This is one of my favorite places in Gloucester. I've been coming here since I was a kid; back then, we only walked the main trail and didn't do very much hiking. When I rediscovered it, I was surprised how many little trails there are! If you're directionally challenged, like me, you'll probably want to pick up a map before you start walking. The parking lot is pretty small and fills up quickly. Even when it's full, though, I rarely run into other people walking the trails. I love coming here to just pretend I'm in the middle of nowhere, away from all traces of human life... this is the one place I'm happy to be alone, with no music, no kind of stimulation besides the woods. Is there anything better than listening to leaves/branches crunch under your feet, the wind through the trees, the faint sounds of squirrels running on the ground? I think not. Best of all, the trails are easy enough for most people. There are many short trails that connect to longer ones, so if you find it too easy, you can just keep going. I tend to walk longer than I should and end up sore the next day-- but it's always worth it. read more

Ravenswood Park - Parks Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

What a great park for the north shore!!! We struggle to find places our dog is allowed off leash- so this place is a saving grace!!!! Love that you can spend just an hour or a whole day, since there are so many trails. Not a ton of hills or anything, but the occasionally slight ascent / descent. Followed the yellow and blue trails last time (can't remember the names) and there were a few very unavoidable muddy patches, so make sure you have some footwear you don't mind getting dirty. If you plug it into google maps you may get routed to some awkward non-entrance (we had this problem). Make sure you check Yelp or the Maps app (on iPhone) for the actual entrance. As others mentioned, small parking lot with plenty of street parking. Can't wait to go back! read more

Ravenswood Park - Nice raised walkway to avoid the swamp :-) - Parks Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

My dog, husband and I love these trails! Anywhere dog friendly is always great.- they just require dogs to be leashed for the first ~100 yards- which is good to prevent them from running into the street. There tend to be A LOT of dogs there on weekends/ nice days, but most are friendly- I just avoid those days because my dog can be a bully with bigger dogs. The parking lot is pretty small, but you can park along the street as well. Trails are well marked and well maintained- they have a nice array of lengths of trails and flat/easy versus more difficult terrain. Our other favorite spot to walk is Dogtown- but we always get lost there! So ravenswoods is a nice change of pace. read more

Wow, really loved this place. Trails were really well marked, main "road" was busy but once you got more than a mile out and didn't see anyone else. Very well maintained. Recommend doing the magnolia trail to the ledge trail. Totals around 3 miles or so. read more

This place is great! They allow dogs which makes it that much better! It's perfect for any length walk or hike you are looking to take. The swamp trail is my favorite as it goes right through a marshy swamp area and requires you to walk across wooden planks. It's the perfect hike with a pup or just with your human companions. Parking is a bit tight, so be ready to park on the street! read more

This is a gorgeous spot for hiking, with Numerous trails, vernal pools, tall trees, and an ocean overlook. We stopped at the discovery center. They have many hands-on activities for kids. The trails are dog-friendly too. Highly recommended. read more

Ravenswood Park - Parks Near Me - Gloucester, Massachusetts

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Awesome place to get a good dose of nature, exercise, and spending quality family time on Cape Ann. The main trails are perfect to go walking, jogging, or even biking on. Very scenic. There are also other trails that are available, though some can become a little rugged at times, they are perfect for hiking and mountain biking. Ravenswood is also a GREAT alternative for kids of all ages, and for dogs too. There is one particular activity that you can download and print called "The Hermit's Haven Quest". It is somewhat of a Scavenger Hunt for the whole family. Ill include the link to it below. I hope everyone that does takes advantage of this great place, enjoys their time there! http://www.thetrustees.org/assets/documents/places-to-visit/Hermit_of_Ravenswood_Quest.pdf read more

Ravenswood Park is a wonderful forest reserve with trails through the woods and it's maintained by the Trustees of the Reservation. A great spot to commune with nature. It's really quite beautiful--the trails are a nice variety. I saw people cross country skiing this past weekend, I saw people walking, lots of dogs were out and about enjoying the day--grabbing sticks, making friends, running around and jumping up on my jeans leaving muddy paw prints :)--photographers, speed walkers, mosey-ers, and even a toddler toddling down the trail. I brought my camera and loved seeing the melting ice and snow, the bare branches of the trees catching the light. It was just a beautiful nature walk with the quiet forest around us. There are trails for everyone--rolling trails, long trails, short trails, gravel trails (aka old Carriage trails), wide main trails, and more narrow bumpy-forest-y trails. There are beautiful vernal ponds to check out during the wet seasons--listen for the animals and bugs that surround them. The web site says there are 10 miles of trails to explore. My mom loves to watch birds and this park has a ton of them. read more

This is my favorite walk in the area with Dixie, my dog. She is allowed off leash, and the other dogs there are always friendly. We have been going to Ravenswood for about a year now, and have taken probably each trail - but our favorite is over where the scenic overlook looks over the harbor. It is a truly amazing park, and although we use a lot of Trustee and Essex Greenbelt lands for our walks - Ravenswood wins for us in beauty, number of long trails, and solitude. It is highly recommended by me - and Dixie! read more

I've been lucky enough to visit this park all of my life, and I recommend it to everyone that enjoys well-kept trails, isolation of the woods (but not enough to get lost) and just a very scenic area no matter which season. My favorite season is the fall because spring and summer do get very buggy. My boyfriend and I have been bringing our dogs here for years, and we love it. Some of the trails are trickier, and off the path, but even those are fine for beginners. In the winter, you can see people snow-shoeing and skiing! And I've never encountered a rude person. Everyone is friendly, and amazingly enough, most pick up after their animals unlike some other parks. As was stated below, the parking lot is tiny and does fill up fast- especially on nicer days. You can park along the street, but even that is limited. I think this is the perfect place for a walk with a group, with your dog, or alone. It's so peaceful and secluded- it really gives you time to think without all of the in your face technology that surrounds us normally. If you're in the area, make a point to check it out and you won't be disappointed. read more

Dogs are allowed off-leash. There are miles and miles of trails. They're all clean too. People seem to respect Ravenswood. I like it. My pups can't chase the waves, but they are free to run and I don't fear getting peed on. I keep going back and back! read more

Gotta love off leash in the woods. And it's even better if we don't have to drive to get there. Ravenswood fits the bill. There are several "secret" entrances so we don't have to use the "main" one and the trails are great. I have some video at http://www.youtube.com/user/kennymaccarthy#p/u/27/wenupNpu5jg read more

Another fan here of Ravenswood. Haven't seen a Raven in the Wood yet. Or Edgar Allen Poe. But maybe his spirit is wandering around there somewhere. This is a great place! Lots of hiking trails , easy walking paths and some cool boardwalks through swamps. Great for foliage viewing , bird watching, dog walking, nature photography, just about anything. Even good for running. Parking is an issue at some of the entrances though just respect the private property and you'll be fine. read more

We went for a long walk in May with our 9 year old and the little dog and had a great time. Most of the trail is New England woods, with interesting lichens and many, many boulders. We went along the Ledge Hill trail, which goes up to an overlook that looks over the Gloucester harbor. We returned by one of the wider trails which are called a roads on the trail map. The whole thing took just over 2 hours. I took off one star because the trail markings could be better. They are only marked at the intersections, and we only saw one colored marker on the trees. We did not pass any other maps in the middle of the reservation. For this reason, you need to be sure you have a trail map or take a clear picture of the map at the trail head because there are a lot of trails and a lot of intersections. We didn't get bit by mosquitoes, but there's a lot of water around there so I'd bring your bug spray in the summer. read more

Its a great place for dog owners.

On the trail map, it states that Ravenswood Park "offers 600 acres for solitude and quiet contemplation of nature." Dogs are allowed and you can let them off their leashes 100' from the parking lot as long as you restrain them when you see another person on the trail. There are almost ten miles of trails and carriage paths. They are well marked. You can pick up a trail map at the entrance or look at the map posted on the sign. In 1993, the Trustees of Reservations acquired this beautiful 600 acre parcel. If you join the Trustees (www.thetrustees.org), you will receive a book listing all their properties and descriptions. Of all those we have visited, this is my favorite so far, but World's End is close. We are going back here because there is so much more we want to see. This time we want to find the scenic overlook of Gloucester Harbor. In March, we are going back to see the Magnolia Swamp and vernal pools. Get off the couch and go!!! We did and we loved it. read more

I'm in Ravenswood several times a week. It's a beautiful park. Wonderful cross country skiing in the winter, and wonderful trail running/hiking/walking in the summer. Great for all ages. read more