Freetown- Fall River State Forest

Huge forest. The trails are not always well maintained but I kind of appreciate that type of trail. Wear boots and spray bug spray during tick season. They almost always are out of maps at the information center so print one before you go. It is a huge forest with lots of trails that aren’t on the map or properly marked so a compass and a map is a must. It’s also nice because I have GPS signal all throughout (I have Verizon) so if I decide to take a trail that isn’t properly marked I can always pop on the GPS if I need to bail out and «cheat» to find my way back. Haha its what I do when I’m hiking alone here. I spend many hours here. I find cool things, like beautiful butterflies, birds, frogs, feathers, and snakes. I’m including a few pictures i took here. I live in Fall River but I always park in the parking lot in Freetown on Slab Bridge Rd. And jump on the Massasoiette trail and wander from there. I’ve lived in Fall River most of my life. I can’t believe I only discovered this natural gem this year. I knew it existed but everyone always had bad things to say about it. I say give it a chance! It’s well worth it.

100% recommend the children’s Wading Pool! They have plenty of lifeguards on duty, the area is fenced, clean, and fun for the kids! And best of all it’s FREEEEE! They have picnic tables and grills just outside the wading pool, or just bring your blanket and some cold lunch and have your meal right on the grass in the pool area!

Oh man. We were having a great time until the puckwudgies arrived. My friends and I were driving along when we heard someone (or something) yell «Iotash!». Suddenly, my Subaru ‘s axel fell off. When I got out of the car I saw scratches on my car which could have only come from a puckwudgie spear. Nonetheless, we bought ice cream after so I can’t complain. We will be back with a net to catch the puckwudgies. This review would have received 5 stars if we saw Bigfoot.

Wide trails
and a
haunted rock
Freetown-​Fall River State Forest is a huge, 5,500 acre track of land that was acquired by the state in the 1930’s. It has a large picnic area, splash pool and public bathrooms by the parking lot and then offers trails going for miles in many different directions.
Many of the trails are really old wagon roads and are wide and easy. Other side trails are much smaller and more difficult with rocks, ruts and vast amounts of thorns and vicious plants guarding the small paths. You have a choice of what you wish to travel on. Many of the trails are marked and maps are available but since the area is so vast that getting lost or even very lost is always a possibility.
Many hikers and mountain bikers use this area all year long and in the winter I have seen cross country skiers, snowmobiles, snow shoers and even an occasion dog sledder. There is also some great fishing with nice brook trout in the streams. The area is so large that many people can do things without interfering with each other.
One of the special features of the park is Profile Rock, sometimes called the Old Man of Joshua’s Mountain. The is a cool looking rock that projects off a fifty foot outcropping. It sort of looks like a man’s strong profile and is said by the local Wamponoag Tribe to be the profile of the great sachem Massasoit.
Lots of ghost stories have been passed down during the decades and the image of a Wamponoag in full battle gear dancing on the top of the rock, ready to take his revenge on the atrocities and injustices that have been heaped upon his people, has been reported by many people. Lots of other strange noises, images and apparitions have also been claimed to be seen.
Unfortunately various idiots, dolts and simpletons have decided to honor the great chief by spraying graffiti and smashing glass bottles all around the rock. Other folks try to keep it clean but it is a never ending battle. Perhaps one day the fierce warrior in his battle gear really will return and get his revenge on the knuckleheads that still deface his memory. And perhaps that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.