As we expressed in the first post in our two-part blog series about South Shore Local treasures, we are truly blessed to have so many of what we like to call “local treasures” on the South Shore.

Our first South Shore Treasures blog post focused on cultural activities and events — think yummy food, great outdoors music, and more!

So, here we go with Part 2, which focuses on South Shore spring and summer nature activities and events!

Local Treasures on the South Shore: Nature

Beaches, marshes, and rolling hills characterize the beloved landscape of our South Shore. While we’re close to the metropolitan area of Boston, there are still plenty of beautiful places to enjoy nature. Whether you like fishing, walking, hiking or biking, there’s a place for everyone in the outdoors.

Plymouth: Explore the site of the largest freshwater ecological restoration project in the Northeast at Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary. What was once a 481-acre cranberry farm is now a permanently protected natural resource. You can see a brand new pollinator garden, attend a program, or walk through the marsh on 3 miles of maintained trails.

Quincy: The Saltmarsh Trail is a half mile self-guided nature walk designed to highlight major plant and animal species in the marsh. It leads to a cemetery overlooking the bay. Another short trail is the Red Diamond Trail at Faxon Park. It’s a good walk for families, with a playground at the entrance and stone benches for resting or picnicking along the trail. Also in Quincy is the waterfront park at Squantum Point, a former naval field with views of the Boston skyline. It’s now a popular spot for birdwatching.

Braintree: Pond Meadow Park (which has entrances in both Braintree and Weymouth) has 2 miles of paved trail on 320 acres of land. The diverse landscape of ponds, streams, meadow, forest, and marsh is a popular place for jogging, biking, fishing, camping, kayaking, and canoeing. A wide paved loop circles around a pond, providing beautiful views of the water. You can find old stone walls and glacial erratic boulders scattered throughout the woods. In terms of wildlife, there are turtles, migrating birds and plenty of fish species.

Hanover: 40-acre athletic complex, Forge Pond Park offers athletic fields and 6.5 miles of wooded trails for walking and running. A 1-mile paved trail is ideal for biking with small kids and wheelchair use. A gravel boat ramp at the back of the lot provides access to Forge Pond for a quiet paddle. Luddams Ford Park includes 22 acres of trails maintained by the Hanover Conservation Commission and a dam which was once used to power several mills once located here. Now, it forces salmon to climb a fish ladder to swim upstream to spawn. A nearby pond offers catch and release fishing, and small launch for kayaks and canoes. Hungry? Bring lunch! There’s also a picnic area overlooking the river.

Kingston: Maple, cedar and pine trees surround the marsh at The Nook Preserve in Kingston. At the mouth of the tidal Jones River, this nature preserve was once a location for Wampanoeg and Patuxet tribes’ summer encampments. European immigrants then used it for livestock pasture, so the land is criss-crossed by stone walls. You can also launch kayaks and canoes at the nearby Mulliken’s landing.

Weymouth: King Oak Hill Park features views of the Boston skyline and a quarter mile paved loop makes for easily-counted laps. Stroller and wheelchair friendly, the park’s total area clocks in at 24 acres. It’s built on what was once an important junction and hunting lookout for Wampanoag people. Check out other Weymouth park favorites of a devoted South Shore walker. And added to our list on 3/28/2024, Heritage Park – a great place to learn about, and feel like you’re living/experiencing Weymouth’s great history!

South Shore Nature and South Shore Ice Cream:

What’s not to love about pairing exercise in nature with ice cream? Check out this great blog post from another Local Treasure, North and South Rivers Watershed Association, on how to get your nature and ice cream fixes simultaneously!

We hope you can find time to get outside and relax in the parks, preserves, and trails in your town/city and beyond!

We also hope South Shore residents consider us here at South Shore Roofing one of the South Shore’s #localtreasures! We’ve got a long, rich history of meeting the roof repair and roof installation needs of both South Shore business owners and residents.

As with getting out and about, spring and summer are the perfect time to have your roof repaired or replaced, so reach out now to see how our team of roofing experts can be of service!