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.

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!

Upping my review to 3 stars…read more They rebuilt the dock area so it is a nice place to sit, drink a coffee, eat lunch, etc. in the spring and fall, many of the assisted living facilities bring van loads of residents to visit. I try to visit on those days with my dogs - it helps bring joy to the residents.

This is the second time I've been to Cochituate State Park and I came in around noon and I didn't…read morego to the conventional way to the beach, but this was a side trail, which was much nicer and was able to just swim. It was so pretty. It was really nice with bathwater temperature considering it's been 88° out. I really enjoyed myself. This is a very popular beach for the local people and visitors alike. There are lots of children and lifeguards at the small beach, but it is a huge state park where you can do a lot of running around and picnicking. If you are not an advanced swimmer, I do not recommend coming here with children to be safe . But if you can tread water and you know how to swim well and basically live in the water, it's fine.

Fun events for kids, adults, and the entire family. Definitely a town gem! Love the different food…read moretrucks and beer tastings.

From the owner: The Corner Spot is a place in downtown Ashland where businesses can test-drive their market and…read moreresidents can come together. The Corner Spot is intended to stimulate economic activity, attract new developers and business owners, and increase foot traffic downtown to help support existing and future business. The Corner Spot serves as:a downtown destination, the place to catch up on town news and watch the kids play, a place to have dinner with family and friends and enjoy music and dancing, have a business meeting with free wi-fi, connect with a friend on a porch swing

I love this park. I am not from the area but if I lived around here, I'd take my morning walks here…read moredaily. Not my foot traffic, which I also liked.

I really enjoyed this place. I didn't know what to expect. We started to walk from the Eddie's park…read moreand took the internal route. Reached the Pegan Cove Park after around 15 minutes. Then we were just exploring the trail, not much to do. Walked in there for around 30-40 minutes, clicked some nice pictures, saw geese, robin, butterflies, insects etc. If you go on a rainy day, expect your shoes to get dirty with the mud. We saw few boats parked while walking by the loop. Make sure you have your bug repellent with you.

Memorial Beach is my second home during the summer. It's just a pleasant place to relax after a day…read moreof work. The lifeguards and staff are as pleasant as anyone can be. The swimming area is sizeable enough that there are not other people in the way. The Natick Rec. and Parks does a great job of managing. Perhaps the greatest asset to living in Natick.

We love Memorial Beach! It is a small pond in Natick, but the beach is run by the Natick Park &…read moreRec department, with a great lifeguard staff, concessions, and lots of fun for all ages. There is a diving board, dock to swim out to, and swim lessons provided here by the trained staff. We spend much of the summer afternoons here and feel very lucky that we have this great resource in our town. Beach closes mid-August, and open usually 10am to 7pm during the week.