We went on a fantastic snowy walk here with our dog. The Acorn trail is open for hiking in the winter- dogs allowed. We parked in the lot for the ski touring, crossed the road, and were on our way. We did the North and South loop of the Acorn trail, totaling about 2.5-3 miles. The trail was decently traversed, but I would definitely recommend hiking/snowboots in the winter. It was very peaceful and beautiful here - tall pines and some big pastures. read more

Great Brook Farm State Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Carlisle, Massachusetts

One of my favorite places to go for the summer . They have great hiking and biking trails ! There is a delicious icecream place with animals as well . Such a beautiful scenic place definitely a summer must see read more

Love this park. We bring our dog here on walks and every time I go I have moments of appreciation for how beautiful and peaceful my surroundings are. Plenty of parking ($3/day), we get an annual pass ($60) because we go so often. Lots of trails that take you far from the road so you can be surrounded by nature and away from any road noise. You can walk by the cows in the field and go up to see the goats and ducks and pigs. We've seen lots of wild turtles and snakes and deer. There's a restroom, a pavilion, and lots of picnic tables near the pond. Some days the manure smell is pretty strong but that's to be expected on a farm with cows Overall a lovely park. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Great Brook Farm State Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Carlisle, Massachusetts

We were looking for a close-ish park with lots of trails and stumbled on Great Brook Farm after playing around with Google Maps. There seem to be two roads leading into the entrance with the parking lot and dairy/ice cream - the really long, winding, narrow path with some heart-stopping blind curves (if driving, beware of cyclists and runners) and a much shorter path with the dairy on your left. It's $3 to park - you can pay via a mobile app and there is also a kiosk to get a paper ticket. My husband and I walked the Lantern Loop; it was a pretty hot day and I wished for more shade during some parts of the trail but overall, it was a nice trek through the forest and some fields. Pretty easy trail, you can do it in regular sneakers and with kids/dogs, and, for a Sunday, we had much of the trail to ourselves. Public restrooms that were very clean, well-maintained. The real highlight of the trip, though, was the dairy farm, with ice cream and livestock (including a dispenser for treats for the sheep if you have quarters). Let's face it, I like going to nature-y places where I know there's also food available, hence why I like apple picking. The ice cream was a good amount of creamy, an extensive selection of flavors/floats/sundaes, and the sheep and goats were cute (albeit the whole area had the distinct aroma of manure). read more

AN ABSOLUTELY MUST DO! 5 STARS! GREAT BROOK FARM STATE PARK IS ONE OF THE BEST BARGAINS IN BOSTON! It's One of the Secret Hidden Gems of America that most people have never head of before or been to either. It's located about an hour outside of Boston in Carlisle MA. YOU GET AN ICE CREAM ADVENTURE WITH LOTS OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, A DAIRY FARM TOUR & YOU SEE A ROBOT COW MILKING MACHINE FOR ONLY $3! If this was $3 a person, it would be a Fantastic Bargain; but it's not. It's $3 a carload! You pay only for the parking space & ALL The Adventure & the Tour is Free! This place is a Steal! Open Dusk to Dawn. Start by downloading the Yodel Parking App. This is a Carry In & Carry Out Trash Facility including dog waste. Bring some trash bags. You can spend the entire day here. We only had time to stay for a few hours.& did some hiking, the dairy tour & hit the Ice Cream Country Store for desserts. This is a 1000-acre park which features more than 20 miles of hiking trails. You can view Native American sites & 17th century cellar holes which were leftover from English settlers. What's unusual about this place is that they have an active dairy farm. They offer free tours several times a day on the weekends only from May to October. You can do the following @ Great Brook Farm State Park. Bring your own gear. * Hiking * Horseback riding * Mountain biking * Biking * Canoeing & Kayaking * BBQing no Charcoal * A Pond, Picnic Tables & Restrooms * Visit with the animals * Take the Dairy Farm Tour * See the Robot Cow Milking Machine * Eat some Homemade Ice Cream The weekend only tour is provided 3 times a day @ 1, 3 & 5 PM. It provides detailed info & you learn learn all about the dairy farm. Seeing & petting all the farm animals was great. The robot milking machine was what everyone came to see. The robot milks 160 dairy cows. The cows wait in line like at a checkout stand at the store. The cows decide on their own when they want to give milk. When it's the cow's turn, they step into the milking machine. The robot has a built in program for every cow. It reads a number tag on the cow's ear & utilizes lasers & vacuum-type hoses to milk the utters. The ice cream here was very good. We all had the peach. Be sure to bring an ice chest because you'll want to take a quart or 2 home with you. Also if you can't decide on what flavor to get they have something called a Flight. It's like a beer or wine flight - 5 different flavors of ice cream so you don't have to decide. Fun Fun Fun Exercise & Learning All for only $3.00 a carload. It used to be, you had to have Mega Bucks & be really Rich to have the Good Life, not anymore. The Game has changed. You've been Upgraded. Now You Can Live Like a King on a Limited Budget! read more

Absolutely my favorite place to go for a walk. There is fields and forests animals and at the end ice cream perfect family friendly day read more

Great Brook Farm State Park - Pond with lily pads - Dog Parks Near Me - Carlisle, Massachusetts

You take many twists and turns to get here, but I made it with the help of locals. (No, I don't have GPS.) Upon arrival I discovered that you have to pay for parking with a phone app. (I don't use data on my phone and I'm not going to download an app.) Carlisle is a very rich town and I'm sure the people there don't worry about their phone bill but I do and left. All I did was waste gas. The next time I feel like seeing cows I'm going to check out Smith's Country Cheese in Winchendon. Cheese is healthier than ice cream anyways. read more

Stopped on our scenic drive home from Walden Pond. Beautiful property. We will be back to hike. read more

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Beautifully situated working farm in a rustic woodland setting with many hiking, biking and walking trails throughout the property. A wonderful adventure for children as there are farm animals to see and pet; there is an adjacent creamery for ice-cream too. There are streams, ponds and marshland areas to be seen throughout and most certainly you should plan a visit during the Fall season to catch the foliage. There is a central pavilion near the parking area for picnicking with adjacent bathrooms. read more

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I love Great Brook so much, I've visited this state park twice this week. The ice cream shop isn't open for the season yet, but the animals are out and they're excited to greet the guests. These are the friendliest cows I've ever encountered. Without any food to feed them, they still come right up to people and are happy to be pet and scratched behind the ears. There are miles of trails, full of trees and ponds. The trails are open to mountain bikes, horses, and even cross-country skiers in the winter. read more

Great Brook Farm State Park - Cow at Great Brook Farm - Dog Parks Near Me - Carlisle, Massachusetts

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From our position on the banks of the pond at Great Brook State Park on a gorgeously sunny 80 degree Easter Sunday, you could really take in some amazing sights that make this park one of the best escapes around Boston. Things we love: - seeing dogs everywhere (on leashes of course!) and jumping into the water to cool themselves down - watching little kids darting around everywhere. We decided that there is something perfect about being a kid and kneeling down to investigate something and then immediately sprinting somewhere else at maximum kid speed! - hearing the dairy cows mooing in the distance and the occasional horse galloping around - bringing a blanket and just chillaxing on the lawn and enjoying the sights and amazing weather The parking is normally $2, but the ticket vending machine was broken, so it was a nice little surprise to park for free! This is a great spot for hikes, chillin with someone special, or planning a picnic lunch for the family with little ones. read more

Great Brook Farm State Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Carlisle, Massachusetts

This was our first visit to this off leash state park/farm. It is March so the trails were still covered with slippery ice/snow but I had on spikes so it was okay. We walked a few trails and then visited the farm area. It's very nice and inviting. We were pretty much the only ones there. These trails on the farm side are used for cross country skiing and they have a place you can rent skis I think. Up closer to the barn , on leash signs clearly marked . My dog did like to be able to go see the cows and other animals while on leash and would love to come back when the weather is warmer to get some ice cream from the window of the barn. We walked all around and then went across the street where there were even more trails to explore off leash. The sign says just put your dog on leash if you are passing another person and or dog, have your dog under voice command, which my dog is very good with . There was a lot of poop not picked up when the trail first started and left bags of poop. Don't know why people can't take the time to clean up so we can all enjoy the trails without stepping on your dogs poop. I really liked it though and so did my dog. Will definitely visit again! read more

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I have been coming to this farm with my "Boston family" since before I even lived in the Boston area! We would come every fall to walk for miles around its beautiful grounds & visit all of the wonderful animals. I love this farm, and it has truly become one of those places that is like family in and of itself. I look forward to the day that I have a horse again, as this will be the first trailer trip that we take together. The trails are top notch, and there are even some fun cross-country jumps thrown in the mix! I am so thankful that this priceless gem is public accessible so that all can enjoy it! read more

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Great Brook Dairy Farm has its own Yelp entry now, and reviews of ice cream stand should go there. This review focuses on the State Park itself, and the trails therein. There is some beautiful scenery to be had here. Small rivers and wildlife abound, and it starts and ends with a working dairy farm and ice cream stand at a parking lot with restrooms and picnic tables. Those qualities alone make Great Brook State Farm worth a visit to their dirt trails. That said -- oy! Signage is severely lacking or poorly done throughout (except for the ice cream cone with arrows, those were plentiful). There are multiple unpaved walking and bike paths whose maps you should download before you visit. But even with that, the maps do not match the unmarked realities well at all. A few jaunts off the beaten dirt path near the jogger-frequented river bridge led us to a sketchy trail near an abandoned-looking camp house right out of Scooby-Doo. Some fantastic old ruins and gears along the trails show signs of yesteryear. Be careful. Take only pictures, Leave only footprints 'round here. And if you hear a banjo, run like the wind. If you can find the trail marker... Oftentimes, trail restrictions were not on the map but only on a sign at the trailhead. Therefore, by the time you find out bikes do not seem to be allowed on certain paths, you have already biked to it. Or an area was labeled on the map as if it was an historic site, then we hiked all the way there - or so we surmised - and there was no actual matching confirmation sign stating, "Here is the site labeled Historic Stone House on the map," and so on. It was an exercise in frustration, more than once, to encounter little, unclear, or nonexistent signage and have to guess based on downloaded maps, overall position, and land formations. A narrow, winding, two-way road cuts through the park linking several trails, and cars fly around the turns. Cannot recommend this area for young riders who prefer paved trails. We slipped some cash into the Donation till. They need it. Clear Signage is imperative, and this really is such a nice park, it should draw more visitors than it does. You pay typical State Park parking lot nominal fees and there is a good deal of parking. Buses park in nearby field. If you like mystery and wildnerness, Great Brook State Park is a lovely setting. But prepare yourself if you are the type who prefers paved or marked paths. It's a nice park, if you are in the area and need a country mouse meander, followed by a scoop of made-on-the-premises ice cream. read more

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Great place for a hike. The trails for the most part in the forest. The trails are marked and easy to follow if you get a map at the building next to the parking lot. The trail itself is rocky and muddy in some areas. Lots of mosquitoes so bring protection. $3 to park the car. Great senior deal of you drive over to the office a buy a $10 life time membership for all state parks. If you want to cancel all the calories you just burned hiking there is an ice cream barn with a small animal farm in the park. read more

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An awesome place to go again and again for hiking, animals, ice cream, pic nics, or relaxation. Dog friendly and kid friendly!

Lovely grounds with options to do shorter or larger loops. A great spot to picnic or get ice cream. Our 1 yo enjoyed seeing the cows, chickens, sheep, goats, llamas and horse on the property. read more

Beautiful walking. It's truly a gem. Just like England. Fields, stonewalls, cows, cornfields. Great for dogs and horses too.

Fun weekend days w/ the dogs, had ice cream, fun seeing the animals. We had a beautiful Sunday day. Will return.

To say that Great Brook Farm State Park has all the seasons covered is an understatement. Here's a quick sampling... Spring - Baby farm animals, hiking and trail running Summer - ice cream, mountain biking Fall - all of the above Winter - cross country skiing, hot chocolate, lantern-lit trails. I've been to the vast majority of State Parks in Eastern Massachusetts (I'm slow "trail bagging" every one - running every trail within each) and GBFSP is easily one of my top 3, especially for those with kids or looking for a quick and easy outdoor adventure. On top of that, we lived bordering the park for a while and learned a few tops. -Ice cream opens in April -XC ski parking can get hairy. Get there before 10:30. read more

Murphy (My Dog) and I absolutely love to go to this park. The main trails never seem to be crowded and the smaller trails offers longer walks that would make any pup tired. Expect to see people on horseback, picnicking, and jogging. There are open fields, ponds, and streams for your dog to explore. Try and avoid the Beehives, there are signs posted, you can't miss them. The only thing that bums me out is that Great Brook Farm is completely taken over in the winter by cross country skiers. Your not allowed to walk period let alone with your dog as long as there is snow on the ground. That aside I highly recommend Great Brooks. read more

Place was so pretty on New Year's Eve all covered in snow. We did the pine loop but somehow took some kind of shortcut because our three mile hike turned into only two. Looking forward to coming back with snowshoes when there is more snow on the ground. Trails are marked relatively well but there was a spot where we didn't know if we should turn left or right and winged it. read more

Great Brook Farm State Park - From the pine loop bridge - Dog Parks Near Me - Carlisle, Massachusetts

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How can there be only one review of this park? I can't even begin to remember how much time I spent at the park, it is just so much fun and so beautiful. There are always so many people at the park hiking, walking, horseback riding, bike riding, throwing frisbees around with their dogs, parents exploring the grounds with their kids, groups of college kids wasting the day away, there are farm animals you can look at, an ice cream stand, and it is open year round from sunrise to sunset. How can you go wrong? The park is huge with a massive amount of trails for hiking, biking, and riding paths. There is a pond on the grounds too and you are able to canoe there. In the winter you can cross country ski there too. Oh, and I think you can do some fishing there. It is perfectly lovely there and I have such wonderful memories of the time I spent there. I wish there are places like Great Brook in Los Angeles where I live now. Such a fantastic place to spend time! read more

This is the classic dairy farm/ice cream shop, like you'd imagine from the movies. Well, if it was in a movie, I guess you wouldn't have to imagine it. But still. 1,000 acres of hiking over 18 miles of well-groomed trails. Lots of different terrain , too, like swamp, hills, boulders, open fields and meadows, to thickly undergrown bush and woods. Wild blueberries and cranberries grow all over. Awesome ice cream, well over 31 flavors, and you can watch the cows poop through a glass window while you eat! Awesome! Best place to get lost in nature and wander through the woods, plus lots of old ruins like cabin and stone walls and stuff from ye olden dayyes. I would've loved a birthday party here as a kid. Plenty of parking ($2) and they don't take credit cards in the little store. Great local honey as well, since they have their own bee farms or whatever they're called. A+ for a rural, country, hiking, farmstyle extravaganza. Fantastic way to spend a saturday. Open 11 am until dark for the little store, the rest of the state park is open 1 hour before sunrise until 1 hour after sunset. read more

Great Brook Farm State Park stands as a jewel in northern Massachusetts! Agriculture has been part of Great Brook's history for centuries. Holsteins have been kept here for over 60 years and current farmer Mark Duffy continues the tradition with his black & white ladies. Native Americans used sections of Great Brook Farm as sacred sites. Seventeenth century cellar holes comprise "the city" where early English settlers worked one of numerous mill sites on the 1,000 acre park. Barn tours run daily and public tours on weekends; both are available with reservations through the month of October. There are over 20 miles of trails available for walkers, hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders. During the winter months, cross-country skiing is available and one trail is lantern lit for a "mooon light" experience! The ice cream stand is open through the month of October They say there is a $2 parking fee but I have never been charged. Car - $2 Student Bus Pass - $10 Annual Pass - $35 (Massachusetts Residents) / $45 (Out of State) Note: Parking fees are waived for vehicles bearing a HP plate, placard or disabled veteran's license plate. This waiver does not apply to camping fees and is subject to available parking. The Massachusetts Senior Pass is a benefit offered to state residents who are 62 years in age or older. The pass allows free parking for the vehicle occupied by the pass holder, whether they are driving or a passenger I would suggest leaving a donation in the donation bin to help keep the park open. I would recommend the PINE POINT LOOP LITCHFIELD LOOP MAPLE RIDGE TRAIL AND LANTERN LOOP YOU CAN COMBINE ALL THESE USING THE MAP FOR A LONGER HIKE LOOP Horseback riding is popular in the park. http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/trails/great-brook600.gif Click here for a trail map. read more

Just this past weekend, my boyfriend introduced me to Great Brook for the first time. Having run the trails for cross-country track in the past, he had a good idea of where to walk. I absolutely loved the trails. I felt as though I had been transported back in time to a Jane Austen novel. Of course whilst pretending I was Lizzie Bennet walking the grounds of Pemberley, I enjoyed the greenery and closeness to nature as we strolled. The trails of Great Brook offer a nice diversity of woodsy, rocky, and grassy avenues. As you walk, the verdure reveals hidden ponds harboring beautiful plants and lily pads. The grounds at Great Brook are perfect for a family picnic or a date with someone special. It is also the perfect place to read a book or sketch the surroundings in a peaceful and quiet atmosphere. It is extremely family and kid friendly, with many families strolling and even riding horses. I am looking forward to returning to Great Brook with my camera before winter to capture nature at her finest. With parking at $2, a dairy farm that offers a glimpse of the cows and the ice cream they contributed to, and other various farm animals as well, Great Brook is a nice escape, but not too far from the city! (Also, Great Brook offers Cross-Country Skiing in the Winter) read more

This is the perfect place to go on a relaxing beautiful day. There is a great mix of sun and shade, and so many trials to choose from that you can pick one that is very laid back and almost effortless if that's what you're looking for. They do have an ice cream stand there (well, it's a lot bigger than just a stand), which is an added bonus to the trip. I suggest bringing a lunch and sitting by the small pond in the shade to eat it. You may also want to bring a frisbee or kites, because it is pretty open in some areas. Many people bring their dogs here as they allow them. They also allow bikes on most paths, and cross country skiing in the winter. Parking is very inexpensive, just $2 or free with one of the state parking passes. read more

Love this place! I have been taking my dogs here for years and it's been great. A lot of people keep their dogs off leash on the trails and some don't. From what I've seen people are responsible and know whether or not their dogs are okay to be off leash. Just keep the horses in mind because a lot of dogs get spooked by them. Only issue I've ever had was a time I went after some recent rain. Some trails were flooded and it sucked. Oh, and there are a TON of ticks so always check yourself and your dogs after hiking! read more

Huge crowds of people on the trails with no masks in sight, during the worst part of the pandemic. Stay away from here if you care about your family's health. read more

Beautiful place. Went here in October, with all the fall colors. The walks are beautiful, largely flat trails through fields, woods, by rivers/swamps. A peaceful place for long walks and photos. I didn't try the ice cream, it was too cold, but that also meant we didn't see too many people, only a few bikers and people walking their dogs; also a couple people on horseback. I imagine it's more crowded when the weather is nice, but then you can savor a picnic by the water somewhere. read more

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We attended a farm open house, which was really well done with complimentary grilled cheese sandwiches (cheese by Cabot) and tomato soup. The area by the farm house is very cute with picnic tables and easy viewing areas for the cows, sheep, and goats. Did not have room for ice cream but will definitely plan on coming back! The area was beautiful and scenic. Parking was $2. read more

Adorable! Came here in my god group hike, and it was the weekend after a ton of rain. The park ranger was awesome and led us on a modified route due to the excessive mud!!! AWESOME!! Adorable petting zoo and ice cream place. If I had kids, this all spells "free, cheap, outdoor fun for the kids." Beautiful. read more

Great day trip: Go to Fern's, pick up some of their great sandwiches, and then head over to Great Brook for a picnic, and ramble. It's about 1000 acres, so you can come back many times, and not be bored. Before you leave, get some ice cream. Note: the ice cream bar is right next to the cow barn, so it can get severely niffy in warm weather. Or, if the eu de Holstein's is a wee bit strong for you, head over to Kimball's on Rt 225, and get a cone there. If you want to camp, there's camping here, too. You don't have to travel far, for great camping near Boston. read more

Great state park. Lots of trails for hiking, walking, horseback riding, biking, you name it. Very well maintained. And it's big, so you could do a quick hike or spend a few hours. And some of the best ice cream around! Just a cool spot for a ton of reasons. read more

This park is a great place for kids with an ice cream shop and a farm where one can pet and feed the animals. There are little machines that accept coins to distribute animal feed that the goats are particularly fond of. read more

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Such a great hidden gem. Plenty of trails to walk on, from easy to difficult Feeding the animals is always a favorite of the kids. Beautiful scenes as you walk though the farm. Plenty of wild life .Lots of cute ponds with frogs leaping about. Great place to get away by yourself. Or a romantic place with your honey. Even better when you bring the whole family. Give it a try this summer! read more

One of the best State Parks I've been too. The area it encompasses is huge, and extremely varied. You aren't going to find a better representation of the Massachusetts woodlands closer to Boston, that's for sure. Just be wary of the horse poop that's strewn about, (as people ride horses through the area and they seem to be quite content to evacuate their rectums wherever they please). The place has an small animal enclosure (when we went there were cows, goats and chickens)... as well as an ice cream stand too. It'd be a great place to spend a lazy summer afternoon or two. Of special note is that it's just up the road from Kimballs, a sort of amusement park area also known for it's ice cream. So you could consider it an alternative to that place if you're more in the mood for an outdoor experience. Recommended. read more

I love you Great Brook! Two dollars to park, nobody bothers you. You can stay all day or just a couple of hours and then go back to see more. This place is gorgeous. read more

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Fantastic cross country skill trails, well groomed, and good cover late into the season. They have pulk rentals and very knowledgeable staff. A good variety of trails with a fair mix of inclines and straight paths. The snack bar is a bit lacking in winter, but covers some basic trail bars and hot chocolate necessities. read more

Great Brook Farm State Park - Dog Parks Near Me - Carlisle, Massachusetts

I've been here recently for the first time in a long time. I like every part of this place. The trails are beautiful and there are many picnic tables plus bathrooms.The inside of the ice cream stand is nice and cold. The ice cream is delicious. There's nothing I don't like about this place. read more