Category Archives: brook

Cascading Waters (Worcester, MA)

Date Visited: March 19, 2016

Location: 135 Olean St, Worcester, Massachusetts

Cost: Free

Hours: Open daily, sunrise to sunset

Parking: There are several parking lots at the Greater Worcester Land Trust which the Cascading Waters is part of.  The closest lot to the Cascading Waters is small with only room for about half a dozen cars.  You can also drive up to Cascading Waters via Cataract St and park on the dirt road there.

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One of the great things about Worcester (pronounced “Woo-stah”) is its diversity of people and  places.  One moment you could be in the heart of the city and only ten minutes later you could be at a grand waterfall.  It remind me a lot of Boston in this regard.

I found myself at one of the natural wonders of Worcester, Cascading Falls, Saturday.

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Located about an hour west of Boston, Cascading Falls is known for its beauty and trails.  There are both hiking and biking trails at the main parking area.  I chose the most direct hiking route to the falls.  The trail is pretty flat and straight with some pretty views.  I also noticed some greenery sprouting on the eve of the first day of Spring.  it’s about half a mile to the Cascading Waters from the parking area.

There is a trail to the right of the falls with a fairly steep incline.  The trail leads to the top of the falls.  You can go to the top of the waters.  The views are pretty sweet.

 

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There are also interesting rocks, pools of water and streams at the top of Cascading Waters.

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Although the sun was out and the temperatures did increase, it was still relatively cold as this branch shows.

The waterfall leads to a stream just under and behind the trail.

Cascading Waters is a great place to take your dog for a walk.  I met two golden retrievers; Wilson (on the left ) and Tucker, while I was there.

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Below are two videos of Cascading Waters from the trail view and view from the top of the falls.

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Granville State Forest (Granville, MA)

Granville State Forest is 2,000 plus acre state forest and campground located in, you guessed it Granville, Massachusetts.  Be advised, the trails are long in between the various ponds, brooks and various other attractions.  But, you can drive on the unpaved roads if walking isn’t your style.

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Located about 45 minutes from Springfield, MA, Granville State Forest was once a popular hunting spot for the Tunxis.  I didn’t run into Tunxis during this visit.  But, I did see some stunning views.  Take this waterfall, for instance.

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But, to really get a sense of the beauty of the Hubbard River, one must get off the beaten path, or bridge as it were in this case.

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It’s amazing the things you see when you get off the main path.  Like this Frog with his lunch.

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Or this artful graffiti, especially the curse words.  It’s vary quaint.  Oh, you crazy kids.  At least I hope it was kids who wrote it.

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There are also an abundance of pretty flowers and trees.

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About a mile from the bridge over the Hubbard stream, there is the two acre Bahre Pond.  Bahre Pond has some pretty views.

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It is also teeming with wildlife, like this water snake.

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And this frog who thought he could hide from me.

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Granville State Park also has some paths off the main trails that have some hidden gems.

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The main attraction at Granville State Forest has to be the waterfall.  Below is a short video of the waterfall in all its splendor.