First we feast — then we digest.
Once you’ve stuffed yourself into a food coma with way too much turkey, mashed potatoes and cornbread on Thanksgiving, the best way to start feeling normal again is to get some fresh air and walk it off.
Or, if you’re preparing some room for pie, a brisk walk in the woods before the feasting begins is the perfect way to work up an appetite.
Either way, you literally can’t spell “Thanksgiving” without “hiking” (try it). Besides the health benefits, it’s mentally healthy too: Greater Fall River’s peaceful woods look gorgeous this time of year.
Here are 10 places to take a walk this holiday.
Quequechan River Rail Trail: Fall River
Length: 2 miles
Difficulty: Very easy
For those worried about getting lost in the woods, try an urban hike, with a smooth paved path from Britland Park all the way to the Westport border by South Watuppa Pond. The segment by the pond has particularly pretty views. Either leave your car at Britland Park or find a spot along Martine Street.
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A rough stone wall on the Tattapanum Trail in Fall River.
Tattapanum Trail: Fall River
Length: 1.3 mile
Difficulty: Easy
This path is a simple loop on the northwest corner of the North Watuppa Pond. Besides the foliage, you’ll find the remants of old stone walls. Park along the edge of Wilson Road and you’ll find a sign for the trail on the road’s north side, just before you reach the Watuppa Pond causeway.
A woman walks through the field at the Mass Adubon’s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Westport.
Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary: Dartmouth
Length: three trails of different lengths, 9 miles total
Difficulty: Easy
With three hiking trail groups spanning more than 600 acres of protected beaches, fields, forests, and salt marshes, Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary is a destination for those who love to explore wild, diverse habitats. Park at the Beach Loop trailhead at 1280 Horseneck Road, Dartmouth, near the Bayside Restaurant.
Herb Hadfield Conservation Area: Westport
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
This 150-acre parcel has easy access, well-maintained trails, and beautiful boardwalks. The trail passes through forests, meadows, and wooded wetlands along Angeline Brook. Park at 364 Adamsville Road, or 255 Cornell Road, Westport.
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Dr. Durfee’s Mill Pond: Fall River
Length: 3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
A 3-mile loop that starts near the mill pond on Dr. Nathan Durfee’s old property. Get there via Freetown’s High Street, which turns into Bell Rock Road. Leave your car in the parking lot on Bell Rock Road and walk about a mile south to the trailhead, or drive closer to the trailhead and leave your car along the side of the road — to find the trailhead, look for a tree sign marked “DD1.”
A walker along the Farmsite Loop at the Simmons Mill Pond Management Area in Little Compton, Rhode Island.
Simmons Mill Pond: Little Compton, R.I.
Length: two trails, combined 2.75 miles
Difficulty: Easy
There are two lovingly maintained loops, the Farmsite Loop and Amy Hart Loop, which pass through the remnants of an old farm. There are plenty of signs to guide first-time visitors along the route. Find the start of the Farmsite Loop at the parking area on 206 Coldbrook Road.
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Headwaters Conservation Area: Westport
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
This quiet, hidden gem in Westport takes visitors to the headwaters of Bread and Cheese Brook. Along the way is a stand of white pines. There’s a very small parking area at 187 Blossom Road — approach from Old Fall River Road in Westport.
A view of The Ledge in Freetown and the quarry pond, as seen from Lower Ledge Road.
The Freetown Ledge: Freetown
Length: 3 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
A 3-mile loop that takes you on both the upper and lower ledge roads around the old quarry pond. Approach from Freetown’s High Street, which turns into Bell Rock Road. Park on Bell Rock Road near a gate marked Ledge Road, or use the parking lot just a quarter-mile south.
Village Park loop: Swansea
Length: 2.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
This scenic trail around the perimeter of Village Park can be a little tricky to follow, since there are many winding trails in between that explore the 69 acre parcel, with side trips to features like Abrams Rock, Wildcat Rock and several manmade bridges. Park and find the trailhead behind Swansea Town Hall, 81 Main Road.
Ready for a challenge? Fall River’s 20-mile Loop Trail is calling
Hikers enjoy a trail in the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve in Fall River, on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022.
Bioreserve Loop Trail: Fall River
Length: 20 miles
Difficulty: Very hard
Ready for a major challenge? The granddaddy of hikes through Fall River’s forested eastern half will take visitors through all kinds of terrain, for a complete tour of the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve. Don’t take this one lightly — it’ll take about seven hours or more, and once you’re out there, you’re mostly on your own. But if you accept the challenge, you can find parking at 2400 Blossom Road.
Material from a story by Faith Harrington was used in this report.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: 10 places to take a hike in Greater Fall River this Thanksgiving