Myles Standish State Forest is a state forest located in the towns of Plymouth and Carver in southeastern Massachusetts, approximately south of Boston. It is the largest publicly owned recreation area in this part of Massachusetts and is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Description The forest is part of the Atlantic coastal pine barrens ecoregion and consists largely of pitch pine and scrub oak forests—at , one of the largest such forests north of Long Island. The forest surrounds 16 lakes and ponds, including several ecologically significant coastal kettle ponds.
Ecology Species commonly found in Southeast Massachusetts pine barrens:
Plants Trees Pitch pine Bear oak (scrub oak) Dwarf chestnut oak (scrub oak) Fruit-bearing Hillside and lowbush blueberry Black huckleberry Bearberry Birds'-foot violet Animals Birds Eastern towhee Eastern bluebird Pine warbler Prairie warbler Whip-poor-will Insects Persius duskywing (endangered) Frosted elfin Slender clearwing sphinx moth Barrens buck moth Melsheimer's sack-bearing moth Gerhard's underwing moth Barrens tiger beetle (endangered) Antlion Reptiles Northern red-bellied cooter Eastern box turtle Eastern hognose snake Mammals Fisher Deer Coyote
Activities and amenities Recreational uses include swimming, hunting, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and picnicking. Day-use areas are found at College Pond and Fearing Pond. Hunting is allowed during the season, and two Wildlife Management Areas within the forest are stocked with game birds in October and November. In the summer, the park offers interpretive programs, such as pond shore walks and cranberry bog explorations.
Trails The forest offers of paved bicycle trails, of horse trails, and of hiking trails. The "Bicycle Trails of Carver" were included in the Massachusetts Department of Travel and Tourism's list of 1000 great places in Massachusetts. Some popular trails in the park include Bentley Loop Trail, East Head Reservoir Trail, Friends' Trail, Charge Pond Loop Trail, Frost Pocket Loop Trail and Pine Barren's Trail.
Camping Camping is offered at five sites, four of which are located at ponds: Curlew Pond, Fearing Pond, Charge Pond, Barrett Pond. A portion of the Charge Pond area is set aside for equestrian camping.
Ponds The following table lists the ponds and recreational activities available at each in Myles Standish State Forest.
Pond name Size (acres) Maximum depth (feet) Location in forest Swimming Fishing Boating Remarks Barrett 1617Southwest Bumps 204EastNo accessNo accessNo access Charge 2317South Cherry 2-North-centralLALALA College 5324Central Curlew 4331Northwest Part of the pond is privately owned land. Doctors23SoutheastNFANFANFA East Head Reservoir8610SouthwestNPBoat onlyOwned by the Davison Partners. Property line is six rods (99 feet) from high-water mark. Fearing 2420South-central Grassy 3-SoutheastNPNPNP Hooper 3-North-centralNPNPNP Little College 3-North-centralNFANFANFA Little Widgeon 75NorthwestLALALA Manters Hole 2-NorthwestNPNPNP New Grassy 64SoutheastLALA New Long 236CentralNFA Rocky 2019NorthwestNFA Round1012CentralLALALA Three Cornered 144CentralLALALALocated northeast of New Long Pond and southwest of College Pond; water quality impaired due to non-native aquatic plants. Torrey 34CentralNPNPNP Widgeon 2412NorthwestNFA = FORMAL ACCESS is available for recreational activity. NFA = Recreational activity is permitted, but NO FORMAL ACCESS is available. LA = LIMITED ACCESS for low impact recreational use is permitted, sensitive pond shore habitat. NP = Recreational access NOT PERMITTED, habitat protection area.
Scouting Cachalot Scout Reservation, a Boy Scout camp, encompasses surrounding Five Mile Pond adjacent to Myles Standish State Forest. Camp Squanto is also located within Myles Standish State Forest as is Camp Wind-in-the-Pines, a girl scout camp.
Prison A state correctional facility, MCI - Plymouth, is also located in Myles Standish State Forest.
Incidents On May 14, 1977, according to the Plymouth Police Department records, Eric H. Anderson Jr. murdered Ruth Masters (née Ruth Rydberg), a teacher in nearby Hanson, Massachusetts, while she was riding her bike alone on an isolated trail in the park. He was later found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in Maine State Prison in Warren, Maine.
References
External links
Myles Standish State Forest Department of Conservation and Recreation Myles Standish State Forest Trail Map Department of Conservation and Recreation