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.

Had a lovely Sunday here, it was a perfect halfway meet up spot. The Main beach was closed, making…read morethe upper beach area more crowded. People set up to spend all day here. There are charcoal grills at the picnic tables. Lifeguards monitoring the swimming area, however the swimming area was very small. You can rent kayaks not too far away, although not familiar on the price. We bought our own paddleboards and there are several inlets along the water to load/unload the paddleboards. The beach area was crowded and all the picnic tables in this area was taken so we didn't get a chance to take advantage of those but that's ok we spent most of the day out on the water and then a short walk around the area. There seems to be quite a few hiking trail options as well, something to consider another time. Parking for out of state residents is $30!! Which is a lot, MA residents only $8 for all day parking.

A nice swimming area if it is not closed due to bacteria. It is a nice park. Lifeguards on duty and…read morea bathhouse. Pay online for parking.

Killing time, I made the stop at Plains Park, located just south of I-495 on Route 85. The main…read morehighlight of this park is the trail, which does a big loop, covering less than a mile. You have the option of doing half of the loop if you wish. I enjoyed the walk, which was extremely peaceful, and also, the great scenery of the beautiful field. The park contains a pavilion, picnic tables, a playground, and a soccer field. Beware of school sporting events that take place, because the parking lot will be packed, for example when I came. I truly enjoyed making this stop.

Really well marked trails, part of the East Bay circuit. Fairly wide trail with a little bit of an…read moreincline off the Oregon rd entrance. There are trail maps every half mile or so and Boardwalks over wet areas. I've only done a small loop but will come back to do more since it seems like there are interesting things along some parts (old cars and a quarry off one trail).

I work with free family programs at the Appalachian Mountain Club that visit this park, so I to see…read moreit regularly. The Ashland Town Forest is large, 550 acres of forest, streams and 5 different hiking trails, including the Bay Circuit Trail. You can go 1-2 miles on the trail and see vernal ponds, streams and quarries. What's really neat is the history behind this land: Governor Danforth once owned this land, and likely used it to help victims of the Salem Witch Trials and their families start a new life away from persecution in Salem. The nearby Salem's End Road is named for this. Several collapsed caves near the water towers are believed to be the first spot where the victims found shelter, and they're now known as the Witches Caves and Devil's Den. This is a great place to get away from it all. I see more deer than people when I'm here!

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

I grew up im Ashland. Late 70's mid 90's. I remember when the kidspot was built and the gazebo. I…read morewent there today and it looks worn down. The grass was cut

I love Stone Park. I love that there is always a space available to park. I love that it is a…read morefenced in playground. I love that they have playground equipment for little bitty kids AND bigger kids. I LOVE that they have a REAL bathroom and not a nasty port-a-potty. Since I've started working as the Leasing Consultant at Woodview at Legacy Farms Apartments in Hopkinton, I've been asked several times by new residents for playground suggestions. I always tell them that Stone Park is my favorite!