Rocky Woods
GOOD FOR: All Ages
RATING: (2)


Source:Outdoors with Kids Boston (AMC Books)
Address:Hartford Street and MA 109, Medfield, MA
Hours:Dawn to dusk daily
Fee: Adults, $4; children under age 12 and Trustees of Reservations members, free (fees collected by rangers on weekends and holidays; honor system other times)
Contact:

thetrustees.org; 508-785-0339

Bathrooms: Portable toilet near the pavilion
Water/Snacks: None
Map:

Five ponds, a playground, and easy walking make Rocky Woods a great destination for families.

A trail at Rocky Woods leads to a large pond - a favorite for kids ready to explore.
Photo by: Pat Bagley

Rocky Woods has 6.5 miles of trails to explore, with a variety of options perfect for families. As you wander the trails, you’ll see the rocks in the woods that give the property its name, but the 491-acre reservation also offers many easy, clear trails. Some lead around ponds, while others lead up to the 420-foot-high Mine Hill ridge.

The 0.75-mile loop around Chickering Pond is probably the best for families with little ones. Look for bullfrogs and painted turtles that make their home here. About half-way around the pond, a small playground and a few picnic tables on the shores are perfect for a lunch break. Visitors are allowed to catch-and-release fish here. For a longer walk, the Hemlock Knoll Loop to Whale Rock is a 1-mile hike that you can pick up from Chickering Pond and that leads to a rock that looks like the back of a whale.

Other trails include Bridle Trail and Loop Trail, which go through wetlands and are quite flat. Echo Pond Trail, a half-mile route, features a narrow footbridge that loops around the large pond. The wide path with small slopes is fun for cross-country skiers.

Rocky Woods has a playing field and a large pavilion that groups can reserve for events. From mid-June through October, a farm stand with produce from Powisset Farm (Trip 50) is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

Remember: You can bring a dog if you have registered for the Trustees of Reservations’ Green Dogs program, which is free for members. Dogs can roam leash-free on some trails (marked).

Plan B:

For a more challenging hike to the site of a former mill, cross the street to Fork Factory Brook (Trip 51).

Where to Eat Nearby:

If you head west on MA 109, you can find a number of cafés and stores.



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