Myles Standish State Forest is the largest publicly-owned park in Southeastern Massachusetts. The forst offers five camping areas along four of its 16 ponds. Myles Standish offers swimming, boating and camping. The Charge Pond camping area is set aside specifically for horse camping and College Pond offers picnicking, swimming, fishing and canoeing. A portion of the park is set aside for hunting. There are game birds and deer in the forest. Myles Standish has 15 miles of bicycle trails, 35 miles of equestrian trails and 13 miles of hiking trails. The park includes one of the largest contigious pine barrens morth of Long Island. Kettle ponds dot the landscape and the sensitive shore lines are off limits in many areas. Off-road vehicles are not allowed.
During the summer, park rangers lead a variety of hikes and walks for the whole family. Myles Standish's main office is located on the Carver side of the forest, but most of the forest is located within Plymouth.
Elm Park is located on the Elm Bank Reservation's 36 acres of land. The lush green space is home to the Elm Bank Horticultural Center and Linx Summer Camp. The park features a clock tower, a canoe launching spot and soccer fields, as well as the aforementioned horticultural center and its gardens. Admission to the gardens is free for members, and non-members are encouraged to make a donation. Visit the Massachusetts Horticultural Society Web site to find out about renting the park for weddings and other private functions.
The Great Brook Farm State Park is a public park. It offers many recreation activities including fishing, hiking, canoeing, biking, skiing and horseback riding. The park is also home to a fully operational dairy farm that's open for tours between May and October. The park offers ski and canoe rentals during the winter and summer respectively. A trail map is available to download on the website.
Immortalized by the writing of Henry David Thoreau, this pond continues to be a popular spot for swimming, fishing and hiking. The park is open year-round for day use only.
A large parking lot is located on Walden Street, a short distance from Route 2. Parking is $5 and the lot closes at 7:30pm. A restroom and ranger station are located near the lot, as well as a replica of Thoreau's cabin on Walden Pond.
Bicycles are not allowed on trails.
