I grew up at Cushing my parents both worked there for 30 plus years so I lived on Cushing grounds…read more I used to wheel the patients to Sunday mass with my dad when I was young . I'm happy with what was done on the grounds I feel peace as I walk through memories of my childhood. It's a great area for lots of stuff for everyone to share. Especially the church .

Randomly drove by and explored this park -- excellent for walking/jogging/biking, looks…read moreimmaculately maintained, very peaceful and open - highly recommend if you're looking for mostly a walking path-type park (I didn't see tennis courts etc)

I really enjoy visiting Ashland State Park. Unfortunately, the reservoir is currently not safe for…read moreswimming due to bacterial exceedance (otherwise, this park is 5 stars). Without the option to swim, the beach doesn't have the same appeal, but it is still a nice spot for walking or boating. The trail around the reservoir is an almost 4 mile loop, and the vast majority of it is shaded. There are many roots along the trail, and the terrain slopes toward the water, so it is not flat. Just something to keep in mind for folks with knee or ankle issues. During our most recent visit, the trail was not crowded, and thankfully was very clean with very little noticeable litter. We did encounter a small amount of broken glass and a few dog owners who ignored the "dogs must be leashed" signs. Either from the trail or water, the view in almost all directions is natural woods. There are just a few homes within site from the trail, so it really feels like an escape hidden within the suburbs.

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!

A simple little playground situated right by the Natick highschool. It's open for public use…read moreoutside of school hours as it's the playground of the preschool. It has a little fort with four slides, 4 swings (2 regular and 2 handicapped). The ground is AstroTurf. Nice views of Dug Pond for the parents, plus ample parking on the weekend.

Stopped by to have a picnic. Plenty of space to use one of the many picnic tables or even open…read moregrassy areas. The park was clean and was busy with family parties, softball games and tennis matches. Great facilities for any of your outdoor activities.

This park is Ginormous... There are Basketball Courts, Tennis Courts, Baseball Fields, Like 4 ponds…read more& miles & miles of trails all around it... The playground wasnt the best Ive seen but decent enough in size & activities to do... Will probably stop again when in the area.

Super cute and clean park. There's a great playground with unique structures. One structure is…read moregeared toward younger kids and one towards older kids. There is also a small plans area. Perfect for cooking off on a hot day. The splash area is fenced in with one entrance/exit which is also convenient for parents who want to sitervise. There is also a sanded volleyball net, a basketball court and a large field. There are bathrooms but I didn't use them so can't speak to their cleanliness. One major con is there is no shade and little seating. I would suggest bringing a lawn or beach chair that has its own canopy.

I love this park! (even though I don't like the outdoors haha)…read more This park is beautiful. They have a huge playground with things for very little kids and big kids to play on. They have a skateboard area. They have basketball courts. There is a baseball field and a couple areas where kids play soccer. The biggest reason I love this place is their walking track and trails. The track is 4 times around for a mile. They have a sign posted to tell you how long the trails are. There are also some paved walkways around the whole park. This park is always kept immaculately clean and is always packed! It is often hard to find parking. The other great thing about this park is that they spray for mosquitoes quite frequently so it is never very buggy here even with all of the woods and some marshy type areas.

Great place to walk, run or ride your bike…read more It's not lit up at night, so avoid the trail when it gets dark. The people are usually very friendly that you come across, many walking their dogs and surprisingly picking up after their pets. I wish the geese weren't doing their mess on parts of the trail because sometimes if you're running and not looking down- you can step in it. They have tables to eat lunch. People fish there as well. There's also markers so you know how much you've walked or ran. Great trail to see some nature too. We've seen little bunnies, chipmunks, and at one point at dusk I was being chased by a bat. lol So yeah, don't walk there at night. Also the police will check it out from time to time so at least you know they're looking out for you as well.

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.

I found this playground one day driving home with my son and took him, and just have been going…read moreonce or twice a week for the last year! It's my son's favorite playground and we've met so many kind parents, caregivers, and kids so if you're seeking a parent community...you can find that here! The ice cream truck comes during the summer, it's always clean, there's a baby/toddler side and big kids side but the children all typically play alongside one another pretty well from what I've experienced. I love the open field and it also has a basketball court. Tons of fun for all ages!

Nicely newer park equipment, basketball court and field nearby for sports, kept clean. Heads up…read morethough parents there are no nearby bathrooms within walking distance so we've had to leave early with the little one before.

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