Location: 478 Springfield St, Feeding Hills (Agawam), MA
Hours: Open everyday, 24 hours a day
Cost: Free
Time To Allot For Visit: 5-10 minutes
Parking: While there is no designated parking area for the park there is plenty of parking available at the American Legion Post located behind the park and parking is available at the strip mall across the street
Dog Friendly: Yes
Highlights: sculpture, tank, memorial, well manicured grounds
I don’t know about you but I’m really stoked to see that Judas Priest cover band.
But the real attraction on Springfield St in Feeding Hills (a territory in Agawam, MA), is the tank and Freedom Eagle sculpture located in front of “The Tank” American Legion Post 185. The Tank is an eatery/event venue servicing veterans.
The tank is a M-60 tank monument dedicated to all veterans (past, present and future)
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Donated in 2005, the Freedom Eagle shows an eagle soaring through the air, fish clutched tightly in his or her grip
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There is also a memorial from the town of Agawam in remembrance of the people who served during World War I.
Although it is a small park there is a lot to take in and it certainly makes you proud and grateful.
The area is also a common spot for dog walkers. Across the street, we saw a group of four big dogs being walked. This is a group of Bernese Mountain Dogs. The dogs go to the local senior center and visit Alzheimer’s patients as therapy dogs.
From left to right: Roma, Tony and Lena (one of the other dogs was a bit camera shy).
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Location: Rte 114 (off Poppasquash Rd – yes that is the real name of the road – or Hope St depending which direction you’re coming from), Bristol, RI
Cost: It was free when I visited, according to the new parking fees it is $7 for residents and $14 for non residents to park at beaches in Rhode Island (lawmakers in Rhode Island recently cut the costs in half)
Parking: There are several parking areas. But, they fill up quickly. Arrive early to ensure you get a good spot, especially during the summer weekends. There are also electric vehicle charging stations available for 4 hours max while enjoying the park or other facility.The EV station does not guarantee a space on full capacity days
Hours: open daily dawn to dusk.
Time To Allot For Visit: This can vary depending on what you’re doing there (kayaking, running, cycling, barbecuing, etc.) If you’re just going for a walk or jog an hour to two hours should be enough time. I spent three hours there but I was stopping a lot to take photos
Size of Park: 464 acres
Highlights: scenic waterscape, various wildlife, walking/running/biking trails, fields and picnic areas, beach, bridge and pretty architecture and well kept trails
Named after Samuel P. Colt who owned the property in the early 1900’s where he built his home the Casino, Colt State Park has been considered the “gem of Rhode Island.” With its pretty views, teeming wildlife and peaceful setting it lives up to its name.
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The park is surrounded by water for people to launch their boats, kayaks and other types or watercraft.
One of the best things about Colt State Park is the abundant wildlife. There are birds aplenty.
Egrets
Red Winged Blackbird
American Black Crow
Mallard Duck
Robin
??????
There are many other animals at the park like this chipmunk
I even saw lions at the park
Off the beaten path, I found these top bar bee hives. And they get nasty when you get too close and I had a bee sting to prove it! I suppose I wouldn’t like it if someone came into my home and started taking photos either.
And, of course, there were dogs at the park.
Butch, a Lab mix, is a shelter dog from South Carolina. His mommy wasn’t sure of his age (either 3 or 4 years old probably).
Max is a 6 year old English Lab. He is also an AKC (American Kennel Club) dog.
Location: 1000 Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, MA
Parking: There are about 70-100 spots or so in the park itself but plenty of off street parking as well.
Cost: Free
Hours: Dawn until dusk
Dog Friendly: It sure is!
Highlights: forts, lighthouse, jetty, beach, war memorials, walking trails, playground with slides and swings for children (or adults if you’re so inclined), military museum, war reenactments, pretty views
The highlight of the park for most visitors has to be the jetty. Fishing off the jetty, or anywhere else at the park is allowed. But, they have a strict “catch and release” policy because most of the fish are contaminated with PCB (poly-chlorinated bipenyls). So, they would not be safe to eat. PCB’s are known cancer causing toxins. The New Bedford Harbor is lined with these cancer-causing toxins that were released into the harbor between 1938 and 1973 by factories such as the electrical component manufacturer Aerovox. The harbor is in the process of being cleaned. But, it could take many more years before the job is complete.
Seashells and seaweed were scattered along the bridge, evidence of some recent stormy seas.
There are so many beautiful views and interesting things at Fort Taber Park. The lighthouse in the photos is the
Since New Bedford has been known for its whaling and seafaring history, the park (and all of New Bedford) is also known for its lighthouses. In the background of the fort in the photo below you can see Clarks Point Lighthouse, first originally built in 1797 (it was replaced with a stone tower in 1804).
The lighthouse below is the Butler Flats Lighthouse, originally built in 1898.
There are several war memorials dedicated to the men and women of Fall River who have served their country, with a specific emphasis on those who were killed in action.
The memorial below is a Vietnam War Memorial that really stood out to me. If you look closely at the board in the final photo, you can see photos of the service people from New Bedford who were killed in the war. Everything about this memorial has meaning. The 43 stars on the memorial represent all of the 43 people from New Bedford who died in Vietnam. The outline of Vietnam is in orange as a reference to Agent Orange who died from Agent Orange. Even the service ribbons on the memorial have meaning. The blue ribbon represents the National Defense Ribbon which is representative of everyone who served in Vietnam. The other two ribbons represent in country veterans. The two plants at the memorial signify life.
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There are also several memorials to all of the 20th century wars America has been in, although I did not notice any memorials for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. I am assuming this may be because those actions are still not officially over even if we have pulled out most of our military presence in those places.
A tribute does stand for Army Staff Sargent Joseph Camara of New Bedford, MA, who was killed in action on September 1, 2003 while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom when the humvee he was traveling in hit a land mine. He was serving with the 115th Military Police Company as a member of the Rhode Island National Guard in the Iraq War. He was 40 years old when he died. He was also a member of the New Bedford Police Department. His memorial is located at the bottom of the gallery below.
There is also a replica of a Sherman tank stands as a tribute to the LST amphibious force T-4 who lost their lives in training for the invasion on D-Day. During the training exercises, sadly, many men lost their lives training for the invasion.
While I was visiting it was 17th century drill day. Reenactors from the Dartmouth militia, in full 17th century garb, showed how weapons were used, described the different types of warfare of the day and answered any questions the public had.
The staff also allowed visitors inside Fort Taber. The guide explained they stopped using this Civil War fort once the ballistics that were used became too effective against the barricades of the fort.
Grass and rust had overtaken what was once a formidable fortification.
One of the best parts of my visit – on the way to my car, I saw this man and woman playing their instruments.
One of the great things I noticed about the New Bedford area as I walked around taking photos and from the crowd at Fort Taber is the diversity of the cultures and people of the area. The photographs above illustrate this. The music sounded like it had an up tempo flamenco influence. It sounded beautiful. And I love their attire.
Fort Taber/Fort Rodman is a dog friendly park. The park is a great place for dogs. There are miles of trails for your dog to wander.
Sadie is a miniature poodle. She will be 5 in August! Early happy birthday wishes, Sadie!
I also met Yoda, a 10 year old Yorkie.
Below is a video of the inside of one of the forts at Fort Taber. It’s kind of spooky!
This video is a video of the military reenactors firing their weapons.
Location: US-5, Holyoke, MA – it comes up pretty quick (about half a mile from the entrance to Mount Tom on Reservation Rd).
Cost: Free
Hours: Open from dawn until dusk
Parking: There is room for about 5 cars.
Dog Friendly: I didn’t see during my visit. But, yes, they are welcome!
Highlights: Dinosaur footprints, Connecticut River behind the footprints, active wildlife, very short and easy trail to the footprints and river
A long, long time ago, the entire Connecticut River Valley, specifically the Holyoke area, was home to a variety of dinosaurs. And you can still see their footprints in the ancient mudflaps of the region. There are also remnants of flowers and even ripples of water from the streams that once flowed in the area.
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The prints are believed to have been formed during the early Jurassic period, making them approximately 200 million years old. Or, about as long as your average RMV/DMV wait time.
The main types of dinosaurs that are thought to have existed in this location are theropod dinosaurs. Theropod dinosaurs are mainly 2 legged creatures. Some of the more well-known Theropods are Tyrannosaurus Rex, Velicoraptor and Torvosaurus (think some of the dinosaurs from the Jurassic Park movies). It is believed these types of dinosaurs evolved into the birds that we now see so prevalent in the area.
I did see a lot of bird life but I didn’t see any theropods.
One of the nice surprises was seeing the stream behind the footprints; the Connecticut River. In fact, although seeing the footprints was cool, this may have been the highlight of the trip for me.
The Dinosaur Footprints Reservation is a great place to visit if you want to check out some cool remnants from a distant era. But, it is also a nice place to go and sit by the river or go fishing. Just don’t stay too long if you start seeing the water shaking. You know, like in the movie.
A year long pass for new members cost me $32 for a “family” pass which includes two named adults living in the same household and their children or grandchildren under the age of 18 to free admission. It usually costs $65. The levels of passes can range from an individual ($48) to patron ($500). Check their website or call them for more details.
Parking: Parking was abundant. There were some events for children going on when I went and there was room for everyone to park there.
Dog Friendly: No pets are allowed. So leave Fido at home!
Highlights: miles of trails, observation tower, lots of wildlife, great blue heron rookery, camps, programs, classes and activities (particularly for children), friendly and helpful staff
Located about 20 minutes north of Springfield, MA and just over an hour and a half west of Boston, MA, Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary is teeming with a variety of wildlife. Some of the wildlife you see may surprise you.
I had never been so close to a deer, at least not in the wild. I was close enough to almost pat her. It was almost unreal to be so close to such a beautiful animal and not scare her off.
According to the staff member I spoke to about this doe, this particular doe was not an original resident of the sanctuary. But, due to over development of the area and other factors, she has found her way to the sanctuary.
The 5 mile loop is well marked (remember the yellow path leads back to the visitor center). There is an observation tower on the main trail (to the right of the trail). It was pretty shaky but it gave some great views.
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On the walkway to the tower, I made a friend. This immature redtail hawk is another animal that wasn’t originally at the sanctuary. But, he or she has made a home there and the bird didn’t seem to shy until I got too close when he or she flew off onto a tree branch.
Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary is a beautiful park. Even if you’re not into photography, birding or looking for wildlife you would still enjoy a scenic hike on the trails.
There are two markers on a pole next to the observation tower displaying the levels of two of the big floods in the area (the floods of 1936 and 1984).
I was a little disappointed too not see any turtles, frogs or other critters. But, I saw and heard lots of chipmunks. Either the last chipmunk in the right hand corner is very long or I should have changed my photo settings. I thought it looked funny so I kept it!
Audubon sanctuaries are always a safe bet for a fun time at a clean and well maintained park with a lot of wildlife and Arcadia was no different.
Parking: about 8 parking spots. Parking is also available at the beach which is located about half a mile away on Quincy Shore Drive and is an easy walk to Moswetuset.
Highlights: great views, easy trail, secluded, not usually very busy, a lot of historical significance
Mosewtuset may seem much like all the other small parks that dot the Massachusetts shoreline. But, its significance in the historical landscape of Massachusetts and all of the colonies and commonwealths should never be minimized.
Moswetuset is not only significant because the commonwealth of Massachusetts derived its name from Moswetuset but it is also the original trading place of Chickatawbot Sacamore and Myles Standish in 1621 that spurred the trade of the early settlers and the Native Americans. Moswetuset was also the area they used as their planting grounds.
What does a funky name like Moswetuset mean, you may ask. Moswetuset has been translated into “shaped like an arrowhead” (the area does have a distinct arrowhead shape) and “site of the great house.” The area is shielded by rows of trees and growth.
The trail is an easy loop with a very minor incline.
Only underscoring how small things can be very big in their place in history, Moswetuset is only a quarter of a mile loop, if that. But, it does offer some pretty views and it is a nice place to take a short stroll or sit on one of the many rocks along the beach (Moswetuset is located next to Wollaston Beach). It was low tide when I went so I was able to get out onto the rocks and get some decent views of the water and the surrounding neighborhood of Squantum (which is technically part of Quincy) which is in the background of the photos.
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Of course, what would a park or attraction in Quincy be without graffiti? There were some interesting works of graffiti at Moswetuset.
Moswetuset is a popular place for dog walkers. But, for some reason, there weren’t any dog walkers at Moswetuset when I visited. I found Buddy, though, on my way to my car as I walked along the beach.
Location: Main St, Agawam, MA (corner of School St & Main St)
Parking: There is no off street parking but there are some lots across the street and a small parking area just before the memorial.
On this important day, I thought it would be good to showcase one of the many war memorials in the Western Massachusetts area. The Veterans Green Memorial Park, nestled in front of the Phelps Elementary School, is one of these tasteful memorials.
The memorial, which recognizes every person who has died in war from the Agawam area dating all the way back to the American Revolutionary War.
Due to the inclement weather and unpredictable weather patterns of the area (it is New England after all), parades and memorials were cancelled this year which gave me full access to the site but probably disappointed a lot of likely parade watchers. There is usually a ceremony each year at the site and it looked strange not seeing any parades or people reveling in the streets and sidewalks during the day.
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The Benjamin Phelps Elementary School is located behind the memorial and a gazebo stands just off the side of the memorial.
What stands out most about the memorial is the bell. It symbolizes so much; the tones rung out during remembrances, the readiness and alert nature of our armed forces and the ringing out of victory and freedom.
Happy memorial and remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
Hours: Open 365 days a year, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A sign at the front gate of the parking area states cars still parked in the lot after 7 p.m. will be fined $25.
Costs: According to the website it is $5 for MA residents and $6 for non-MA residents. There is a parking payment station located at the front of the parking area. I have a parking pass which allows me to park in all state run parks so I do not know exactly how the parking stations work or how they charge each patron.
Parking: The parking lot is pretty big. It looks like there are easily 200 spaces. When we left, on a busy day at peak hours, there were still plenty of parking spots available, albeit far from the entrance to the trails. There is also an alternate parking area before the main parking area for people with special passes.
Highlights: mansion, 6 ponds, quarry, 20 miles of hiking trails, large field for frisbee golf and other activities. Fishing, canoeing and horseback riding are allowed. Leashed dogs are permitted. Easy to moderate trails, teeming with wildlife. Peaceful feeling, even when the park is packed.
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Created during the early 1900’s by artist and suffragist Blanche Ames and her husband Oakes Ames, Borderland State Park has been a state park since it was purchased by the state in 1971. The Ames’ home, a three-story stone mansion built in 1910 still stands on the grounds.
The grounds of the mansion are manicured impeccably. They even take care of those pesky witches (or whatever that is on the lawn) .
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Bordering on the towns of Sharon and Easton in Southern MA, Borderland has a variety of trails for runners, walkers, cyclists and even horseback riders. The trails are easy to moderate and I saw many runners on the trail.
Located about 45 minutes south of Boston and half an hour north of Providence, Rhode Island, Borderland State Park is a popular destination for people from all sections of New England. It is easy to see why so many people flock to the park when you see the views.
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Sometimes it’s the little things that make the park so much fun. Whether it’s the frisbee golf course on the lawn in front of the mansion (I can only imagine what the Ames’s would have thought of that) or the benches that are liberally scattered throughout the park or the always full bowls of water thoughtfully left out for the thirsty dogs, the park really does think of everything.
here was also an abandoned building along one of the trails.
There are always pleasant surprises when you go to visit the different parks in New England. One of those surprises was a mother bird feeding her babies in the nest on the beams of the roof of the abandoned building pictured above. I did my best to seem as unobtrusive and I used my telephoto lens from a distance while I took these photos. I love how the mother looks so protective and is surveying the area for potential threats.
Then, as I was taking photos of the pond, I saw these little critters. Look at how the frogs almost perfectly camouflage themselves. It’s almost the perfect disguise. Man, I love nature!
Ok, the snake isn’t so “little.” But, I wasn’t about to get closer to see just how big he was.
And the animals didn’t stop there.
There were dogs a plenty also at Borderland State Park.
Beef is a 6 year old American Bullweiler (American Bulldog and Rottweiler mix). He was being trained by his dad. I thought the last photo showed just how much affection he has for his guardian.
Mason, a chocolate Labrador, took advantage of the warm weather to go for a swim.
Romeo, an English Chocolate Labrador, celebrated his 10 month birthday at the park!
Balto, a 7 month German Shepherd, wants attentively for the rest of the family to show up.
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Parking: There is not a designated parking lot for Wilcox Park. But, you should be able to find off street parking.
Wilcox Park is not your average park. In fact, it is unique in many different ways. One thing that makes Wilcox Park unique is that it is not part of the DCR or any other city or governmental body. Wilcox Park is privately operated by the Westerly Public Library’s Board of Trustees. The library, located on the grounds of the park, and a group of volunteers help keep the grounds clean and orderly. They rely on donations and fundraisers.
Westerly Library is attached to the park at the entrance. The library’s beautiful architecture of the building is both artful yet modest. It complements the beauty of the park and seems right in place. There are also benches for visitors to unwind and perhaps read a book from the library’s collection.
There are also a number of statues in the grounds of the library.
As you entered the park, one of the first statues you will see is the statue of Christopher Columbus sculpted by Ciriaco (or “Charles” as he was commonly known as) Pizzano in 1949. Originally from Avellino, Italy, Pizzano was living in Medford, Massachusetts, when he decided to sculpt this statue, appropriately, out of Westerly granite.
The inscription reads:
CRISTOFORO COLOMBO
INTREPID ITALIAN EXPLORER
WHO LINKED THE OLD WORLD OF
OUR FATHERS TO THE NEW WORLD
OF OUR SONS
On the back of the pedestal:
DEDICATED
BY
THE CITIZENS
OF
WESTERLY AND PAWCATUCK
A.D. 1949
Somewhere Leif Erikson is rolling around in his grave.
Down the staircase from the entrance to the park is a fountain (which was not running when I went to visit due to the still cold temperatures). The Wilcox Memorial Fountain was designed by John Francis Paramino in 1898 and was dedicated in honor of Harriet and Stephen Wilcox who had donated the land for the park.
There are a variety of beautiful trees, plants, bridges and statues at Wilcox Park.
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There is also a pond along the trails at Wilcox Park. It is populated with Koi fish
ducks
There’s room for two on this thing, right?
and baby turtles. I couldn’t find his mommy but I am sure she was nearby.
and rabbits
The bronze Runaway Bunny statue was dedicated in 1998 by Connecticut sculptor Joan Binney Ross. it is based on the book of the same name by Margaret Wise Brown. Unfortunately, the bunny has been the target of vandalism, predictably. But, it has been restored after each attack. Cameras are now installed liberally around the park to deter vandalism or catch the vandals.
This fella just wanted to play with the ducks
This sculpture sort of looked like a face to me. A very ugly face.
Dogs are allowed at Wilcox Park. Bandit, a Siberian Husky, had fun playing in the park. Apparently, Bandit earned his nickname because he “takes things”. What a beautiful dog. He caught my eye because of his handsome markings and his very cute smile. You can tell he’s a “bandit” based on his playful grin.
Location: 701 Wadsworth St, Middletown, CT or Cherry Hill Rd, Middlefield, CT
Cost: When I went to visit, it was free. I think they begin charging a fee starting Memorial Day weekend. There is no fee entrance fee during the weekdays. It costs CT residents $9 and it costs non Connecticut residents $15 to get in to the park during the weekend. You also may be able to access the park for free at the Cherry Hill Rd entrance.
Hours: Open everyday from sunrise until night time.
Parking: There are about 30 parking spots at the main entrance at Wadsworth St and another 20 or so at the Cherry Hill Rd entrance in Middlefield (pictured below)
We entered at the main entrance on Wadsworth St. There is a sandy beach area (there is a lifeguard on duty during the summer season). Since it was an overcast and chilly day, there weren’t any people swimming but there were a lot of birds congregating near the water.
The highlight of the park, of course, are the falls. The two waterfalls at Wadsworth Falls are creatively named “Little Falls” and “Big Falls.”
Once you get on the main trail, you will eventually see the sign for the falls (after about a 3/4 to one mile hike). From this sign, it is about a half mile hike to the Little Falls and a mile hike to Big Falls if you enter from the entrance on Wadsworth St. There are also lots of trails that branched off the main trail and would be fun to explore if you have the time.
You can avoid the longer hike by parking on Cherry Hill Rd. Big Falls is accessible from a short walk down a well defined path from the lot on Cherry Hill Rd. But, the parking lot at Cherry Hill Rd is smaller than the lot on Wadsworth St.
Little Falls is actually a pretty big fall, even if it isn’t the biggest one at the park. But, the height of this waterfall may actually surpass the height of Big Falls. The last few shots in the slideshow are from our trek back to the main parking lot. The falls seemed much less rapid on our way back and you can see the ledges of the falls better.
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There are a few different ways to get to Big Falls, the main attraction. The safest, but longest way, is to follow the trail until you reach the edge of the park which filters onto Cherry Hill Rd. The park is a short walk on a sidewalk to the right. Or, you can cross the railroad tracks and follow trail along the tracks for quicker access. There really isn’t a defined trail but there is space to walk a safe distance from the tracks. The railroad is still in operation but we didn’t see any trains while we were there.
There are two places I photographed the waterfalls from but there are probably even more places to view the waterfalls. The first place is a little tricky to get to and potentially dangerous. There is a path that goes off the trail across the tracks and up to ta cliff that offers some decent views of the waterfall. I did take some photographs from there but I would bypass it and go to the parking area of the entrance on Cherry Hill Rd to get a safer, closer and less obstructed view of the waterfalls. The first two photos are from the cliff area the rest are views from the entrance to the park.
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From the main entrance on Wadsworth St it is about 1.5 mile hike to the falls and it is a 3.4 mile trail loop to walk the entire park. There were bicyclists, walkers and other photographers along the trail. Because of the inclines and, in some areas, rocky terrain, it would be a challenging place to go for a run. I would describe the trails as being easy to slightly moderate because of the inclines and rocky trails.
There are also pretty trees, bridges, plants, brooks and streams along the trails.
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There was a lot of bird activity at Wadsworth Falls such as this male red-winged blackbird.
There are a variety of bird life at Wadsworth including bats. This is a bat house. It was built and maintained as part of an Eagle Scout project to help restore the bat population. It was good to see that it’s not only the cute animals that are being helped.
Toads and other amphibious life is also abundant at Wadsworth State Park. It was still pretty cold out so these toads seemed out of sorts. We gently picked them up and tried to find a warmer place for them under some leaves.
Leashed dogs are allowed at Wadsworth State Park. It is a great place for dogs to play and roam around. Caesaris (pronounced Kay-sar-is), a friendly 1 year old female Labrador and Australian Sheep Dog, enjoyed the unseasonably cool weather with his mom.
Below are some videos I took of the falls. The power, crispness and sound is much more evident in the videos.
The tank is a M-60 tank monument dedicated to all veterans (past, present and future)
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