Beartown State Forest

Coordinates: 42°14′00″N 73°16′28″W / 42.23333°N 73.27444°W / 42.23333; -73.27444
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Beartown State Forest
Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteBeartown State Forest
Hiker on the Appalachian Trail
View from The Ledges

Beartown State Forest is a publicly owned forest with recreational features located in the

Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
.

History

The forest was established with the state's purchase of 5000 acres in 1921. Forest roads were created by workers with the Civilian Conservation Corps beginning in 1933. Major CCC projects included the building of an earthen dam to create 35-acre (14 ha) Benedict Pond. The CCC camps were active here until 1940.[3]

Flora and fauna

Wildlife include

yellow birch. At East Brook, there are 12 acres (4.9 ha) of old-growth eastern hemlock and yellow birch.[4][5]

Activities and amenities

The forest has trails for horseback riding, mountain biking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and all-terrain vehicle use. A 1.7-mile (2.7 km) interpretive trail loops around Benedict Pond and a 7.5-mile (12.1 km) stretch of the Appalachian Trail passes near the pond and across the forest. Swimming, fishing, and a ramp for non-motorized boating are offered on Benedict Pond. There are also facilities for camping, picnicking and restricted hunting as well as handicapped-accessible beaches and restrooms.[2]

See also

  • List of old growth forests in Massachusetts

References

  1. ^ a b "Beartown State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ a b c d "Beartown State Forest". Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "The Civilian Conservation Corps: A Statewide Survey of Civilian Conservation Corps Resources". Prepared by Shary Page Berg (Beth McKinney, ed.) for the Massachusetts Office of Historic Resources. January 1999. pp. 77–79. Retrieved March 12, 2017.
  4. ^ Davis, Mary Byrd (January 23, 2008). "Massachusetts" (PDF). Old Growth in the East: A Survey. Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
  5. doi:10.1656/1092-6194(2006)13[495:NEOMOF]2.0.CO;2
    . Retrieved December 31, 2008.
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