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Bradley Palmer State Park
Asbury St.
Topsfield, MA 01983
(978) 887-5931
Topsfield, MA 01983
(978) 887-5931
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
3 reviews for Bradley Palmer State Park
I live on the North Shore, and I've only been here once. Yes, there probably is something wrong with me; It just hasn't been in my list of usual places to go for hikes and such. I went there today though, and had a beautiful walk in the woods and spent some time on Blueberry Hill at sunset in the meadow- it was spectacular.
So - perhaps I'll now come here more often for trail runs and hikes and update this review with more useful info.
FOr what it's worth today - it's got two main entrances - the Asbury street one has ample parking and the visitor center. There are a mix of single track trails, double trails, and unpaved roads - many of which are heavily used by the local equestrian set. It was dusk by the time I left, but the park was definitely being used - people walking their dogs, jogging, etc - though a good part of the time I had that very nice alone-in-the-woods feeling I was looking for.
So far so good, I'll be back.
People thought this was:
- Useful (4)
- Funny (1)
- Cool (3)
Fantastic place to take the fam for a picnic or just a little walk in the woods. The Ipswich river runs next to the park and there are numerous benches, perfect for a little canoodling with your sweetie or just relaxing. There are some really nice meadows too if you want a little sun and some peace and quiet. There's also a wading pool with a park for the kids and grills if you decide you want to cook up some burgers or dogs. If you've got one, there are also trails for horseback riding. Or you could rent a canoe from the Foote brothers and tour the river. Fun for everyone!
This was a weekend to get outside, and after biking the South Shore on Sunday, we decided to head North on Monday. Being that we have a parking pass for the Mass state parks, we used the list of parks to help us choose a location.
We packed a lunch, the bikes and a kite and hit the road. The drive was pretty quick, and the directions on the site got us there with no problems. As you enter the grounds there's free parking, but with a decent walk to main area. Otherwise, the parking up in the main grounds is $5.
The main area has a wading pool for the kids, bathrooms (and they were clean!), picnic tables and I believe a few grills. While the place was busy, it didn't feel that way at all.
We started out by hopping on the bikes for a ride. The trails were really nice, and again, even thought there were people there, you barely saw them. The difficulty level was better than the Fells as I wasn't battling a ton of tree roots (my bike and I are becoming better friends). There were some hills, but I only really struggled with one. And by struggled I mean I got off my bike and walked up it.
After the ride was lunch, and we had no problem grabbing a picnic table in the shade. It's just such a relaxing atmosphere there, and people really seem to do their part to clean up after themselves.
There's an open field that's great for flying kites. Although we did have the win for it, ours just didn't want to cooperate and kept nosediving!
Overall, this is the type of park i would frequent often if I lived closer. Even with the distance, I can see myself coming here again before the season ends. If you're looking for a relaxing day outside with the family, I highly recommend packing a picnic lunch and heading here.
People thought this was:
- Useful (2)
- Cool (1)