Ferry Beach and Two Lights

Two Parks Near Portland, ME
And yes, they're worth the drive!

A beautiful weekend had been promised, so I selected Ferry Beach as our destination for the day. Beth and I were up early on Sunday and realized we're still pretty far behind in our parks (30 weekends and 40 parks left to visit), so we decided to once again clump a couple parks together! And THIS time, with a full day ahead of us, we were quite determined to get it done! Unfortunately both cars had empty tanks and with gas prices going up, we saw yet another reason to clump trips. It's either that or we're going to have to open a lemonade stand to fund this project of ours. So Ferry Beach it was, and just a bit further north we decided to add Two Lights State Park to our trip. Perfect choice! Both parks are awesome, and places we will visit again. If you’re in the Portland area do NOT miss either of these parks. With a full winter snow onboard they may not be great, but for a 50 – 60 degree day with a mild breeze and most of the snow and ice melted, they were the perfect antidote to a touch of Spring Fever!

Ferry Beach

• Tucker’s Rating – 3.5 Wags (he would have rated it higher but since pets are not allowed in the park between April 1st and September 30th he is shading his vote just a bit.)



• Our Rating – 4 wags! We will most definitely be back but probably in the Fall. AFTER black flies and mosquitos have gone their merry way.
  



• Accessibility – Absolutely! Paved roads, flat dirt/stone dust trails, and beautiful wooden boardwalks. Even with a cane, a wheelchair, a stroller or a Lark you'd be able to have a wonderful day here.
  
  


• Fees – Fees at this park, and a number of other Maine State Parks are a bit confusing. In general it's best to check the schedule for individual parks in Maine. At Ferry Beach specifically we found that off-season there is a $1.50/person day use fee (if you can find the box to deposit it in). In-season, ME resident senior citizens get into the park for day-use for free, otherwise it’s $4 per Maine Resident Adult, $6 for non-resident adult, and $2 for non-resident senior. Also, there is a $1 per child fee and under 5 children get in for free. It's a bit pricy compared to other parks we've been to, but this is a beautiful park and it's obvious where the money goes.



• Pet Friendly – Only off-season, and only on leash. Tucker loved this park since it was very flat. Once he got his pace going he didn’t stop til we got back to the car. There are water fountains throughout the park but in winter they’re turned off… also, there are no trash barrels in winter. So bring water, and plan on carrying out anything that you bring in (or in Tucker’s case, produce once you’re there).

Some Tips for the Road

We headed out around 10 AM. The GPS told us total drive time would be just over 2 hours, and it was pretty right on (although I discovered it was set an hour ahead. Beth tells me next weekend when we go back to daylight savings time we’ll be all set). We filled the tank (ouch! Gas prices ARE going up!), stopped at McDonald’s for some juice and hash browns and were on our way! If you’re heading up this route, plan on extra cash for tolls… we paid at least $5 in tolls before we were up there! Two of them at $2 a piece! Even with our FastLane Pass, you should be aware that this might use up a significant portion of your monthly toll amount. But taking the FastLane aisles does speed up the process!

Also, note that exit numbers on the Maine Turnpike (Rt. 95) are based on mileage, not actual number of exits…. So when you’re at exit 2 and have to get to exit 34 it’s not as far as you expect! One other thing to note, rest areas in NH are primarily a bathroom and a liquor store. No coffee… not much for food… just a place to buy alcohol and a toilet. We never realized this before. But in both MA and ME a rest area provides something for everyone! Food courts, gasoline, rest rooms, dog walk areas…. Definitely a big plus! Tucker had the full back seat to himself today since Lillian decided not to join us this trip. She would have found the first walk pretty challenging since it was fairly long. Note to Lillian (and any other non-walkers): Any trail ranked as "easy" because it's flat doesn't mean it's short, and at 86, Lillian draws the line at a half mile or so! That's her prerogative, but on this day we were choosing the long and leisurely routes.

Over the River and Through the Woods - For Real!

Arriving in Saco, we easily found the entrance to the park even without a sign. Plenty of cars parked just outside the closed gates. There is a fairly long road to the gate house itself. It winds through beautiful woods with trails leading off every few hundred feet. I'm thinking park rangers are kept quite busy during the summer keeping people from parking along this road on the way to the beach. But it was empty and quiet on Sunday, except for the random red squirrel who hopped out to check on us as we passed. Maybe they were park rangers in disguise! I think Tucker thought they were very small cats since one stood about 3 feet in front of him and he just tipped his head and then looked at me with a puzzled look on his face.

There were a number of people out walking in the sunshine but this park is so spread out that for the most part we felt like we were on our own. Eventually we came upon a picnic area and the main parking lot. Ferry Beach State Park provides a LOT of picnic sites, a group area and shelter that can be reserved, changing rooms, rest rooms, and an educational walk through a Tupelo Swamp which was a beautiful find! We enjoyed the peace, the smell of green, and the fact that this is one of the larger stands of Tupelo Trees in the northeast. I don't think I ever saw a Tupelo tree... been to the Tupelo Music Hall but that's not quite the same. I'm sure this swamp is gorgeous in the Fall when the leaves are bright orange. But Spring was definitely lurking just below the surface in this place. We could hear the birds singing, see water trickling everywhere, and the ice on the pond was drawing back quickly. We did appreciate the fact too, that when spring finally does arrive (we knew that we were just stealing a few spring like moments in March!) this place is no doubt loaded with Black Flies!!!! That's a whole season of it's own in Maine! And in summer we would guess mosquitos too. So if you do head here “in-season” and want to walk the swamp, we’d recommend bug spray (industrial size), and long sleeves!

Beaches in Winter

We followed the path to the entrance to the beach and were disappointed to find it gated off for the season. The walkway actually passes below the road and the gates stretch from the ground to the top of the archway so there was no climbing over, under or squeezing through, cause we certainly considered it…. Ah winter… some things are a plus (lack of crowds, no need for multiple applications of sunscreen), but for a beach outing, summer is no doubt better. The beach is just a short walk from the main parking lot, but if you do go in winter and want to see the beach, we’d recommend parking out on the main intersection near the beachfront. That’s what we did once we’d finished wandering (and getting slightly lost) in the park itself. The trails are really nice and meander along a brook with many bridges to cross. All are kept in wonderful shape. We also came upon the picnic shelter which looks brand new and a sign indicates funding came from the sale of the Maine Loon license plates. Nice to see how that money gets used!

Getting Lost

The Tupelo Swamp includes many educational signs and trail maps but because a lot of the individual trail markers were taken down (for the season we assume) we did kind of wander a lot further than we expected (read "we got lost!"). Thankfully we knew it was an enclosed and limited space so not to worry that we’d wander forever, but still…. The brook started to look rather appetizing to Tucker whose tongue was hanging low. We were only carrying binoculars and a camera and no water! We don't let Tucker drink water from rivers and streams due to a lot of bacteria they can carry, so we kept him away and he managed to get back to the car without really getting too thirsty.

A Great Place to Steal a Spring Day Out of Season!

This would be a great park for kids and we heard a few who were obviously excited to get out of the house and out of heavy outerwear to just run free for a while! Lots of streams and brooks to play in, walkways to run down, and even a mountain biker or two enjoying the easy ride on a cool day. I'm sure a jogging stroller or bike trailer (or whatever those things are called) would be perfect! It's even flat enough for a tandem cycle if you've got one! So bring it on!

But Ferry Beach IS about a Beach so....

We did get there…. but not until after we made a quick detour into Ocean Park (a small town just north of Saco) to see if we could find a restroom… cause nothing is open in winter up here!!! Geesh! No restaurants, even the Chamber of Commerce/Visitor’s Center, Dunkin Donuts. and the amazingly huge public restrooms are locked up for the winter. Thank Heaven for 7-11… and I’m sure that’s not what they MEAN by that slogan, but we understood it big time! Just a note on Ocean Park. It’s a Chautauqua community. Also known as "Chautauqua-by-the-Sea". It was founded over 130 years ago and is a summer assembly inter-faith community. When I saw the sign when we drove into town, at first I thought Chautauqua was some sort of developer… but the homes are old and there’s LOTS of public buildings that had old dates on them as well. Come to find out there are a number of these communities around the country including one on Martha's Vineyard, and also Michigan, New Jersey, Tennesee and more! Check out their website at the above link if you're interested. It seems like a great place if you enjoy community suppers, lectures, music festivals and more. Not sure they're all that welcoming to diversity of our type but it peaked our interest enough to maybe go back and check it out during the summer.

Yes, Yes, We'll Get to the Beach, But a Convent Got in the Way!

..So back to Saco and the beach… we used the entrance and parking next to the Bay View Convent…. We were struck by the sheer size of the convent and thought initially that the place was just closed up for the winter… It’s four stories with an amazing lawn facing the beach, big porches, a huge parking lot… and as we walked around front to take pictures, we noticed the “for sale” sign. This amazing place is being sold as lots for an ocean front community. Very sad. But I did a little homework and found that the Bay View Convent was put on the market in 2009. Originally started by the Good Shepherd nuns, and run as a beachfront hotel, The Bayview Villa, the number of nuns available to work had dwindled from 260 between 1940 and 1970 to just 21 nuns that had been living at the convent and running the hotel. All were in their 70’s and 80’s. I can't even imagine them doing all the housekeeping, cooking, reservations... but there they were! Or at least there they'd BEEN. The nuns had just celebrated their 125th anniversary shortly before putting the property on the market! Originally they’d come to the area to help run an orphanage, a school and a hospital and were very busy in the community during that history. Read more (you’ll need to scroll about a quarter way down the page); I found lots of travel notes on the place and it sounds like it was definitely inexpensive, with shared baths, and breakfast included in the room charge with lunch and dinner as an option too… What a great escape it must have been. I’ve actually found its listing on loopnet at $3.6MM…. seems like a very cheap price for what’s there!

Anyway, we’ll move on from our dreams of one gigantic B&B on the beach. But we did want to point out that Ferry Beach itself is a very nice beach with many access roads and not a lot of parking. It’s a wide, sandy beach which isn’t that common in a state where beach and rocks seem to go hand in hand. During our visit there were a lot of dogs playing on the beach and its obvious that in winter that’s allowed, but NOT in summer. There were also a few really great dragon kites up and flying! Tucker stayed in the car since with his short legs, a walk on the sand would not have been a fun event. But we want to point out that in warmer weather (Spring, Fall OR Summer) we do NOT leave him in the car. If he isn't going to be admitted to wherever we go, we leave him in the comfort of his own home! While he loves going places with us, we don't think he enjoys a day spent sitting in the car and only being allowed out to "do his business" anymore than WE would! And dogs left in cars, even on cooler days, can be stuck in a deathtrap very quickly, even if the windows are cracked a little.... it's just not safe for them!!!! So PLEASE, if you bring your pets with you on these trips, do not leave them in the car!!!!!!! I can't stress that enough. As we left the beach, we were struck by the colorful fence along the path. Beth got a great shot of it… all tied with bits and pieces that wash up on the beach after a storm. Pretty enough to print and hang up!

Another great attraction (and I kicked myself for not taking pics) was the amusement park area in Old Orchard Beach. This is a real boardwalk on the beach kind of place with a roller coaster and lots of other rides and attractions, all in gorgeous Technicolor and sitting idle just waiting for April (or May) to get here. This area must absolutely hop once warm weather sets in, so when we head back (and we will!) we’re going to get up at the crack of dawn to get a space up here! Lots of seasonal rentals too, so if you’re looking for a place that’s just a little bit off the beaten path, think Ocean Park and Saco…. We know we will!

Two Lights State Park

• Tucker’s Rating – 4 Wags He loved this place but with the slippery shale stairs and some sudden drop-offs to the crashing waves below, he didn't get to meander quite as much as he might like. Still, lots of shady spots for a nap and happy people everywhere!
  
  


• Our Rating – 4.5 wags! We would have given it a 5 but we weren't sure what it's like in summer, and if it's jam-packed with people then it may remain a 4.5.
  
  


• Accessibility – Pretty good. Lots of flat, clear trails and alternate slopes instead of shale stairs, but this place does include a lot of rocks by the ocean to walk and sit on, and even on our own two feet it was a bit scary stepping around.
  
  


• Fees – Again, it's best to check the schedule. We didn't pay anything and didn't see anywhere to put the off-season fee of $1.50. But in-season I can imagine they collect every penny they can and rightfully so! This is a beautiful park and well kept. Maine resident adults appear to be $3, non-resident is $4.50 and Maine seniors are $1.50 with children 5 - 11 at $1.00 and under 5 free. So if you bring a family it could get pricy for the day!
  
  


• Pet Friendly – While this park appears to have a historic battery, the facility isn't open to the public. In Maine pets are not allowed on beaches or historic sites but it appears Two Lights is neither, so Tucker was good to go, and can come back in summer!!! I'd maybe call the park first to check on pets though if you head there in summer, just to make certain, since it's a long drive only to find you can't get in!
  
  


• Other Activities - According to the website, you can fish at this park. You'd have to be brave enough to wander down onto the rocks and then be able to cast from there.... but still, nice to know. They also have a wonderful kids playground, public restrooms, bbq's and picnic tables each set into their own little woodland nook overlooking the ocean. Get there early and stake a claim! That's what we're planning on doing come summer!

As I write this part of the blog I am realizing an issue with clumping parks and posts... they get pretty darned long when we like a park and visit more than one in a weekend. So hang in there, or bookmark us so you can come back and read more later!

A Bit of Art History

We headed north from Ferry Beach and drove right up to Portland before getting off the highway and heading to Cape Elizabeth and Two Lights State Park. One of the lighthouses that stands behind this park was made famous in a painting by Edward Hopper, Lighthouse at Two Lights. There really are two lighthouses too, although one is working and the other has been turned into part of a private home, so they don't look like "twins" anymore. This park is another one that is easy to find. Nice large parking lot, lots of signs, and an amazing view of Casco Bay and the open Atlantic. We saw two very large tankers sitting just off-shore, and a number of smaller boats so even in late winter, this bay is busy!

When Does "By the Ocean" Not Mean a Beach?

This isn't a beach style park. You are right on the water but you're dealing with high rocky cliffs and lots of shale. Wear good walking shoes if you're heading here for a day. Sandals would probably be great if they're Teva-style with good soles for gripping. Otherwise you may find the rocks a bit dangerous to wander around on. Also, bring your bbq supplies because the raised bbq's that can be found with each picnic table, are perfect, but there's no where in the park to buy supplies. Picnic tables are nestled into their own little woodland openings so you've not on top of each other when you head here, but there are areas that have multiple tables and bbq's within close proximity. Beth and I daydreamed out loud about getting a group of 10 or 12 friends together some early summer morning and heading up here to stake our claim and hang by the ocean all day long! Just seems like EXACTLY what this place was made for. To give you a vague idea of what the trails are like... reminds me of the Marginal Way on steroids! Oceanside trails, benches and picnic tables, but WOW what a view of the open ocean! And you don't have all the trinket shops and restaurants and lobster boats vying for space either like you do in Ogunquit. That has it's own kind of appeal, but Two Lights is definitely about the ocean and not shopping.

Art in Unexpected Places

We wandered along the trails, and stopped to read about Battery 201, which lies beneath the mound overlooking the ocean. In 1995- 1996, Bradley McCallum installed an exhibit, Permanence of Memory, including both collected objects, photos and voiceover, that provided insight into the world of a veteran of WWII. It included a Memorial Book for all Maine citizens who gave their lives fighting in that war. Very cool, the book had a page for each individual, and family members who attended the exhibit could add notes about the person, include photos, additional comments, etc. The exhibit took advantage of the batteries cold, damp, abandoned personae and McCallum was inspired to build it after happening on the battery during a hike. He had the sense, in the damp darkness of the building, that the walls were crying. The site wasn't open when we visted, and the exhibit moved on to other locations after it's initial showing, but you can read more about it in an essay written by Lucy Lippard. As with the painting by Edward Hopper, this is evidence that art can find you even when you're not looking!

As we soaked up the sunshine on the point, watching bubbles floating on the breeze (there was a woman sitting there blowing bubbles) we felt Two Lights is the perfect example of Maine, rocky coastline, beautiful ocean views, history, nature, friendly people, and a chance to explore. This one will no doubt continue to hold a spot in our Top 5 of the 52 for a good long time to come!

A Garden Park in Winter - Maudslay State Park

Yesterday's Estate, Today's Amazing Place to Wander

Tucker's Rating - 5 wags (we speak for him) This is a dog friendly park. Lots of fields to play in, water to get wet in, and squirrels and chipmunks to play with. We even saw a few dogs off leash, but remember it was the off-season. In the summer I've seen the park rangers threaten citations for unleashed dogs.

Admission Fee - free for the park itself, $2 to park your car. If you bring horses there is a field next to the parking lot to pull the trailers. Never had a problem parking here. Nice restroom open year round. But its the ONLY restroom available in the park so plan accordingly.

Accessibility - NOT ADA accessible. Healthy Heart Trail is considered moderate difficulty. There are a lot of rolling hills and fields, and very good pathways, but in winter they can be ice and snow covered, and in summer some areas are steep. Not sure you'd want to be pushing a stroller, wheelchair or using a walker through this park. Its very big (450 acres) and wild and there's little to no pavement.

Here we go again after quite a hiatus

Well, its been quite a while since we’ve been out on the road. Beth’s father took a turn for the worse in his battle with brain cancer shortly before Thanksgiving (just after our trip to Plymouth) and passed away the Sunday before Christmas. We treasured the time we had with him, and think the women who work at the Hospice House in Merrimack, NH are true angels! And one of the many truths Ed reminded us of as his time was passing was to get out and do things when you want. Don't put it off. He also told us to love each other and the people around us. You never know how much more time you’ll have and we know there were places and things he wanted to do (in addition to cleaning out the garage) which we decided do FOR him because he really wished he’d had that time.

Best Laid Plans of Mice and Women!
To start the year off we planned to go to Martha’s Vineyard's Manuel F. Correlus State Park to snow shoe. But the cost of the ferry ride and a hotel for a night, PLUS the iffy nature of this weekend’s weather had us thinking it might not be the best destination. Maybe next month (we’re putting it off for now but not forever!). Instead we chose Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, MA. This is another park we’ve been to numerous times, although I can’t remember ever going in winter. Nature definitely cooperated for the day and temps were between 40 and 50 degrees!!!! While boots were a necessity, a jacket really wasn’t. We’ve been out of hike mode for a while so forgot our walking sticks and binoculars, and only managed one camera but still it was a gorgeous day. My friend Jim joined us for the walk as well. I haven’t seen Jim in almost 30 years but we’d reconnected on Facebook and had been trying to figure out a time to meet and catch up! Awesome choice, because walks in the woods were something we'd shared back in college. We considered bringing Tucker but because of all the mud and possibility of snow, he stayed on the couch for the day. Good decision. While this is a park that dogs LOVE, Tucker is rather low-slung and would have spent the majority of the walk wet, cold and having to crunch through snow or slip across ice…. He’d definitely give the park 5 wags though, and we’ll be returning in the Spring WITH him most definitely. We give it 5 wags too. Great trails (though not marked the map is pretty easy to follow), really nice people, gorgeous views, and in summer lots of activities. In winter the one activity this park has listed on its calendar is Track-it! on February 15th. A park ranger teaches you about animal tracking, and then you head out into the park to seek out the tracks. Sandy Point State Park also has a program that weekend related to the Snow Owl so it might be a good option for President's Day weekend. In summer they have Theater in the Open, the Maudslay Arts Center featuring arts, dance and music, and more.

Following the Scout's Motto - Be Prepared!
SO with hikers specified, and the sun leading the way, we headed to Newburyport. Parking is plentiful and just $2 for the day. You have to buy a ticket at the kiosk and leave it on the dashboard. We gave our ticket to some other park visitors as we headed out since we HAD purchased a full day pass we weren't using.... sssshhhhhh.... don't tell! This park welcomes mountain bikers, horses, cross country skiers, snow shoers, dogs and just plain walkers like us.

In winter you may want to wear ice cleats on your shoes if you don’t do snow shoes or skis. We just did boots and my ankle is suffering for it. Parts of the park are gated off in winter to protect roosting bald eagles. This is a good thing because it is evidence that the Merrimack River has reached a point of "return" from its dirty past, and can now provide sufficient food to sustain these birds. Yay! We didn’t see any eagles but we DID see a flock of robins (does that mean spring is just around the corner, or did these guys buy a timeshare from the gaggle of Canada geese we saw hanging out on the river ice?).

This park does include a Healthy Heart Trail, although we’re thinking during the winter the “ease” of this trail may be somewhat impacted by ice and snow. There are many ponds, a few waterfalls, some amazing views of the Merrimack River, open fields, abandoned buildings, an old swimming pool, an entire forest of rhodendrons and azaleas, one of the largest stands of naturally occurring mountain laurels in MA (I don’t know if we saw those but we definitely saw the rhodendrons), and 19th century formal gardens. If you’re looking for a gorgeous place for an outdoor wedding, a place to play volleyball or cricket, or just have a relaxing picnic, this would be it! Again though, not in winter! :) Weddings and other large events require a special use permit.

There really wasn’t enough snow for snow shoes, but there was a beautiful hill that would have been perfect for sledding. As a matter of fact we heard kids enjoying it at the end of our walk. We were also followed by a labradoodle who found Beth far more exciting to walk with than her owners who were on skis. The park allows dogs on leash, however it is so large and open that I have frequently seen well behaved dogs allowed off leash. But as with all parks, dogs on leash are usually what's accepted. So you’re on your own with that issue. We wandered down by the waterfall and dam that leads out to the Merrimack River. Lots of ice piled up and we got some beautiful shots of the waterfall itself, partially frozen. Then we continued back up the hill and along the trail that follows the river. There is a VERY steep drop off to the river with no fence or railing so if you bring small children or adventurous kids (and this is the perfect park for kids to wander) be very careful near the edge of the trail. It’s a good 40 – 50 foot drop through brush to the water and there is no fast way to get down there for help unless you're a superhero. This trail features picnic tables and benches scattered around and something that we think was sculpture… kind of looks like waves, kind of looks like a sluice way from a drainage ditch. We didn’t arrive at any conclusions but took a picture anyway. There is a chain link fence at the end of this trail. One you COULD walk around easily since its just a fence on the trail itself, but we assumed it entered the area for bald eagles so we headed back up the hill.

A Bit of History - Turning an Old Estate into a Beautiful Park
The park itself is the former country estate of Frederick Strong Moseley, and was landscaped by Martha Brookes Hutcheson, one of the earliest female members of the American Society of Landscape Artists. Read more about it at the Park Association's site, or wikipedia even has some great history. It became a park in 1985. The trail we chose led us to the formal garden areas! There’s an amazing espaliered fruit tree there, some beautiful sculptured trees, and some old stairs, outbuildings, raised beds and more! This is an incredible place to get ideas for your home garden too. We’re going back in May/June to see the rhodendron and azalea blooming, and even in later June these gardens are gorgeous. Nice place for a Mother’s Day picnic.

Once we'd explored the gardens, we continued on and ended up in a big field overlooking the river. This is the location of one of the original houses, and you'll find remnants of the estate everywhere you look. Just a heads up for those looking to really walk the park. There is only one location with restrooms, and that’s the parking lot. It’s a long walk back, so hydrate accordingly! ‘nuff said!

Time to Eat!!!!
So by this time we’d walked about 2 hours (an hour longer than planned on) and decided it was time for lunch. We headed into downtown Newburyport and parked in the lot by the river which provided way more spaces than the parking lot next to the stores. Look for the parking kiosks again. A while ago this parking was free, but not anymore! $2 give you a couple hours to wander, or eat a relaxed lunch. We headed to the Grog which is a great place for a sandwich, a salad, or something more formal. I LOVED the shrimp BLT I had, and Beth and Jim seemed to have no problem finishing their lunches either. If you're looking for music, this place has live music in the evenings. Other places we’d recommend is The Black Cow, Mr. India, Ten Center Street, Michael’s Harborside, Szechuan Taste, and Caffé di Siena. Plenty of choices for coffee and a snack, a casual breakfast, lunch or dinner, or something fancier. You can even rent a lighthouse and have a gourmet dinner for two (a romantic idea but very pricy!). Basically you reserve the lighthouse and then select from a choice of area restaurants for the catering. Check out the lighthouse site here for more information. Can you tell we’re foodies ALONG with everything else? Maybe the next blog will be 52 restaurants…. We’ll see!

After a few hours for lunch, chatting and reviewing all our pictures we called it an afternoon and headed home. Hiking in winter is definitely a fun time. Calls for a bit more planning, but you really do get a sense of having the park to yourself. We’d recommend this one no matter the time of year! Followed by a trip to downtown Newburyport, or if you’re early enough, a trip out to Plum Island for the beach or another of our favorites, Sandy Point State Park! See you on the trails. Let us know if you want to join us on our next excursion!

A few other links:

Maudslay Park Association site
Adopt-an-Acre at Maudslay

Great Brook Farm State Park

Great Brook Farm State Park
Ice Cream, Horses, Dogs, what more could you want?

Pet Friendly – YES! Dogs and horses. Tucker gives this one 5 wags
Accessible – Yes, most dirt trails, but very even and while there is some steeper areas, parking lots are paved, and the trails to the picnic areas and the pond are an easy walk from that second parking lot (not the one next to the ski barn)
Special Note – This park includes a Healthy Heart Trail
Admission - $2 per car, other prices for students, seniors, etc

On Track with our 52!
We heard the day was going to be sunny but weren’t sure whether to take a longer drive, or stay close to home. It didn’t take long to decide, Beth’s Dad having just settled into his new space to finish up rehab, and our deciding to bring Lillian along for the trip, closer was better. And what better than to return to our local favorite, Great Brook Farm State Park, right in Carlisle, MA. Not more than a 20 minute drive from home. The other really great feature of this park is dogs are welcome!!!!! Tucker was wagging his little tailless butt in anticipation! A favorite park of his to meet other dogs, get patted and ooh and aahed at by little children, and LOTS of things to sniff! Any park with food, shade, water, picnic opportunities, trails and other dogs is a big deal in his book.

By late morning on Sunday, with temps edging into the low 80’s we decided to pick up a few sandwiches and drinks at a local butcher shop (our new favorite place to get sandwiches) and head over to the picnic area, then on to the trails. The Alpine Butcher in Lowell is a GREAT place to grab lunch! Right off the highway, and even on weekends they make custom wraps, plus have lots of great gourmet additions, salads, cheeses, wine, mustards…. Also a great place for meat and fish, and pre-marinated selections, we keep telling ourselves we’ll be back during the week on one of those “in a rush” evenings when we just need something ready to go.

A Park for All Seasons
Anyway, with sandwiches, drinks, and utensils now in hand, the four of us rolled on to Carlisle and Great Brook Farm. As we pulled past the main parking area up by the ski barn, we noticed the abundance of horse trailers. Did I forget to mention that not only dogs, but horses are also welcome… and mountain bikes, bocce, lawn bowling, and in winter snowshoeing and cross country skiing. The park has ski rentals in winter out of a big barn known as Great Brook Ski Touring Center, that usually also sells hot cocoa and has a nice fireplace going. Certain evenings during the week they offer skiing by lantern light, with kerosene lanterns lighting, what else, the Lantern Loop trail! The park also offers locally made ice cream (like 30+ flavors), and their own honey sold out of the dairy barn, where, in the spring, you can see the new calves and the milking room. Outside they have various farm animals to pet and feed including goats, pigs, calves, sheep and a random duck or chicken. They sell feed for the animals, and we’ve been at the park in the colder months to find some of these animals out enjoying the winter sun. The other nice touch is hand sanitizer so when you’re done petting and feeding you can get your hands cleaned up and ready for your ice cream. Picnic tables are plentiful up by the ice cream barn, and there are a few by the pond as well. If you want to bbq, check with the park ranger. We’ve done it on occasion, but fire dangers are real, so check first. The park also offers guided barn tours, and varied interpretive presentations about the wildlife, the farm itself, etc. Check their website for more information. Plus, they have a canoe put-in at one pond, so self-propelled water vessels (canoes, kayaks, etc) are welcome, but no swimming.

Back to our trip. We'd recommend you print a trail map at home since a number of times we've found that the Interpretive Center is out and the Park Ranger has none. Get one now! We pulled in through the second entrance and drove down the long entry to the next parking lot, smaller, and quite crowded, but its amazing how there’s always room for one more. Quite picturesque on this Sunday since the lot is backed up to a huge "If You Build It They Will Come" style corn field all fading golden in the September sun. The park offers plastic bags for dog owners in case you’ve forgotten yours. Special note - If you don’t like dogs, this is probably not the park for you since it seems every 2nd or 3rd visitor has at least one dog in tow. Tucker rates this park FIVE WAGS! Especially for the nice mowed grass fields and the shady spots to take a nap. But after settling Lillian in her folding chair near the pond for some peace and quiet we headed out to find “The City” historic site which is off the Garrison Loop and near the log cabin. Tucker looked longingly at a few shady nap spots, but he knew they’d be there when we got back.

A Few Missing Trail Markers
Unfortunately for us, we took the Pine Point Loop (really nice trail and well marked) through the forest on the other side of North Road from the ice cream barn. It leads you back out onto North Road which is VERY narrow and includes some turns that don’t allow oncoming cars to see you, so be very careful as you walk. Tucker stayed on the short lead. Thankfully cars drive slowly in this area. The unfortunate part though, is that we had to find the entrance to the Woodchuck Trail and we walked past one unmarked trail then continued on and on…. Poor Tucker’s tongue was hanging low. We hadn’t brought his water with us, and he would have NONE of the lemon Vitaminwater Beth offered. Eventually (about an hour into our walk) we decided that unmarked trail must have been the one we wanted so we headed back. Never got to the ruins or the log cabin, but now we know, take the unmarked trail! And next time we’ll find it. On the trip back Tucker’s tongue was dragging through the puddles! Note to self (and all you other dog owners) don’t forget the water!!!!! We walked through the field behind the ice cream barn on the way back and the smell of the hay, and warm pine needles was definitely a nice way to finish the day. We decided against an ice cream since the place was pretty crowded, but if you go, definitely take advantage. Its yummy!!! We then packed Lillan up, took advantage of the VERY nice public restrooms, and headed home.

Where To Go AFTER a Day at the Park
There are two great restaurants in the area that we’d recommend for dinner after a day at the park. More on the nice side than a quick lunch spot. Vincenzo’s is a really nice, smallish Italian restaurant. Unique dishes, GREAT Champagne POM fizzes and white peach sangrias, and their bruschetta of the day has never let us down. Its actually also a good place for kids. They’ve got these giant paintings on the wall, and in the rear room, the painting depict some very unique people. One evening Beth and I sat waiting for our meal and decided to make up stories about who these people were and what was going on in their lives. A bit of escapism from two women who have MORE than enough going on in our own lives! The second restaurant is right in downtown Chelmsford, Fishbones. An awesome seafood restaurant and fish market. Not sure I’d bring kids here, but they’ve got a menu that changes based on the market, nice seating outdoors in season (they’ve got heaters so the season lasts past summer and starts in late Spring!) and while it can be crowded, it is well worth the wait.

This week we’ve got Beth’s father starting radiation treatments, and my mother having her second surgery, so life will keep us busy for a bit yet, but we are determined to get back out on the trails and blogging again here soon! Let us know if you want to join us on the next adventure!