TAUNTON – Looking for the best places to see fall leaves without traveling to northern New England? Watching the leaves change from green to red, yellow and orange is a rite of passage for people living in New England and you can see those vibrant colors locally.
There are many great places near Taunton where you can observe the changing of the seasons, from autumn to winter. We’ve put together a list of six of the best places to visit before the leaves completely fall from the trees.
Here are six local spots to check out.
The Boyden Wildlife Refuge features numerous hiking trails, views of the Three Mile River, and plenty of places to catch a glimpse of the fall leaves.
On Saturday, October 19 at 11 a.m., the Friends of Boyden Refuge will host a free Salamander Search Party where participants will learn more about salamanders. More information can be found on the group’s Facebook page.
Parking for Boyden Wildlife Refuge is available at 1298 Cohannet St. in Taunton.
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Massasoit State Park is a great place to see fall leaves, as well as cranberry bogs, another Massachusetts fall attraction.
Parking is available at 1361 Middleboro Ave., Taunton. The park is open from sunrise to sunset.
The park features numerous trails and lake views, where you can catch glimpses of the tree leaves reflecting in the water.
Dighton Rock State Park is known as a great picnic location, but it’s also a good place to watch trees change their leaves from green to bright red, orange and yellow.
Parking is available on 3rd Avenue in Berkley. From there, tree-lined paths lead to the River Taunton.
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There’s nothing like the view of a pond surrounded by trees in the fall.
Pratt Farm in Middleboro features a beautiful loop trail that loops around a pond, where visitors can see trees reflected in the water.
There is a small parking lot at 110 East Main St., Middleboro.
Borderland State Park, a hiker’s paradise, located at 259 Massapoag Ave. in Easton, features more than 20 miles of trails ranging from easy to difficult.
The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation recommends leaf-gazers take Pond Walk Loop for an easy 3.1-mile woodland hike throughout the property. Route maps can be downloaded online.
Guided walks of two to four miles are also held every Thursday in October from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Interested participants can meet at the visitor center.
The park is open every day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Parking is available for a fee at the entrance to the park.
The Great River Preserve, located at 1025 Auburn St. in Bridgewater, is the perfect place to enjoy the fall colors of the pine and oak forests that line the Taunton River.
Head to the viewing platform along Auburn Street for views of the river and try to spot some of the rare species that call the reserve home, including the eastern box turtle.
Don’t miss the additional trails in the 349 hectare Taunton River Wildlife Management Area, which abuts the reserve to the east and west.
Parking is available on Auburn Street.
This article originally appeared in The Taunton Daily Gazette: Parks in the Taunton area have autumn leaves. Here’s how to visit them.
