Whether you’re a professional taking photos with a long lens or an enthusiast snapping pictures with your smart phone, the area around Buzzards Bay provides ample opportunities to get that perfect shot out in nature. Train your eye on varied habitats, fascinating wildlife, and colorful changing seasons at any of these great locations in the watershed — and be sure to tag us in any of those beautiful pictures that you share online!
The wildlife-rich forests and fields of East Falmouth's Frances A. Crane welcome hunters, hikers, bikers, and equestrians alike.
Size: 1,800 acres
Parking: Small pull-off on north side of Route 151 (western area); Large unpaved parking area at end of dirt road off Route 151 between Hamilton Tree and Allietta softball field (eastern area); Small unpaved parking area on Hayway Road (southern area)
Facilities: None
Parking: Small pull-off on north side of Route 151 (western area); Large unpaved parking area at end of dirt road off Route 151 between Hamilton Tree and Allietta softball field (eastern area); Small unpaved parking area on Hayway Road (southern area)
Facilities: None
Escape the crowds for windswept dunes and crashing waves at Little Compton's Goosewing Beach Preserve.
Size: 75 acres
Parking: Large paved lot at South Shore Beach; fee to park, Memorial Day – Labor Day
Facilities: Learning Center (seasonal)
Parking: Large paved lot at South Shore Beach; fee to park, Memorial Day – Labor Day
Facilities: Learning Center (seasonal)
Take in the sounds of frogs and singing songbirds in a former cranberry bog on the trails around Grassi Bog in Marion.
Size: 36.55 acres
Parking: Medium-sized unpaved parking area
Facilities: None
Parking: Medium-sized unpaved parking area
Facilities: None
This Bourne boat ramp is a great place to launch paddle crafts or small boats, as well as a popular fishing spot.
Parking: Small unpaved parking lot (space for 6-7 cars) on Little Sandy Pond Road
Facilities: None
Facilities: None
Great Rock Bight Preserve offers a secluded beach great swimming, sunbathing, surfcasting and sunsets, plus other habitat treasures.
Size: 28.5 acres
Parking: Medium-sized, unpaved parking area
Facilities: None
Parking: Medium-sized, unpaved parking area
Facilities: None
Walk through wetlands and a red maple forest with long ties to Marion’s history at Hagemann Woods.
Size: 23 acres
Parking: Small unpaved parking area (space for about 5 cars)
Facilities: None
Parking: Small unpaved parking area (space for about 5 cars)
Facilities: None
Take in scenic water and woodland views around the seven ponds of this wildlife management area in Rochester.
Size: 70 acres
Parking: Small unpaved parking area off Hartley Road (space for 3-4 cars)
Facilities: Canoe/Kayak Launch
Parking: Small unpaved parking area off Hartley Road (space for 3-4 cars)
Facilities: Canoe/Kayak Launch
Explore dense forests, forested wetlands, and wildflower-rich former farmland at Headwaters Conservation Area in Westport.
Size: 133 acres
Parking: Small unpaved parking area (space for 1-2 cars) off Blossom Road
Facilities: None
Parking: Small unpaved parking area (space for 1-2 cars) off Blossom Road
Facilities: None
An accessible boardwalk through diverse wetlands and forest holds outdoor adventures that people of all ages and abilities can enjoy.
Size: 168 acres
Parking: Large unpaved parking area next to the soccer field on Meetinghouse Lane; medium-sized unpaved parking area along West Main Road, just north of intersection with Treaty Rock Rd.
Facilities: Boardwalk, Trash
Parking: Large unpaved parking area next to the soccer field on Meetinghouse Lane; medium-sized unpaved parking area along West Main Road, just north of intersection with Treaty Rock Rd.
Facilities: Boardwalk, Trash
Explore a coastal salt pond and rolling glacial forests through Kelly Woodlands, a gateway to vibrant Cape Cod habitats.
Size: 3 acres
Parking: Small unpaved parking area (space for 4-5 cars)
Facilities: None
Parking: Small unpaved parking area (space for 4-5 cars)
Facilities: None
This pristine crescent of sand is a peaceful place for boaters to enjoy swimming, snorkeling, and beachcombing on private Naushon Island.
Facilities: None
Hike gentle inclines among whimsically twisted trees and glacial boulders at Falmouth's Kettle Holes Conservation Area.
Size: 220 acres
Parking: Small pull-off next to wastewater facility road (space for 1 car); large paved parking lot at the ice rink on Technology Park Drive
Facilities: None
Parking: Small pull-off next to wastewater facility road (space for 1 car); large paved parking lot at the ice rink on Technology Park Drive
Facilities: None
Escape the bustle of summer crowds on the quiet shores of Knowles Beach in Dartmouth.
Parking: Unpaved roadside parking along Smith Neck Road (space for 6-7 cars)
Facilities: None
Facilities: None
Find yourself immersed in nature along Fairhaven’s LeRoy L. Wood School Trail, designed to engage young explorers’ curiosity.
Size: 7.5 acres
Parking: Large paved parking lot in front of the school
Facilities: Benches
Parking: Large paved parking lot in front of the school
Facilities: Benches
Take a challenging hike up and down rocky hills within rich protected forest in Falmouth's Long Pond & Falmouth Town Forest.
Size: 585 acres
Parking: Two paved parking areas in Goodwill Park; two dirt pull-off areas along Brick Kiln Road
Parking: Two paved parking areas in Goodwill Park; two dirt pull-off areas along Brick Kiln Road
Pick fruit at the community orchard, explore the woods, or watch the river flow by at Mill Pond Conservation Area in Westport.
Size: 8 acres
Parking: Medium-sized unpaved parking area (space for 4-5 cars)
Facilities: None
Parking: Medium-sized unpaved parking area (space for 4-5 cars)
Facilities: None
Hike or bike up and down wooded hills scattered with boulders at Mock Moraine and Eaton Preserve in West Falmouth.
Size: 26.7 acres
Parking: Medium unpaved parking area at Swift Park; small unpaved parking area on Stagecoach Way
Facilities: None
Parking: Medium unpaved parking area at Swift Park; small unpaved parking area on Stagecoach Way
Facilities: None
Find a perfect summer beach day or ample year-round exploration on this secluded coast beneath Martha's Vineyard's Gay Head Cliffs.
Size: 17 acres
Parking: Large paved parking area on Aquinnah Circle
Facilities: Bicycle Rack, Benches, Restrooms (seasonal)
Parking: Large paved parking area on Aquinnah Circle
Facilities: Bicycle Rack, Benches, Restrooms (seasonal)
Catch a sunset or just breathe in the fresh air this flower-filled park on Mattapoisett Harbor.
Size: 1 acre
Parking: Metered street parking
Facilities: None
Parking: Metered street parking
Facilities: None
Adventurers of all ages can explore this small woodland, featuring a kettle pond ringed with rhododendrons.
Size: 2.67 acres
Parking: Street parking near Gaffney Road trailhead
Facilities: None
Parking: Street parking near Gaffney Road trailhead
Facilities: None
