Almost 10 miles of wide, family-friendly carriage paths provide a captivating environment for walking, exploring, and nature watching.
Plan Your Visit
- Overview
- Ideas for Your Visit
- Admission & Hours
- Directions & Contact Info
- Facilities & Accessibility
- Venue Rental
- Property Map
- Regulations & Advisories
Overview
Appleton Farms Grass Rides was originally designed for horseback riding. Like a wagon wheel, five “rides”—an English term for carriage path—meet in a central clearing called the “Roundpoint,” where a large granite pinnacle salvaged from the demolition of the former Harvard College Library (and one of four pinnacles on the property) stands as a silent sentry.
The landscape here is comprised of forest, open fields, and wetlands. On the uplands, you’ll find secondary growth forest, interspersed with small fields.
Ideas for Your Visit
From the Pigeon Hill overlook, take in a panoramic view of the entire pasture and the site of another pinnacle salvaged from Harvard.
Wetlands found on the Grass Rides are part of the watershed for the Miles and Ipswich Rivers. Look for the stone culverts and bridges that still work to maintain the existing wetland habitat.
Admission & Hours
Members park for free. Nonmembers: $6 parking fee.
Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1 hour, 3 hours if also visiting Appleton Farms.
Directions & Contact Info
Highland Street
South Hamilton, MA 01982
Telephone: 978.356.5728
E-mail: appletonfarms@thetrustees.org
Get directions from Google Maps
From Route 128. Take exit 45B and follow Route 1A North toward Hamilton for approximately 2.5 miles. Turn left onto Arbor Street (by First Church in Wenham and Wenham Town Hall). Continue on Arbor Street for approximately .6 miles. Arbor Street becomes Highland Street. Continue on Highland Street for approximately 3 miles. The Appleton Farms Grass Rides parking lot is located .1 miles past Cutler Road. The parking lot is located on your right.
Facilities & Accessibility
Bathroom facilities are not available at the Grass Rides but are available in the Carriage Barn at Appleton Farms.
Accessible parking spots at both the Old House/Farm Offices and the Grass Rides. There are signs posted designating those parking spots. There are two of them at the Old House, right along the side of the building, close to the side door, and one of them at the Grass Rides, right near the pay station location.
Venue Rental
Appleton Farms is an exceptional venue for weddings and other private events. Please contact us at appletonfarms@thetrustees.org for more information.
Property Map
Free trail map distributed from bulletin board in the parking area. Please understand that supplies periodically run out.
We recommend that you take a photo of the map on your phone so you can refer to it during your visit, or download a trail map before you head out.
Regulations & Advisories
We want everyone to experience and enjoy the Appleton Farms Grass Rides. To protect the Grass Rides for years to come, we ask everyone to follow a few guidelines and regulations while visiting the property:
- Due to the softness of trails and sensitive wetland vegetation, horseback riding is NOT permitted in Appleton Farms Grass Rides.
- Mountain biking is permitted only on designated trails. Trails are closed to mountain bikes March 1 – April 30 to preserve trails during mud season.
- Dogs are allowed off-leash (but under voice control) except in Lamson Field, where dogs must be leashed.
- Please observe all posted signs.
- Authorized seasonal bow hunting is allowed on this reservation with written permission for a limited number of hunters through a deer management program administered by The Trustees. Per MassWildlife regulations, hunting is permitted from the first Monday in October through December each year, from ½ hour before sunrise all day until ½ hour after sunset, Monday through Saturday. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays. Signage is posted at the property listing safety precautions and requirements. Learn more about hunting on Trustees properties. Any questions may be directed to The Trustees at info@thetrustees.org.
- PHOTOGRAPHY: We ask that photographers or their clients become Supporting Level Members before conducting portrait sessions at this property. Click here for more information, and to request permission for any portrait sessions. The Trustees of Reservations reserves the right, and may give permission to its designated photographers and videographers, or to outside media, to photograph or video visitors and program participants at all its facilities and properties.
