Stoughton MA trails

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.

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One of the first things I learned about the trails at Bird St. Park in Stoughton, MA was that the best parking is not on Bird St. It’s on West St. OK, got it. Now to get there and head out on the trail.

I joined the collaborators of the book, Easy Walks South of Boston, Marilyn and David Doré, to share a walk together on the wooded trails of this surprisingly quiet part of Stoughton. This park was included in our recently published book, Easy Walks South of Boston, yet another in the ongoing Easy Walks in… trail guide series that began with Easy Walks in Massachusetts. We headed out on a chilly morning. The bright sunshine and lack of wind made it a perfect day to get outside for a ramble.

The path that led directly from the parking area and playground was mostly smooth and quite wide. We encountered a former quarry site shortly after we started. An historical marker shared some stories about the extraction efforts undertaken at this location. It helped explain the broad trail, most probably a cart path used to transport quarried stone that was used to construct local and less local structures.

I had always thought of Stoughton simply as a congested town with an urban feel to its center. The traffic patterns that carry travelers through the center of Stoughton can be daunting. But while walking at Bird St. Park I was struck by the quiet. Little, if any, traffic noise. Yes, planes flew by and briefly interrupted the stillness—the flight path to Logan Airport in Boston goes right overhead Stoughton. But on the whole, our visit was surprisingly quiet.

Underfoot was a carpet of pine needles and fallen oak leaves. This time of year the thick leaf cover can make it harder to spot the occasional root or rock on the path. The tradeoff is that my feet were quite happy to stroll along on this cushion of leaf litter. The rustle of leaves was a welcome accompaniment to the stillness around us.

Dave and Marilyn had visited here many times—the park is quite near their home. They were eager to share stories about the area and describe experiences they had enjoyed on past visits.

Several ponds are located in the park, in some places right next to the path. These are small bodies of water and while other waterways are hosting mergansers, buffleheads and other transient waterfowl, I saw no migrating birds in the ponds. Regardless, it was enjoyable to take in the reflections on the still water.

After our stroll through Bird St. Park we stopped at nearby Glen Echo Pond just to enjoy the improvements of access in this historical spot next to a pond. Trails on the property head off into the woods from the parking area, but for Easy Walks it is better to simply walk about the open area next to the water. A boat ramp leads down to the water. It is much larger than the ponds at Bird St. Mallards swam along the edges of the water. Bedrock ledges are visible along the edges of the pond. Bright red oak leaves cast lovely reflections on the still water.

I was not sure what I would find on this, my first visit to open space in Stoughton. Marilyn and Dave did the initial field work for all the trails included in Easy Walks South of Boston. I had seen the photos they took and incorporated their field work into the book, but exploring a place in person is quite different from simply reading about it. I was grateful to be able to make the trip to Stoughton and enjoyed the time in the open air on paths that were gentle on my feet. Even better was the time spent with this intrepid couple. (Dave is legally blind: Marilyn offers guidance on their walks.) They made it possible for us to share another Easy Walks trail guide with those who long to get outdoors and need some support, some preparation, or some information about what they might find prior to heading out.

Bird St. Park (on West St.) is a great place to visit for a simple wander in the woods. The trails are clearly marked, easy to follow, and you are never very far from civilization, even though it won’t feel like it. Happy trails!

Marjorie

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors, and is the author of Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, More Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed, Easy Walks South of Boston and Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are. Her memoir, the backstory of Easy Walks, is My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Reclaiming hope in a world turned upside down.