Dan Medeiros, The Herald News
Published August 2021
The Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve is an enormous area with miles of trails for everything from walking, hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, even dog-sledding. But where do you start if you’re still a beginner?
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Here are five easy spots to check out on your own — plus a few tips, and some more opportunities to hike in a group.
Where to start
Tattapanum Trail: A simple loop trail a little over 1 mile long on the northwest corner of the North Watuppa Pond. Park along Wilson Road (rough road alert) and find a sign for the trail just before you reach the Watuppa Pond causeway.
Dr. Durfee’s Mill Pond: A 3-mile loop that starts near the mill pond on Dr. Nathan Durfee’s old property. Get there via Freetown’s High Street, which turns into Bell Rock Road. Leave your car in the parking lot on Bell Rock Road and walk about a mile south to the trailhead, or drive closer to the trailhead and leave your car along the side of the road — to find the trailhead, look for a tree sign marked “DD1.”
The Freetown Ledge: A 3-mile loop that takes you on both the upper and lower ledge roads around the old quarry pond. Approach from Freetown’s High Street, which turns into Bell Rock Road. Park on Bell Rock Road near a gate marked Ledge Road, or use the parking lot just a quarter-mile south.
Shockley Trail: A 4-mile loop that takes you through the Copicut Woods on Trustees land. Get there via Westport on Blossom Road, and use the Copicut parking lot on Indian Town Road.
Homestead Loop: About 1 mile loop on city-owned land along the eastern side of North Watuppa Pond. Get there via Westport on Blossom Road, and use the parking lot near the reservation headquarters.