Picturesque trails with a little pond and a small deck seating area and bench around the pond…read more There is a mansions and what appears to be private homes (?) on the grounds as well as a large field. This is not a place to go deep in the woods and the trails are pretty short but it's nice and clean and well maintained, good place for a walk and maybe a picnic.

I have been here several times - once to tour the Doyle Mansion, which is only open something like…read moreonce a year, another time to tour the conservation center when it opened (they were very proud of their composting toilets), and today on the outdoor trails. They're nice and flat and cover more ground than you would think for an urban area. All are well maintained. I don't think they should charge people though to take pictures.

Was eating a little too much of Mom's delicious home cookin' on my visit and thought it would be…read morewise to burn some of those tasty calories before they decided to set up camp on my hips and glutes. With the scenic hiking trails, it was easy to whisk those pesky calories away. I ended up hiking and jogging for close to two hours taking in the scenery and shrubbery. I only biffed it twice, which I consider to be excellent odds. Like another poster mentioned, it is largely secluded. I was a little nervous being a lone female hiking out there, but like any other Californian I brought my handy-dandy pepper spray. On a side note, I later learned that pepper-spray is actually illegal in Massachusetts. WHAT?! Oh no, I broke the law! Send me to jail with the rest of the Leominster hoodlums. Leominster State Forest was a beaut and I will be sure to return when I am back in the area. And just maybe, I'll try to smuggle in my nunchucks instead.

My GOD took me to the dump instead of the park. Good luck finding an entrance if you are not from…read morehere.

Lots of area here. On one side is a river and on the other a quarry with a good view of Mount…read moreWachusett. There are benches and well maintained trails. Currently there is ample parking but during the height of the pandemic sometimes the lot would fill up. The landscape is a mix of woodland and a few marshier areas by slower sections of the river. Amazingly there were no mosquitoes though you wouldn't think they would spray for them in a conservation area. Further down the road is a spot where you cam put kayaks and canoes in the water.

An easy, 4.5 mile loop exists at the Cook Conservation Area. The loop combines Farnsworth Trail,…read moreLancaster Trail, & Chapman Trail. Wide, relatively flat, and well cared for trails follow the Nashua River and passes by the remains of the Shoeshank Mill. Wildlife seen include wild turkey, white-tailed deer, tufted titmouse, & American robin. Plenty of shore fishing and two unofficial swimming spots complete with rope swings can easily be found. There are two picnic tables by the river. It would be pretty easy to walk a kayak down to the river edge though there is a kayak put in further up route 70 (towards Lancaster center). NO AMENITIES. Please carry out your trash (especially your bags full of dog poop). Sadly, there are a lot of poop bags and Dunkin' Donuts trash, especially near popular fishing spots as of late.

Going camping on Labor Day weekend usually is a crap-shoot: you either have to endure loud families…read moreon their last hurrah of the summer, or spend exorbitant amounts of money for a more private setting to escape from said chaos. Luckily, there is a hidden gem -- Willard Brook State Forest. At only $8 per night, this place is a steal. Although there are no showers, there are good bathrooms and plenty of running water. The grounds are well-maintained, too. There are a number of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and even horseback-riding (if you bring your own steed). A huge perk is the pond, which is flowing water (not stagnant, thus no leeches or anything gross!) for you and your family to swim in. The only downside I found to this place is that there is very little space between your camp and your neighbors. Being a holiday weekend, this proved to be a tad bit annoying with one particularly loud group playing club music well into the 10pm-7am quiet hours. But, it's the luck of the draw when it comes to what kind of folks the fellow campers are. Being barely an hour away from Boston, this is a great spot for camping, be it tent, pop-up, or camper.

Where to begin. Let's start with the campsites. Campsites are nice, clean ,and large. Each site has…read moreits own fire pit and charcoal grill. They do have bathrooms and water spickets. Now the bad. If you want to stay up till 3am listening to cultural music blasting and people partying and yelling, then this is the place for you. When I go camping I go to relax and get away from the every day Hussle. Didn't get an ounce of sleep all weekend due to the after hours noise. They have a posted quiet time and that is after 10pm. When brought up to the DCR they said it's useless to enforce this. Looks like I will not be camping at Willard Brook State Park again.

The actual location of these trails is along Route 2 eastbound near power lines, beyond Palmer Road…read morebut before Mount Elam Road. There are a couple places you can pull over to hike. The first leads to a lake. We saw evidence of a campfire and primitive shelter there, which may be why a warden, who was friendly, was out patrolling. The second is less well maintained but does have lots of blueberry bushes. If you go when they are in season they would provide a nice snack. There is a sign along the highway for moose but we did not see any, nor any other fauna. Foliage is typical for the eastern woodland region.

I attended an event at this park held indoors, though there are also outdoor options. The drive up…read moreto the parking lot was quintessential Fitchburg with nonstop potholes. Outdoor lighting is inadequate and I was stumbling and lucky I didn't twist my ankle in one the holes when I left after dark. The interior is nondescript with fake wood panelling and some Finnish paintings and wall hangings. If you need a venue in the area and other places aren't available you could use it in a pinch.

It's just a very serene and pretty place to spend a few hours. Loved the walkable covered bridge!read more

Lake Potanipo (sometimes called Potanipo Pond) is a highlight of the small town of Brookline. The…read morebeach has been cleaned up considerably, and it's open (albeit in a limited way) to the general public. It has a small, charming lighthouse along with a public beach. It's picturesque. A great little place for hikes&leisurely walks. Lake Potanipo is an understated place. Its waters eventually lead to the Gulf of Maine. Not bad for a little quiet country lake.

Mount Wachusett is so much fun every season of the year! This time I was there in July and hiked…read morePine tree Trail. It is the shortest trail however it is very steep and even though I'm from Massachusetts and I used to climb this mountain every year growing up, this was a challenge for me. I live in Florida and it's flat I had my map, a bottle of water, a protein bar, my phone and my windstorm whistle (the world's loudest). I felt pretty safe. With a lot of huffing and puffing and some encouragement by a few hikers along the way, I made it to the top. Just as I exited the trail, a park ranger stopped me and notified me that the summit was closed due to blasting! He said that by the time I go back down, I might be able to get to the summit. It was rather a disappointment, but I just laughed about it. Quirky things like this had happened my whole trip up to Massachusetts. On the way down, I found a walking stick that someone had made out of a branch and it really helped me because the rocks were huge and it was hard for me to maneuver. I then decided that I was going to take my shoes off and go, barefoot like I did as a child and it helped tremendously as my feet had better grip than with the shoes on. Once I hit the crossroads between trails and it was dirt, I had to put my shoes back on. I met a woman near the end of the trail and she hikes the pine tree trail all the time just for exercise. We talked until we hit the parking lot of the visitor station. Christine sells upcycled winter fashion. You can see her work at salvagesistas.com I also met a man at the summit with his three children, and I was highly impressed that he had his children out in the fresh air learning about Mount Wachusett, and all the great places they could see from the tower.

It's been eight years since my last visit to the mountain. Amazing how it's changed yet remains the…read moresame! My bestie drove us and we paid $5 admission; I don't recall having to do that last time, but I'm happy to support the park. Drove up part way and parked at an overlook then walked to the top in the after heat. Beautiful vista of Nashoba Valley and Worcester county. You can see Mount Monadnock well but not Boston so much but as New England weather changes so do the vistas. Peaceful calm and very much worth the trip. Great memories of epic hikes. I love coming here because this place will always be home to me. Mount Wachusett, come check it!! =D

Absolutely loved hiking this mountain! We went up the back side- where the old ski area used to be…read more You park off of the road and walk up a path that takes you by a lake and up the back side of the mountain. This is the shorter side- but still long enough of a hike. It took about an hour each way. Beautiful at the top and we had a 360 of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. It was kept SO clean that it was just so beautiful. When hiking, we saw wildlife, so just be prepared. Recommendation: bring a lunch with you and go mid day. It's beautiful to sit at the top of the mountain and eat!

Love this little hike onto a small summit that overtakes a spectacular view. My pup loved it even…read moremore.

If you're like me, perhaps sculptures aren't your favorite type of art. And maybe you haven't heard…read moreof this place. But something MAGICAL happens when you see sculptures displayed in the woods. You'll see these sculptures with a whole new appreciation. There's art here from sculptors from all over the world. And there's a nice variety as well. A nice map is available in the parking area to help you navigate. There's signage for each piece and some have explanations as well to enrich your understanding. Some of the trail signage is less than clear but you're always close to a numbered sculpture so you can find exactly where you are on your map. A few tips: - Wear sneakers or hiking shoes as some of the trails are a bit rough. - Be prepared to walk and climb. There are 140 acres, multiple trails and much of it involves climbing up (or down) - Bring the kids! Most kids will love the walk through the woods and will enjoy discovering each new sculpture. - Maps are available in the parking area, but print your own (in color) ahead of time if possible. - Most of the sculptures are up from the parking area. I recommend walking up the paved Parking Trail to get started. Yes it's a bit longer but easier and there's some great sculptures on it. When you get to #26- Community and Diversity, you are at a junction and you can pick up trails through the woods for most of the place. - Allow at least 2-3 hours or you will feel like you missed out. By the way the variety of mushrooms was fantastic in August. Just another treat in a wonderful place. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Great place for a walk alone, even as a woman as it feels safe and is beautiful but also great for…read morecouples, kids and dogs. A new statue is always just around the corner and a number are just a delight! We three friends enjoyed it as a fun walk, a chance to chat and be out in nature while also stumbling over a wide variety of outdoor art.