. We did some of the Quansett Trail before seeing that it was a complete mud bog which equaled a double back to the Beach Loop Trail which did not have such terrain issues. Probably about 7 or 8 people out on the rocks mostly enjoying the sun on an abnormally warm Saturday in mid-March. We probably put in a good two hours watching the spiders on the beach and rocks, looking around the tidal pools (it was low tide) and just enjoying the overall beauty of Buzzards Bay. This was a 100% accidental find and overall, the only regret I have is not knowing about the sanctuary in advance so that more of a plan could have been made to have covered more ground. Next time.

The parking lot here is a small dirt lot. It was full the day we visited, so we drove up the street…read morejust a bit and parked at the beach. We walked down the beach, back toward the Pond. The walk we took along the marsh was on a dirt road, plenty wide and mostly even. There are informational signs along the way including one at the pathway leading to the beach. Once on the beach, is another sign about nesting birds. No pets are allowed in that area. This is a wonderful spot to get outside in nature, listen to the surf, smell the sea, get some exercise and learn a bit about conservation of local flora and fauna.

Wasn't a planned stop, but I saw it on the way home and I stopped and took a look. I am so glad I…read moredid. I'm not exactly a nature or trails person, but I enjoy one from time to time. Loved this one. It's unique in the sense, there is a platform slightly raised off the ground you walk on, so you don't have to worry about ticks, weeds, tree roots, and other creepy crawly things as much. without a doubt if your a nature person you should check it out.

Took my twin daughters here today. The weather was perfect. The trail was short enough that they…read moredidn't get tired or bored. Bonus was the kids playground across from the trails. They had a blast.

The Ephraim Hunt Ministerial Land is a conservation area maintained by the Rehoboth Land Trust that…read moreoffers several well maintained pathways through the local woodlands. At approximately 64 acres, this land is a quiet, peaceful place to stretch your legs. Tucked away on Pond Street, there is a dirt parking lot that allows several cars to pull in off the road. The land was purchased by the Rehoboth Land Trust when the Congregational Church at the center of town required funds to repair their sanctuary ceiling and steeple. Wanting to maintain the land as undeveloped, this area remains open to the public to soak in the sights and sounds of nature. Hunting is allowed on the property in-season so be sure to take precautions, as appropriate. Swamps, old fields, brooks, and a high knoll mark the land. A map of the area greets you when you pass through the main gate, though I feel like there were more trails than what was pictured. All-in-all, there are only so many ways to go so its hard to get lost. There are some ups and downs and a lovely little boardwalk that helps you traverse some of the wetlands. The trails were very well maintained and easy to traverse - the blue to orange path gives you a nice loop through the land. The furthest end of the loop skirts the Rehoboth Village Cemetery if you want to make a quick detour.

This is a very pretty spot to hike out to. The view from the ledge point is stunning. It must be…read morepopular because we left picking up trash on the way out. Mostly beer cans and water bottles.

A deep dark…read morewoods The name Copicut does indeed mean a deep, dark woods in the Wamponoag language. It's really not all that dark and deep and in fact it's a rather lovely and open hike through 516 acres of ancient forest, cedar swamps and great old stone walls. Since there are lots of streams and little ponds in the area there is plenty of wildlife. Frogs, turtles, salamanders, coyotes, deer, chipmunks and a wide variety of birds can be seen here during different times of the year. The whole area use to be a farming village in the 19th century but that is long gone. There are lots of very cool foundations and old rusty metal things as well as a huge carriage road through the woods that is lined with stone walls and has a cover of trees. A very beautiful and stunning place, especially in the snows of winter. But of course like most old ghost towns in New England, Copicut Woods has a lot of spooky tales about it. Strange noises, ghostly apparitions and unusual and ethereal mists that suddenly appear. Of course we didn't see anything strange, just a very lovely woods and some great historical artifacts of a time long gone. A really lovely place for a hike anytime of the year but it does get very, very buggy in the spring. There are maps at the trail head but they are less than accurate and getting lost is pretty easy. It doesn't really matter, the trails and old carriage roads eventually lead somewhere and sometimes not knowing where exactly the journey will end is the most fun of all

Boats bikes and…read morecanals The Bournedale Hills Trail is a roughly four mile loop that goes through some of the woods and hills of Buzzards Bay. Lots of ups and downs but nothing really strenuous although in the snow or icy weather it can get really slippery. You literally slide right down into the canal when the ice is mean. Perhaps the best thing about this trail is that it goes along the Cape Cod Canal and Bike Path for much of the way. You can watch the people go by on the bike trail or better yet all the boats on the canal. Lots of lovely sailboats, freighters, tankers and tugs pulling barges. You even get to see trains on the other side of the canal and if you're lucky you might see the cool, old lift railroad bridge moving up or down or perhaps a train gong over it. A nice little path with some really nice scenery. The path isn't that long or difficult but you can always park you bike, do the hike and then ride some more on bike path. Makes for a lovely day.

This is a must do in the New Bedford area. You can walk or bike around the whole coast. From the…read moretop of the retaining wall around the beaches right up to the stork dike.

Went here for the first time tonight for an evening stroll with my husband. Although it is right in…read morethe city near the hood, the covewalk itself is very nice, well lit, and felt safe. The views are also really pretty. I'm not sure how long it is as we only walked one side of it. We definitely plan on coming back with our bikes. I only took off a star because there was dog poop on some parts of the walk which sucked because you kind of feel like you have to keep your eyes on the ground. It didn't happen often, but still.. I wouldn't want to step on it. People, please pick up after your dogs !

First time here, the lady is a veteran to the beach. Very nice impression. Sand was clean, some…read morepebbles and rocks but nothing like at nantasket. Open large area with plenty of space to settle in with all your beach equipment and find a good spot to Tan and enjoy the weather! Parking lot is clean new and wide spaces for your vehicles. Food options are super limited and the trucks are beach pricey. The water when we went had some crazy brown seaweed or something but made the water closest to shore look like mud slides rolling. Life guards were all nice, stay out of the coned lanes as their ATV's roll thru there. Parking can be paid Via app (the kiosks are confusing imo) i think it's $14 plus fees is what we paid as a MA resident! They had a lemonade stand as you walk over the sand dune. No trash cans anywhere except in the restroom facilities so bring a trash bag and pick up after yourself!

First time at Horseneck Beach in Westport & it's a gorgeous MA beach but I wouldn't recommend…read moreswimming in the water. When we visited during the heat wave last week, the water literally looked like chocolate lol (not even joking!)... did not go in for a dip at all but this beach served us well for tanning! Food options are limited. There are food trucks but very pricey and mid. Make sure to bring your own food or stop by somewhere to pick up some food before heading here. I saw a bunch of people bringing large boxes of pizza. Parking is not free, like most beaches in MA. It's $14 for MA residents/$40 for non-MA residents. Payments can be made via YODEL app or parking kiosks in the lot. Thought the price for parking was not too shabby, honestly. We had decided to come here mostly because we didn't purchase our parking pass for any of the Gloucester beaches in time and we didn't feel like sitting in traffic on the bridges to get to the Cape. We had a great time here overall & can definitely see myself coming back in the future! They've got lifeguards on deck here & they switch out every so often, so that's good!