Myles Standish State Forest: Friends Loop

This is the "signature hike" of MSSF's "Suggested Hikes and Rides." which "are recommended trail experiences that may be longer or more difficult, but that highlights some of the best features of this State Park."  It begins right by a modest-sized parking area at the east entrance to the forest, follows a paved cycling path for about a half-mile that parallels the road, and then turns off in a two mile loop through somewhat hilly white pine and pitch pine forest.

The trail guide says, "Distance: 3.3 miles,* Difficulty: Moderate Brief Description: Take the Frost Pocket Bike Path to the Friends’ Loop Trail. The trail is somewhat hilly, crossing a glacial moraine, and offers a number of excellent views through the tall pines."

I walked the trail on Sunday, after returning my youngest to the nearby scout camp following his day off.  It was a partly-cloudy, warm and somewhat humid afternoon, but not the "drippy" day I had anticipated.  In contrast to the narrower path around East Head Reservoir that I walked the day before, the unpaved loop here is a seldom-used vehicle track.  The path is generally well-blazed in blue paint, but at some forks I found myself reaching for my GPS app to decide which way to go.

 Bike path.

 Loop begins.

 Old vehicle track winds uphill and down.  

 A scrub oak--but which one?

Bear oak or scrub black oak is typical of dry situations.

The low, dense understory is bracken fern, huckleberry, lowbush blueberry, 

bayberry, sweet fern (a relative of bayberry rather than a real fern), and pitch pine.

Only a few huckleberries have ripened so far.  Lowbush blueberries are farther along.

*My GPS app recorded 2.5 miles, so maybe there's part of the loop I missed. 

Myles Standish State Forest: East Head Reservoir

My youngest is on staff at Camp Squanto, BSA, this summer, and our drive every Saturday and Sunday takes us through Myles Standish State Forest.  In the past, I've sometimes stopped to venture briefly into the forest to satisfy my curiosity, but until now have never gone farther.  

Today I headed for camp to pick my son a couple of hours early, and took in East Head Reservoir loop, of which the trail guide says, "East Head Reservoir Health Heart Trail. 2.5 miles* circling East Head Reservoir. This hike is an ideal introduction to the area. The trail hugs the shoreline of the East Head Reservoir for most of its length."  I'm glad I did!  I plan to walk or bike a different trail each time I go from now on.

The trail begins beside the map board at the edge of the parking lot at Headquarters, in South Carver at the end of aptly-named Cranberry Road.  It circles the pond counterclockwise (as the interpretive trail guide prefers), but I stumbled upon the "wrong end" and decided to walk it clockwise to avoid losing my limited time.  The pond appears natural, but it was created in 1868 as a source for irrigating nearby cranberry bogs.  The trail allows many views of the pond, most framed by trees that grow right down to the shore.

It was a bright, temperate morning with a hint of a breeze. 

 This tree and others along the trail may have been felled 

by the same nor'easter that took down trees around us.

A little peninsula takes you off the main trail for perhaps a tenth of a mile.

A breeze ruffles the gray birch.

In one place, there's a nice boardwalk, partly over Sphagnum bog.

   

 Gas line right-of-way.

 Most of the trail is like this: more or less level and easy to follow.  But it's narrow in places, 

there are tree roots to trip over, one or two fallen trees, and a few small hills.  

Small bridge with a view.

 The south end of the pond, near Forest Headquarters, is marshy.

Looking down the length of the pond from the weir that controls the pond level.

*The interpretive program leaflet itself calls the distance 2.8 miles, perhaps by including a detour along a peninsula that is worth the extra.  If you want to soak up your surroundings, or take photos, leave yourself at least two hours.