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.

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.

Pleasant and useful bike path. There is a parking lot at the corner of Main & Ferry Street, right…read moreat the start of the trail. If you are using a GPS, type in 8 Main Street, Fairhaven MA. The Phoenix path runs 3.2 miles. At the Mattapoisett town line it is turns into the Mattapoisett Rail Trail. So far one mile of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail has been built, making the total about four miles from the start. The trail is nicely paved and maintained and traffic is light. Scenery is nothing spectacular. Most of the ride, there are just bushes and trees on both sides. There's a short section along busy Drown Blvd and a busy crossing at Sconticut Neck Road. The nicest part of the trail is a brief moment where you see an estuary on the right. By itself I would give this trail three stars only. But there are two positive factors which, together, bump it up to four. One is there is that there is an great little side path you can take through lovely scenery (I saw a cotttontail hop across the path) to a peaceful jetty where you can see the water. That path, which is paved, crosses the main one at about 1.7 miles from the start. Turn right and it goes about a mile before it dead ends on a road. The second reason for the fourth star is that the connecting Mattapoisett Rail Trail, now only a mile as described above, is going to be paved further with work starting in 2011. The extension will offer beautiful river views and a chance to get more of a workout with a longer trail. Also, I noticed that Margaret's Portugese seafood restaurant, right at the parking lot for the trail, gets great reviews on Yelp. So an option for a possible reward after cycling!

A nice little park I stopped at after checking out Rolling Rock. Athletic fields and areas to…read morewalk, it's one of those city parks that has an urban feel to it.

This park is in walking distance from my home but on a cold day it's nice to drive to the park and…read morethen go for a walk. I enjoy taking my dog Daisy here cause it's a nice size park and open. It's also nice to go during the spring and summer to walk and just sit and watch a baseball game. It's a very pleasant park in the city there's so many nice parks in Fall River that we do go to. I highly recommend this Park

New Bedford may not be on too many people's lists of places they must visit when in Massachusetts,…read morebut we like the town a lot. And no trip to New Bedford would be complete without a drive down to the waterfront where the heart of the town's fishing history, now spanning 3 centuries, lives. It's down by the commercial fishing piers where you'll find the Coast Guard park. Although it's a "pocket" park in size it's worth the stop to pay one's respects at the Lightship Sailors Memorial. A lightship is an anchored vessel affixed with a light that acts a warning beacon and a guide to ships at sea. Essentially, it's a ship that acts as a lighthouse. The Vineyard Lightship sank in the Hurricane of 1944 and all 12 men aboard perished one mile west of Cuttyhunk. The men aboard were fighting 100 mile winds and 20 foot seas that night and although they sent messages ashore to the Woods Hold Coast Guard station, those messages were filled with static and misunderstood, leaving potential rescuers to erroneously believe the sailors were successfully riding out the storm. This Coast Guard Memorial honors the service of all lightship sailors, but it's the names of the Vineyard Lightship men that are etched on the side of the granite memorial. Atop the memorial sits the fog bell from the Vineyard Lightship. After this moving bit of history, take a walk down the piers to take in the amazing display of fishing boats. It's these boats in particular that the lightships aim to guide. If you want to talk about a tough day at work, being a lobsterman, scalloper or shrimper would make most other complaints seem meager. These working boats are a sight to behold. They are incredible structures but nothing fancy about them. It's all work. Up close you can see the machinery and conditions in which these tough and scrappy fisherman work. I know there is a lot of controversy over the commercial fishing industry from both sides. Nonetheless, these men and women are doing a job that for those of us who eat seafood, puts food we love on the table. I try to think of these boats and fishermen whenever I sit down to a seafood meal. A trip to the New Bedford Harbor and the Coast Guard Park helps put the lives of both fishermen and Lightship sailors, so inextricably entwined, in perspective.

A really nice park to just relax. Maybe it was the time of year I went but the weather was awesome…read moreand the trees were just turning color. Windy and cool out during October. I almost fell asleep !! Tip - plenty of inexpensive parking in the parking garage a block away.

A park with a big…read morerock Dighton Rock State Park is named for the famous 40 ton rock that is now located at the park. The huge glacial rock was originally found in the Tauton River but moved to a small museum in the park a while back. The rock has strange petroglyphs on it whose meaning and even origin is very controversial. The rock was known and discussed as far back as the early 17th century and most scholars now believe they were carved by Natives Americans for unknown and forgotten reasons. Of course various other theories like Phoenicians, Vikings, Chinese, Portuguese and the ubiquitous aliens also are tossed around. Like an intelligent species is going to travel bezillions of light years to write on a rock. Beside the famous and enigmatic rock the park has about 100 acres of roads, trails and a pleasant picnic area by the river. Not enough room for any serious hiking but a nice place for dog walking or a stroll through the woods. Unfortunately the museum is only open by appointment so the rock is usually hidden away. However the rest of the park is a nice place for a picnic or to relax. We will probably never know what the glyphs on the rock mean but even without the big and curious rock the park is a pleasant place to explore.

Well maintained river side park with picnic area, basic sanitary services and small free museum…read moreshow casing a boulder recovered from the nearby Taunton river with petroglyphs of possible various origins. The carvings are difficult to make out. Informational signs are provided to stimulate thought and help you to draw your own conclusion as to its origins and authenticity. The park is a short distance off exit 10 on busy Rte. 24. The caretaker is very friendly and obviously proud of the park. A few walking trails are available.

This scenic park has great views to catch a magical sunset. Also known as the Seven Hills, this is…read moreone great place for winter fun and going sledding. There's several fields for baseball as well as a playground for the kids. However, the playground is well abused and not the best in the area. For that, I suggest going elsewhere for playground playing such as Pierce Beach in Somerset across the river. I'm sure things will be getting an improvement here with the new school construction underway.

North park is a great place for kids of all ages. It is right next to a middle school so there are…read moreleads kids hanging out there and I think it was a great idea to build a play ground for younger children too. The park is a great place and hope it stays that way. I would definitely go again.

We came out here during the initial phases of covid, trying our best to keep our minds and bodies…read morehealthy while dealing with the stresses of the uncertainty facing our communities. When we arrived, we initially had some issues with people who were not disabled parking in disabled parking, however after contacting the local enforcement agencies, that was very promptly taken care of which we appreciated. The area itself is extremely well maintained with beautiful and informative plaques about the local flora and fauna as well as educational opportunities especially for those with children. I felt like this was the most family-friendly and accessible outdoor trail that I've been to in a while and we had an extremely positive time walking around this area. Parking is a bit tight, however it seems that there is a secondary parking area in an another area of the management trail, however I don't know how to get to it. If you're able to park down the street or wait for parking spot at the main entrance, that is the most ideal way to access this beautiful outdoor space. We will definitely be returning once the pandemic restrictions are lifted.

Beautiful spot for a quick 1 mile hike or there's another longer 4.5 mile hike that goes around the…read moreother ponds. The hike is educational as well as there are small boards along the way that tell you about the different trees and ferns. Nice place for bird spotting as well. Dogs are allowed on leash.