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.