In our quest to secure another stamp in our Massachusetts DCR Park Passport we decided to visit the DAR State Forest in Goshen. We were excited to check out the fire tower on site; however, when we arrived we discovered the road to the tower had been washed out in a recent storm. A ranger suggested we check out the accessible hiking trail along the lake shore instead (I had asked for an easy trail for little legs). Although we did not have a wheelchair to truly test out the trail, I did pull the emergency (aka crappy) umbrella stroller out of the trunk to test out the accessibility of this hiking trail.
Wow! What an awesome spot! The dirt-packed trail was truly easy to navigate with only a few rocks jutting out of the soil that you have to steer around, but nothing unmanageable. It is a lovely shaded walk under the tree canopy with lots of open views of the water. The trail is 1.1 miles in length, with a minimum width of 28". The trail ends on a paved road, so you could continue to explore along the driveway which leads to the campground and nature center. There are three accessible fishing spots along the trail with sturdy metal docks out to Upper Highland Lake. They seemed like excellent spots to cast from -- lots of open space with nothing to snag your line. Even if you're not looking to fish, the docks allow a lovely view of the water.
If you will be parking at DAR State Forest with a wheelchair, don't use the public beach parking lot (the first lot upon entry). Follow the driveway for a bit and watch for another paved parking lot on the left. This allows direct access to the trail head without having to navigate around the beach.
However, if hiking or universal access trails are not your interest, you should still plan a trip to the DAR State Forest for the swimming. Especially with little ones. The small, public beach is perfect for toddlers and preschoolers, but even the big kids and adults were having a ball in the water. The roped-off swimming area has life guards on duty through Labor Day. You can wade out and splash around on the clear, sandy lake bottom. Don't forget the sand toys -- excellent muddy castle-making is possible here. There are clean bathrooms at the beach entrance for changing and it is a very short walk from the parking lot to the beach. Although I did not see it when we were there, the brochure states that a beach wheelchair is available for use on the main beach. You can ask park staff for assistance.
To head to DAR State Forest, set your GPS to 78 Cape Street, Goshen, MA. Parking fee is $8, or you can also borrow a MA State Parks Pass from your local library, which grants free parking. Enjoy!
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