Myles Standish State Forest


Myles Standish State Forest is state forest located in the towns of Plymouth and Carver in southeastern Massachusetts, approximately 45 miles 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

Birds

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 fifteen miles of paved bicycle trails, thirty-five miles of horse trails, and thirteen miles 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.

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
Maximum
depth
Location in
forest 		Swimming Fishing Boating Remarks
Barrett1617Southwest
Bumps204EastNo accessNo accessNo access
Charge2317South
Cherry2-North-centralLALALA
College5324Central
Curlew4331NorthwestPart of the pond is privately owned land.
Doctors23SoutheastNFANFANFA
East Head Reservoir8610SouthwestNPBoat onlyOwned by the Davison Partners. Property line is six rods from high-water mark.
Fearing2420South-central
Grassy3-SoutheastNPNPNP
Hooper3-North-centralNPNPNP
Little College3-North-centralNFANFANFA
Little Widgeon75NorthwestLALALA
Manters Hole2-NorthwestNPNPNP
New Grassy64SoutheastLALA
New Long236CentralNFA
Rocky2019NorthwestNFA
Round1012CentralLALALA
Three Cornered144CentralLALALALocated northeast of New Long Pond and southwest of College Pond; water quality impaired due to non-native aquatic plants.
Torrey34CentralNPNPNP
Widgeon2412NorthwestNFA

= 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

, 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.

In the news

On May 14, 1977, according to the Plymouth Police Department records, Eric H. Anderson Jr. murdered Ruth Masters, 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.