Happy Thanksgiving (Robinson Park, Agawam, MA)

Date Of Visit: November 24, 2016

Location Robinson State Park, 428 North St, Feeding Hills Rd (Agawam), MA

Parking: about 10 parking spots are avaiilable in the back entrance on Feeding Hills Rd.  There is additional parking in the main entrance and by the beach area.

Cost: Free this time of the year when the park is unstaffed, $8 MA vehicle, $10 non-MA vehicles during “season”

Size: 1,025 acres

Handicap Accessible: Yes, but some parts of the main trail, which is paved, have sharp inclines.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: pretty views, wildlife, biking/hiking trails

Thanksgiving in Western Massachusetts.  What could be more emblematic of New England?  As it turned out, I’m not the only onr who feels this way.

As I approached the back entrance to Robinson State Park, every parking spot was taken (some spaces were parked 2 cars deep).  I did find a spot just in front of the main entrance )the gates were closed on this holiday, however).  Who knew a park would be so busy on a holiday?  At least that is how I used too think.  Now, it makes complete sense.

In the past, I never understood why people would spend Thanksgiving Day, or part of their Thanksgiving, at a park or some other outdoor attraction.  People should be home with their family, watching football or the parade and stuffing their faces, the younger me would say to myself.  But, now I get it.  What better place to spend the early mornings of Thanksgiving?   What better way and what better place to be thankful, especially at one of my favorite paarks.  In fact, I like it there so much I have posted about Robinson Park in the past.  But, I took a few different trails that I had never hiked on before this time.  At 1,025 acres, Robinson State is so big it could take days to thoroughly walk or even bike all of the trails.  So, I figured I would work up an appetite for my Thanksgiving dinner with a jaunt there.

The trees were barren and leaves carpeted the ground.  Only a few months ago these brooks were teeming with frogs and other amphibians.

I always love to see that one plant that has survived the elements.

Theere is also a lot of eviddence of what the park used to be like.  A beam stands in the Westfield River, a reminder of the railroad bridge that once ran through the area.

This looks like a damn or some other waterflow management system that is now dry save for a brook that dribbles on by below.

I came across this falcon during my hike.  I was surprised at how close I got before the bird flew away.

I also came across lots of squirrels.  This one was resting ona tree limb enjoying a snack

Robinson Park is a dog friendly paark.  I saw and heard lots of cute dogs during my time there.  All of the dogs I photographed happened to be rescues.  It was very refreshing to see so many rescued dogs there.

Annie, a mixed breed rescue, struck a pose for me.

Jessie, on the left, is a 3 year old Lab mix.  Shadow, on the right, is a 13 year old Lab mix as well.  They are both rescues.

Daisy, a yellow Lab rescue from Tennessee, had fun playing with her stick.

I hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

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