If you have a kayak or canoe, be sure to bring it - upstream of the falls is Coddings Meadow, a quiet clearing that serves as an easy launch site, and you might see a few beaver dams as you paddle the upper stretches of the river. Picture it: Lawrence Brook dropping, swirling, rushing over boulders and granite slabs, whooshing in an otherwise-quiet forest. If the only sounds you’ve heard for months have come from TVs, computers, phones and game consoles, we’ve got a treat for you! Is there anything as intriguing as the sound of a waterfall? No, there’s nothing like a Niagara Falls here - but a visit to Doane’s Falls in Royalston can be an ear-opening experience. For a dose of picnicking and play, pause at Pierce Meadow, a 10-acre gem with huge specimen trees and open space for the family to enjoy. The Trustees of Reservations manage a wide variety of properties throughout Massachusetts, including several right here in Johnny Appleseed’s back yard.ĭoyle Community Park in Leominster offers more than three miles of trails, including one and a half miles of accessible trails-bringing you past woodlands, open fields, meadows, formal gardens, and parklands. We’ve got a few suggestions to make the list more manageable when you want an afternoon outdoor adventure away from the distractions of today’s technology. In fact, with all the municipal and state parks and local conservation lands, the choices can be overwhelming!ĭon’t despair. North Central Massachusetts has just what you need: acres of forests, miles of trails, and sparkling expanses of water, all just waiting for you to explore.

Cardinal land trust