Kaiya and I finally made it out yesterday on a 10 mile hike through Freetown State Forest, Massachusetts. The day was perfect, 65F, sunny, no wind and plenty of pleasant people. I would like to thank the Trusties of Reservations and DCR for putting on this 22nd yearly event.
Ready for photos? Here we go!
After walking a mile through the woods we end up on Slab Bridge Road. About 100 people attended, almost half completed the walk. There was 4 pick-up sites that were 2-3 miles apart and there was a couple people in the back to pluck the markers off the trees and to look for lost people. Five did get lost, 2 sets of 2 got lost twice. I caught a woman who was going to wander into a swampy area alone. She was following a construction marker, it was the 3rd error she made. She left at the 3rd pick-up site.
Almost half way into the hike is a huge ledge with this man made pond. At one time it was a quarry and the rocks were used to build Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island, New York State House and mills in New Bedford for some examples. Divers have not made it to the bottom but it is expected to be 80 feet deep. There are several cars that have been driven off the ledge, that is now blocked off to traffic, and several people have jumped to their death. The Wampanoag believe the Pukwedgies, (a 2 to 3 foot tall troll) pushed the people to their deaths.
The top of The Ledge. Lunch time and time to take 5. I have on the green backpack with the white dog in the center of the photo.
When you leave The Ledge you walk a short ways down a dirt road and you then come to Wampanoag Path. This is a unique pathway since it has plush pine on each side and you have to walk hunched over since it is think through here. There was a lot of leap frogging over fallen trees also. The ground had a lot of sand in this area.
Here is another ledge. It was a bit of a hike to get here. Very rocky, a little bit of a roller coaster walk, lots of down trees, cricks and puddles. A month of rain didn't help but Kaiya and I don't mind walking in water, actually we find it to be fun and she can lap and walk at the same time so she is getting her fluid intake. I believe this is the ledge where they have had UFO sightings that can not be explained. We are now about 7 miles into the looped hike. Since we really enjoyed the last 3 miles I think we will be back shortly and hike this again, this time in reverse and get back to this point and grab more photos.
Serenity Now!
Swamp on each side of the road, yep, now back on tar. On the opposite side is where the lady was going to drift alone. This may be the approximate area where a Big Foot type creature has been seen a couple of times along with strange lights and orbs. The Wampanoag's believe they are disturbed spirits but it is probably a form of swamp gas.
Doctor Durfee Mill Pond. I can not find out who Doctor Durfee is but I suspect he had a home nearby. On the lower bottom of the photo is a man-made foot bridge so you pass over the waterfall that forms Rattlesnake Brook. To the left side there was a grist mill, then a saw mill from the 1700's into the 1800's and lastly, in mid-1800's an acid mill began. I don't know when it stopped production. We saw birds and so many bullfrogs and peepers, oh my, so loud. You can not sleep here at night but it was plenty pretty enough to stay for a nice lunch with the sounds of creatures and water.
The last piece of one of the mills, most likely the acid mill.
Rattlesnake Brook Foot Bridge with the waterfall and brook to the right and the pond to the left.
I thought this was a sacrificing stone but was stood corrected and was told the Wampanoag's didn't practice sacrificing rituals that it may be some form of a ceremonial stone. A must have taken photo was just before this and a reason why we must go back. Two rocks were perfectly cut out of a section of rock wall and had a rock foot ledge and it is the area were the white settler's had a colony. All through this area is property rock boundary "fences". We are now 8 miles into the hike.
Due to the continuous rainfall the trail is flooded. By this time I am more than tired of puddle jumping and only had about 2 miles left so I decided to just walk right through the middle of it, some of it was 8 inches deep. Two men were photoing us. I sure wish I had those photos! The water is still ice cold, but was refreshing and FUN! Thank goodness I decided to wear my best $40 mid-weight hiking socks because my feet felt dry, warm and not a blister in site since the water went over the top of the boot this time. I will have to go back to EMS and grab another pair. I forget the brand, I believe only EMS sells them (Eastern Mountain Sports Store).
The last 2 miles there are many cairns. I added a stone to one.
Kiaya is finally knackered, unbelievable. For about 1 1/2 miles, 8 1/4 miles into the trip, she was picking up scent and/or sound and aft a bit she gave chase into the woods and stopped upon command and came back. She saw something and it was not a bunny or a deer. It seems like a coyot was following us. I thought the coyotes would be hiding since so many people went through the area today. We was in the back, among the last 12 or so.
9 1/2 miles into the hike and I see bloomed flowers. There was only a handful of these beautiful plants. I still have to research the species. Violet family?
We sure hope you enjoyed the stories and photos and if you are ever in Massachusetts please take a hike through this wonderful state park. And in mid-May they stock Doctor Durfee Mill Pond with trout. With over 50 trails you can't go wrong and it is great for any age. At the entrance in Freetown they have picnic tables with charcoal grills and a wading pool with restrooms.
Here is a couple of links that may be helpful to you and also give you map links:
http://www.neparanormalresearch.com/hauntedhistory.htm
http://www.greenfutures.org/projects/green/biofacts.html
I love the colors of this kitchen towel and must purchase one myself. It is so vibrant.
Variegated Purple Aster Flower Kitchen Towel
http://www.zazzle.com/variegated_purple_aster_flower_kitchen_towel-197298177075179907
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