Charles River Peninsula
Charles River Peninsula
5
About
Surrounded on three sides by the river, this restored grassland field is accessible by either foot or boat.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
5.0
18 reviews
Excellent
17
Very good
0
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
dae
massachusetts100 contributions
Jun 2013 • Friends
Fortunate
How fortunate I am
My forbears fancied themselves
Trustees of Reservations.
How fortunate this peninsular bend
Reserved for sweet birdsong,
Dense wood duck nesting seclusion,
Circling hawk hunting ground.
How fortunate the flashing colors
Of gold finch and oriole orange.
Every hue of green reflected
On the dark mirror of river.
Not overpowering beauty, but
Stand of oak, ledge of granite,
Field of grass and water lilies
Find their place in my heart.
A lasting marriage deepened
Day by day over years shared,
‘Til love touches all her moods,
Warm sun, cool rain, blustery winds.
How fortunate no oil
Tempts corporate greed,
Zoning forbids debasing pavement,
The forests used long ago
Have restored themselves.
How fortunate a reservation
Where the wood duck splashes
Her pretended broken wing,
An elaborate distraction
From protected ducklings,
And redwings chase the hawk
From their collective nests.
How fortunate we glide on plentiful waters,
Rejoice in birdsong protected,
Bathe in bursting green surrounds
And fulfill our trust.
How fortunate I am
My forbears fancied themselves
Trustees of Reservations.
How fortunate this peninsular bend
Reserved for sweet birdsong,
Dense wood duck nesting seclusion,
Circling hawk hunting ground.
How fortunate the flashing colors
Of gold finch and oriole orange.
Every hue of green reflected
On the dark mirror of river.
Not overpowering beauty, but
Stand of oak, ledge of granite,
Field of grass and water lilies
Find their place in my heart.
A lasting marriage deepened
Day by day over years shared,
‘Til love touches all her moods,
Warm sun, cool rain, blustery winds.
How fortunate no oil
Tempts corporate greed,
Zoning forbids debasing pavement,
The forests used long ago
Have restored themselves.
How fortunate a reservation
Where the wood duck splashes
Her pretended broken wing,
An elaborate distraction
From protected ducklings,
And redwings chase the hawk
From their collective nests.
How fortunate we glide on plentiful waters,
Rejoice in birdsong protected,
Bathe in bursting green surrounds
And fulfill our trust.
Written 9 June 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ncampy23
Needham, MA46 contributions
Dec 2019
This is such a serene and beautiful area. There are rarely other people there and it's perfect for a dog-walk or to be alone with your thoughts.
Written 10 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dale F
Medfield, MA16 contributions
Sept 2017 • Solo
This property is great for a relaxed walk by the river, through woods and open fields. Also, good parking and access to the rail trail.
Written 9 November 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gibbylou
Boston, MA80 contributions
Jul 2017 • Solo
Most Needhamites don't even know about this place! If you want to go canoeing/kayaking, this is a great place. There's a little parking lot off Fisher Street, and you place your craft into Redwing Bay, so-named because in the spring and fall, as you canoe along, you can see many red-winged blackbirds flying by.
Very relaxing, easy rowing.
Very few people fish, I wouldn't eat anything I caught...
Or stay on land and go into the Reserve. Beautiful open field with a hill in the center, with some trails mowed out. It's now kept by the Trustees of Reservation. Great for walking, jogging, snowshoeing in the winter. Our kids used to sled down the hill on snow days when school was canceled, they called it "Heaven Hill". Some trails go off into the woods, by the river and streams as well.
If you're a birder (I'm not), I'm told you can see a lot of species here. Among mammals, I've seen rabbits, squirrels, etc, one fox, and one fisher "cat".
It's not Yellowstone, but it's a great little quiet nature place right in our back yard.
Very relaxing, easy rowing.
Very few people fish, I wouldn't eat anything I caught...
Or stay on land and go into the Reserve. Beautiful open field with a hill in the center, with some trails mowed out. It's now kept by the Trustees of Reservation. Great for walking, jogging, snowshoeing in the winter. Our kids used to sled down the hill on snow days when school was canceled, they called it "Heaven Hill". Some trails go off into the woods, by the river and streams as well.
If you're a birder (I'm not), I'm told you can see a lot of species here. Among mammals, I've seen rabbits, squirrels, etc, one fox, and one fisher "cat".
It's not Yellowstone, but it's a great little quiet nature place right in our back yard.
Written 6 September 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathleen O
12 contributions
Oct 2016 • Friends
Great local spot for putting in your kayak or canoe for a trip on the Charles. Particularly great in the fall with the foliage.
Written 8 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Joshua G
10 contributions
Jul 2016 • Solo
We call it Braveheart field because it looks like a great place for a battle... I live a few blocks away and it's a great place to walk a dog or throw a boat in the river. It's now the start of the rail trail.
Written 13 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Akira650
Boston, MA59 contributions
Aug 2015 • Friends
Beautiful scenic views of the river make this one of my favorite peninsulas. Great to walk along the river and take in some nature.
Written 7 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Northern_Traveler00
California78,128 contributions
May 2015 • Couples
maybe 2 miles or so from the trailhead at the parking area off of Great Plain Avenue. Over a long boardwalk and through the woods, under the train tracks and out to the island, around and back. A great walk on a nice day (make sure it hasn't rained in a few days . . . and it still may be damp), just watch out for the mountain bikers!
Written 2 May 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Northern_Traveler00
California78,128 contributions
Apr 2021
If the Needham Rail Trail isn't enough, you can easily detour to the Charles River Peninsula. Big field with lots of birds and plenty of place to walk or run around.
Written 17 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
birdsinhand18
Needham, MA41 contributions
Oct 2017 • Solo
The first three are easy to find but the fourth might take a little exploring via an unmarked trail. Oh, I forgot the boat put-in facility and parking. Steep hill to get there though.
Written 3 March 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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