Borderland State Park

I took a second trip to Borderland State Park and had a great time swimming with the dog.  Didn't see as much of the woods as the first time, but saw some great water views that I missed entirely the first time.

Borderland State Park

I visited this place yesterday, March 8, 2012, and I am definitely a fan.  It was a great place to escape to from the city for a quiet walk in the woods.  It took me less than an hour to get there from Boston in light traffic, and the parking fee is a mere $2.  There is a Visitor Center at the Main Parking lot which is stocked with maps and has restrooms.

Borderland State Park boasts over 20 miles of hiking trails, including a section of the Bay Circuit Trail.  There is a Heart Healthy Trail, which is a 1.5 mile section of the 3-mile long Pond Loop Trail.  This Pond Loop Trail is flat and easy, comprised mainly of old unpaved farm roads.  Off-shooting from this main trail is a larger network of trails, where I spent most of my 3 hours and 3 minutes in the woods.  I completed 5.3 miles of trails, pausing to have a sandwich on a rock overlooking a pond about a mile in to my walk, although there was plenty of picnic area available at the main parking area.  I also lingered quite a bit with my camera, and plan to return to the park at a later date after some green appears to get some better shots of the quarry and the Ridge Trail. I found all of the trails to be extremely well-maintained, and in places where they were not well-marked, they were well-loved enough that it wasn't a problem.  There was an emergency exit to nearby homes off of the Quarry Loop Trail.  The terrain was hilly and rocky but not difficult, and I felt as though I was constantly on the verge of discovering a vista which never actually presented itself.

It should be noted that this place is loved by mountain bikers, and at least one trail is a designated biking trail.  There's also a lot of other attractions at this park, like an old mansion, disc golf, and fishing.

More Info:

 Mass DCR: Borderland State Park

Friends of Borderland State Park

Yelp Review of Borderland State Park

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