After a long week of planning, cooking, and indulging in your Thanksgiving feast, you might find yourself feeling a bit carb-loaded with a lingering sugar rush.
Instead of giving in to the turkey’s tryptophan and drifting into an afternoon nap, it’s the perfect time to create even more family memories with an after-dinner hike.
With autumn leaves painting the region in golden hues and the brisk air revitalizing your senses, you can explore Greater New Bedford while walking off some of that delicious holiday meal.
It’s a refreshing way to reconnect with nature, with family, and with yourself. So, bundle up and hit these Greater New Bedford trails.
A trail located in the Sawmill, a reservation created by the Buzzards Bay Coalition in Acushnet.
Travel along the Acushnet River on a half-mile main trail through the woods over a footbridge, watching the pools of fish. You can then take the boardwalks through a restored red maple swamp or to North River Overlook. Many parts of the trail are ADA-accessible.
Journey through the Acushnet River Reserve with over a mile of trails. This rustic spot allows you to take a breather from the hustle and bustle of life and experience a peaceful hike through the forest, seeing views of wetlands and a private cranberry bog.
A painted blue blaze marks a trail in the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve.
Journey through the 16,000-acre forest along 25 miles of trails. Many trails are wide and easy to travel, while there are also more difficult paths to choose from for any level of hiking. One special feature is Profile Rock, a 50-foot outcropping of rock that looks like a man’s profile.
Take a hike at Ridge Hill Reserve in Dartmouth.
With over four miles of trails, you will cross through rocky wooded hills to glowing green wetlands while seeing the beauty of nature and historic sights. From the highest point in Dartmouth to the low valleys, there is so much to see, from countless wildlife to a variety of habitats and unique paths.
Amanda Desrosiers and her son Ezekiel Hanson, 1, go for a nature walk at the DNRT Destruction Brook Woods trails in Dartmouth.
DNRT has 40 miles of trails all over Dartmouth (https://dnrt.org/reserves/) to bring you back to nature. Some of the trail locations: 285 Horseneck Road, 2 miles; 160 Slades Corner Road, 10 miles; 637 Potomska Road, 9 miles; 21 Chase Road, 1.5 miles; 739 Collins Corner Road, 4 miles; 355 Smith Neck Road, 2 miles; and Star of the Sea Drive, 1.25 miles.
For an easy but scenic trail full of acres of farmland, salt marshes, and coastal views. As you meander along, you will see wildlife among the stone walls, cellar holes, and diverse habitats.
Roughly three miles of forests, fields, and shoreline along Assawompset Pond. Known as the spot to see bald eagles flying in the sky, the area is filled with wildlife and fantastic water views.
The Osprey Marsh Accessible Boardwalk in Marion is overseen by the Sippican Lands Trust.
You will travel through woodlands, wetlands, and salt marsh with a 1,800-foot Osprey Marsh Accessible Boardwalk that has a picturesque view of Planting Island Cove. This is a great spot for bird watching and wildlife observing.
Take this waterfront hike along four miles of trails through the forest. You will see the remnants of the former sawmill along Tripps Mill Brook as you embark into the woods, wetlands, and retired cranberry bogs.
A perfect family trail that is about a mile long, with a scenic pond, a certified vernal pool, and thriving wildlife. Leave the city behind when you enter this hidden gem with a mix of meadows, forests, and swampy wetlands full of critters.
A mile-long loop through woods and wetlands, this trail has a magnificent grove of trees overlooking the outdoor classroom. Wildlife is in abundance in various habitats and the certified vernal pool.
For an easy hike with little kids, this historic .7 mile hike is in Brooklawn Park. As you wander down the over two hundred-year-old trail, you will see unique woodland perennials and frolicking wildlife.
East Over Reservation in Rochester is a sight to behold.
Head back to a simpler time with this preserved farmland featuring two miles of quarry-stone-capped double walls. With an abundance of wildlife, you will see habitats, vernal pools, and lots of scampering animals.
A 150-acre parcel with easy access, well-maintained trails, and beautiful boardwalks. The trail passes through forests, meadows, and wooded wetlands along Angeline Brook.
A copule enjoy one of the many trails at the Westport Land Conservation Trust Adamsville Road location as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
With 13 properties (https://westportlandtrust.org/our-properties), there is an area for everyone to enjoy. Trail locations: 187 Blossom Road, 2.5 miles; 386 Old Harbor Road, 1.8 miles; 573 Adamsville Road, 3 miles; 62 Reed Road, 0.25 miles; 421 Pine Hill Road, 0.7 miles; 255 Cornell Road or 364 Adamsville Road, 2.5 miles; Entrance between 351 and 353 Tickle Road, 0.5 miles; 1520 Main Road, 2.1 miles; 214 Forge Road, 0.4 miles; and 830 Drift Road, 1 mile.
This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: 15 Greater New Bedford trails to explore after Thanksgiving feast