Bristol Blake State Reservation
🏆 Norfolk Wetland — 141-acre wetland reservation in Norfolk with boardwalk trails through Atlantic white cedar swamp Bristol Blake State
Brook Farm Historic Site
🏆 Transcendentalist Utopia — Site of the 1841–1847 Brook Farm utopian community — where Hawthorne, Emerson, and Thoreau debated paradise
Camp Nihan Environmental Education Camp
🏆 Urban Environmental Ed — Environmental education camp in Saugus providing outdoor learning for Boston-area students Camp Nihan Environmental Education
Canalside Rail Trail
🏆 Industrial Revolution Trail — Rail trail along the historic Turners Falls Canal — America’s first navigational canal (1798!) Canalside
Chestnut Hill Reservation
🏆 Emerald Necklace Gem — 120-acre reservoir park in Newton/Brighton — part of Boston’s legendary Emerald Necklace park system Chestnut
Elm Bank Reservation
🏆 Garden Paradise — 182-acre reservation on the Charles River featuring the Massachusetts Horticultural Society gardens Elm Bank Reservation covers
Federated Women’s Club State Forest
🏆 Women’s Conservation — State forest donated by the Massachusetts Federation of Women’s Clubs in the 1920s — early environmental
Fort Revere Park
🏆 Harbor Defense — Revolutionary War and WWII fortification with panoramic views of Boston Harbor Fort Revere Park preserves military
Gardner Heritage State Park
🏆 Chair City Heritage — Heritage state park celebrating Gardner’s industrial history as the “Chair City of the World” Gardner
Georgetown-Rowley State Forest
🏆 North Shore Forest — 1,112-acre mixed forest on the North Shore with trails through pine and wetland Georgetown-Rowley State
Granville State Forest
🏆 Western MA Wilderness — 2,426-acre forest in the Berkshire foothills with a stunning gorge and waterfall Granville State Forest
Hammond Pond Reservation
🏆 Newton Suburbia Oasis — 113-acre wooded oasis next to the Chestnut Hill Mall in one of Boston’s most affluent
Jug End State Reservation and Wildlife Management Area
🏆 Berkshire Crown Jewel — 1,158 acres of pristine Berkshire meadows and summits with AT views — one of MA’s
Kenneth Dubuque Memorial State Forest
🏆 Berkshire Wilderness — 7,882-acre state forest with the highest trail in the Berkshires and spectacular fire tower views Kenneth
Lake Lorraine State Park
🏆 Community Lake — Community swimming lake and park in Springfield’s neighborhood Lake Lorraine State Park provides a community beach
Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest
🏆 Merrimack Valley Forest — 1,100-acre tri-town forest along the Merrimack River — Mill City heritage meets nature Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State
Lower Neponset River Trail
🏆 Urban River Revival — 3.5-mile trail along the revitalized Neponset River — from industrial wasteland to urban greenway Lower
Lynn Heritage State Park
🏆 Shoe Capital Heritage — Heritage park celebrating Lynn’s history as the “Shoe Capital of the World” Lynn Heritage State
Lynn Shore Reservation
🏆 North Shore Promenade — 2-mile oceanfront promenade along Lynn Shore Drive with sweeping views of Nahant Bay Lynn Shore
Mahican-Mohawk Trail
🏆 Ancient Native Highway — Historic trail connecting the CT River valley to the Atlantic — traveled by Mahican and
Manuel F. Correllus State Forest
🏆 Martha’s Vineyard Forest — 5,343-acre state forest in the center of Martha’s Vineyard — protecting the island’s unique sandplain
Mass Central Rail Trail—Wayside
🏆 Cross-State Rail Trail — Multi-section rail trail spanning central MA — part of an ambitious coast-to-border trail vision Mass
Middlesex Fells Reservation
🏆 America’s First Public Forest — 2,575 acres just 6 miles from Boston — one of the oldest public forests
Mount Everett State Reservation
🏆 Southern Berkshire Summit — 1,606-foot summit with some of the finest views in southern New England — AT and
Mount Grace State Forest
🏆 Fire Tower Summit — 1,617-acre forest with a restored fire tower offering 360° views of the North Quabbin highlands
Mount Greylock State Reservation
🏆 HIGHEST POINT IN MASSACHUSETTS — 3,491 feet! The only subalpine ecosystem in southern New England — Veterans Memorial Tower,
Mount Sugarloaf State Reservation
🏆 Connecticut Valley Overlook — Volcanic summit overlooking the Pioneer Valley — one of the most photographed views in New
Myles Standish Monument State Reservation
🏆 Pilgrim Monument — 116-foot granite monument on Captain’s Hill honoring Myles Standish — military captain of Plymouth Colony Myles
Mystic River Reservation
🏆 Urban River Park — Linear park along the Mystic River through Boston’s inner suburbs — greenway connecting communities Mystic
Nahant Beach Reservation
🏆 Causeway Beach — Scenic beach on the Nahant peninsula connected to Lynn by a dramatic mile-long causeway Nahant Beach
Nantasket Beach Reservation
🏆 America’s Oldest Public Beach — Nantasket Beach — one of the oldest public beaches in America with over a
Nashua River Rail Trail
🏆 Premium Rail Trail — 12.5-mile paved rail trail from Ayer to Nashua, NH — one of New England’s top
Nasketucket Bay State Reservation
🏆 Buzzards Bay Cove — Scenic reservation on Nasketucket Bay overlooking Buzzards Bay and the Elizabeth Islands Nasketucket Bay State
Neponset River Reservation
🏆 Boston’s River Revival — 740-acre greenway along the Neponset River — Boston’s most ambitious river restoration project Neponset River
Norwottuck Rail Trail
🏆 Five College Trail — 10-mile paved rail trail connecting Northampton and Amherst — “Five College” region’s premier bike path
Pope John Paul II Park Reservation
🏆 Urban Transformation — 72-acre riverfront park in Dorchester built on a former landfill — named for Pope John Paul
Quabbin Reservoir
🏆 MA’s LARGEST Body of Water — 412-billion-gallon reservoir created by drowning 4 entire towns — Boston’s water supply and
Quincy Quarries Reservation
🏆 Quarry Turned Climbing Mecca — Flooded granite quarries transformed into rock climbing destination — 300 years of quarrying history
Quincy Shores Reservation
🏆 South Shore Beach — Public beach and promenade on Quincy’s scenic waterfront Quincy Shores Reservation provides public beach access
Revere Beach Reservation
🏆 America’s FIRST Public Beach — Established 1896, Revere Beach is the oldest public beach in the United States! Revere
Rumney Marsh Reservation
🏆 Urban Salt Marsh — 600-acre salt marsh in Saugus/Revere — the largest remaining salt marsh in Boston Harbor Rumney
Sandisfield State Forest
🏆 Berkshire Swimming Hole — 9,533 acres with York Lake beach and spectacular Berkshire fall foliage Sandisfield State Forest covers
Southern New England Trunkline Trail
🏆 Cross-State Rail Trail — 22-mile rail trail from Franklin to the CT border — one of the longest in
Southwest Corridor Park
🏆 Freeway That Never Was — 4.7-mile linear park through Boston built on the route of a cancelled highway —
Spencer State Forest
🏆 Central MA Forest — 963-acre state forest in Spencer with hiking and wildlife Spencer State Forest covers 963 acres
Sudbury Reservoir
🏆 Hidden Reservoir — 2-billion-gallon reservoir surrounded by protected watershed — Boston’s backup water supply Sudbury Reservoir is a 2-billion-gallon
Tolland State Forest
🏆 Island Camping Paradise — Otis Reservoir island camping and boating in the Berkshire hills — MA’s best lakeside camping!
Upper Charles River Reservation
🏆 Charles River Greenway — Linear greenway along the upper Charles River through Milford, Holliston, and Sherborn Upper Charles River
Wachusett Reservoir
🏆 65 Billion Gallons — Massive reservoir supplying 2.2 million people — MA’s second-largest body of water with 37 miles
Ware River Watershed Area
🏆 Quabbin’s Guardian — 23,000-acre protected watershed feeding the Quabbin Reservoir — one of the most restricted natural areas in