Dog friendly hikes and exploring, mostly around New England. Our Adventures includes: waterfalls, the beach, conservation land, lighthouses, state parks, the woods, the mountains, statues, and castles.
Today Shadow, Wilma, My Mom, and I Adventured to Quaddick State Park in Thompson, Connecticut. Quaddick State Park is on the Quaddick Reservoir. It is popular for swimming, picnicking, and has a trail on the grounds.
We had a relaxing Adventure to the Quaddick State Park on a lovely Spring afternoon. Disappointed at an unreasonable fee to enter the park, we still decided to visit and explore. We first drove the loop around the Park checking out the areas from the window, spotting various grassy picnic tables along the Reservoir, a sandy swimming beach, and a pavilion area. I had read the beach was not dog friendly so we decided to find a picnic area on the water to relax. Shadow eagerly enjoyed some swims, while My Mom and I took photographs and smiled at Shadow’s swimming joy. Wilma explored the shoreline, and jumped onto a picnic bench, which for some odd reason was placed in the water. The water was gorgeously bright blue, and rippling peacefully. We appreciated great company as were glad to find a tranquil picnic spot away from the other visitors. We did not visit for long, but were pleased to visit the Quaddick State Park (Rating: 3).
I will have sections of my blog that I will title “Throwback Adventure”, and will plan on posting them every Thursday. These are journeys we have taken before I started the blog, but are well worth sharing. Many of these Throwback Adventures will include our Buster, who was known for his crazy tail, his happy howl, and his zest for life. We miss him dearly…he is forever in our hearts!
In January 2017 Shadow and I Adventured to the Palmer Lighthouse in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The Palmer Lighthouse is located in the Acushnet River at the entrance to New Bedford Harbor. It was built in 1849. The Lighthouse is twenty four feet high and is made out of stone rubble. It can be reached by foot at low tide through the hurricane wall in New Bedford Harbor. The Palmer Lighthouse is no longer a working lighthouse.
We had a wild Adventure to the Palmer Ligthouse on a cool winter day. We had many Adventures in New Bedford on this day, and the Palmer Lighthouse was one of our most scenic stops. I do not remember doing much research but found that we could make our way to the Lighthouse as the tide was low. Having no idea what the tidal patterns were we decided to journey to the Lighthouse, closely watching the water. We met a nice family along the way that adored Shadow, while also ran into some teenagers in the appearing to be up to some trouble. I was quite disappointed at all the trash in the area, I guess left behind from the tide. However we carried on, sometimes on rocky footing, but soon arrived at the Palmer Lighthouse. The Lighthouse was quite stunning, bright white and uniquely stone. There was a stone-like pathway directly to the Lighthouse so we were able to climb to the door to check out this beautiful Lighthouse. We really lucked out finding low tide on this visit, but did not stay long unsure what to expect upon our return. A fun, and memorable Adventure to the Palmer Lighthouse (Rating: 3).
If you regularly follow my blog, and the weekly/video photo I would recommend skipping on to paragraph three, specific to this week’s video/photo. I have decided to add a weekly video/photo section to my blog. This blog will display a video or photo, usually highlighting an Adventure, while I might also sneak in some that are humorous, adorable, or just other fun dog moments.
So if you have followed my blog from the beginning you will know that I adopted Shadow as a puppy, and about a year later adopted Buster as a puppy. We had many wonderful years together before experiencing the devastating loss of Buster at just seven. It took a long time for our hearts to heal, but almost a year later we welcomed little Wilma into our world.
Today’s feature is a video from a day-trip to Vermont with Shadow and Wilma, on which we stopped to explore the town of Wilmington, including a trail, and the Deerfield River. This video occurred IN the Deerfield River, and instantly brings a smile to my face every time I view it!! We were returning from our walk along the trail, and of course had to stop for a Shadow dip. After literally walking around the River Shadow decided to lay down, with no plans whatsoever to ever leave this cool oasis. Although he lives for getting into bodies of water I do not think I have ever seen him completely lay down in the water. I found the moment so humorous, and of course was quite pleased that he was cool and comfortable. Back at that time Wilma was almost scared of the water, although now she will take some steps in on occasion. She instead preferred to eat some grass as we waited for Shadow to finish his water therapy. I love that Shadow is a water boy, and that I captured this little moment FOREVER!
Please search for Wilmington in the “search box” for more information on this Adventure. (On a mobile phone you can find this at the very bottom of the page, and on the computer you can find it to the right of the blog.)
On June 8, 2019 Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Brooks Woodland Preserve in Petersham, Massachusetts. The preserve includes over thirteen miles of trails, rivers, brooks, forestland, and wetlands. The property was previously home to the Nipmuc Indians, while later being cleared for pastureland, and farms. The land was named for James Wilson Brooks. Brooks Woodland Preserve is owned and managed by the Trustees of Reservations.
We had an invigorating hike at the Brooks Woodland Preserve on a lovely spring morning. I was wondering if we would make it to the property, as with no exact address we drove down a rocky country road. However, we were pleased to find the bright blue official Trustees sign and arrive at the trailhead. I confirmed that no hunting was permitted but yet became concerned to find a nearby sign stating “However…” warning you to be aware that hunters still could be around the area or on the property. I was thrilled to find one of Shadow and Wilma’s reflector vests in the car, slightly reducing my anxiety with this information. I often joke how I have one dog that looks like a bear, and one that looks like a deer, so therefore avoid properties known for hiking. Still a bit anxious with this warning, I covered by pups with bright orange, and decided to continue on our Adventure.
We began down a slightly overgrown trail hopping over two large trees that had fallen over the path. The trail opened up to a gorgeous field-like area, beautiful green colors spanning our view. We soon entered the woods and arrived at a gorgeous stream, and bridge. Shadow quickly found a path down to the water while Wilma and I watched from above (see the first video below). We relaxed at this singing brook for some time until Shadow was ready to leave the cool flowing water and journey on to the trail. Our hike mostly followed the yellow loop trail, although we veered off in some locations to check on various scenery, often a bridges over a singing brook. We met one couple on and off throughout our hike who appeared to be traversing the same trail. They were very nice, and seemed to appreciate some “hellos” with Shadow and Wilma. Besides this couple we found ourselves alone with nature.
This trail was quite special as the town it was located in was in the country, leading to a true natural hike. There was constant birds chirping, and oftentimes you could hear the singing of streams. Not a chance that you could hear the highway from this location, so tranquil and serene. Shadow seemed quite energized on this hike, often speeding ahead of us, I am sure quite enthused from the many, cool stream dips! My favorite parts of this hike were: trail that paralleled the stream, the picturesque bridges, watching Shadow’s joyful swims, lush green landscape, and being one with nature at this serene location. Besides my worries of the nearby hunting, we really enjoyed our visit at the Brooks Woodland Preserve. As you may guess I found this property through the Trustees of Reservations. Definitely a wonderful visit to this lovely property (Rating: 3)
I will have sections of my blog that I will title “Throwback Adventure”, and will plan on posting them every Thursday. These are journeys we have taken before I started the blog, but are well worth sharing. Many of these Throwback Adventures will include our Buster, who was known for his crazy tail, his happy howl, and his zest for life. We miss him dearly…he is forever in our hearts!
In October 2017 Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Fraconia Falls in the town of Lincoln, in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. The Falls is a series of cascades that is sourced from Fraconia Brook. Fraconia Falls is a popular area for swimming and sliding down the Falls.
We had a wonderful Adventure to Fraconia Falls on a gorgeous Fall day. The hike to Fraconia Falls begins at Lincoln Woods, one of my favorite hikes of the White Mountains. We were excited to journey on an extra long hike, all the way to the Falls. The trail turned left when we arrived at a scenic wooden bridge, right about where we noticed the sign leading us to Fraconia Falls. We decided to first traverse this bridge and view the Brook before turning around and heading on the trail to the Falls. We then began hiking along the trail which paralleled the Brook. We soon located a scenic area to stop, relax, and have a snack, such a peaceful oasis along the shore. After a restful break we continued on to the Falls. The Falls was simple, and unique in its own way. We posed for some photographs, standing on the rocky platform, and viewing the area off to the right. I actually wondered if it was the true Falls as I was expecting a much larger, and more elaborate natural creation. I still sometimes ponder this question but we did follow the sign and arrived at this Falls, so how could we be mistaken??
The Falls was our last stop before turning around to return to our car. We had spent the day wandering the trails of Lincoln Woods and exploring various spots along the way. Another perfect day in the White Mountains (Rating: Lincoln Woods: 5, Fraconia Falls: 3).
Below please enjoy some pictures from the Falls, the trail from the bridge, and one from right before the Falls trail. If you would like to read more and see photos about Lincoln Woods search for Lincoln Woods in the “search box” for more information. (On a mobile phone you can find this at the very bottom of the page, and on the computer you can find it to the right of the blog.)
If you regularly follow my blog, and the weekly/video photo I would recommend skipping on to paragraph three, specific to this week’s video/photo. I have decided to add a weekly video/photo section to my blog. This blog will display a video or photo, usually highlighting an Adventure, while I might also sneak in some that are humorous, adorable, or just other fun dog moments.
So if you have followed my blog from the beginning you will know that I adopted Shadow as a puppy, and about a year later adopted Buster as a puppy. We had many wonderful years together before experiencing the devastating loss of Buster at just seven. It took a long time for our hearts to heal, but almost a year later we welcomed little Wilma into our world.
Today’s feature is a video from a wonderful Adventure that Shadow, Wilma, and I took in Lincoln Woods in the White Mountain of New Hampshire. This is absolutely one of my favorite places to hike! It starts with an amazing bridge over the Pemigewasett River and follows the River for much of the hike, opening up at various spots for extra-ordinary views. The Fall, of course, is my favorite season to visit this spectacular location. Please search for Lincoln Woods in the “search box” for more information on our many visits to Lincoln Woods. (On a mobile phone you can find this at the very bottom of the page, and on the computer you can find it to the right of the blog.)
**Update** – I reviewed the Wilton, New Hampshire Parks and Recreation website and Garwin Falls is currently closed to the public – glad we could visit before this the closure – please check with them before visiting to make sure you have current updates/information
Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to Garwin Falls in Wilton, New Hampshire. Garwin Falls is approximately forty feet tall and is part of the Wilton Reservoir. There is a short walk to get to the Falls that passes some smaller cascades and a dam. The parking lot for the Falls only has several spots, and there is no cost to park. Garwin Falls is located on private property, however remains open to the public.
We had a jaw-dropping Adventure to Garwin Falls. Amazingly this Falls is only about forty five minutes from my house yet I only recently discovered it online. I was thrilled to find a local waterfall and could not have been more impressed at the beautiful site. We began our walk parking at a very small parking lot, luckily, not arriving at a busy time. We traversed the simple and wide trail for a short time before arriving at several cascades. The cascades were small but lovely. We walked along the brook and found some sandy areas. Shadow and Wilma enjoyed some drinks of fresh water, and of course Shadow made sure to take a quick dip in the stream! We took our time exploring this simple spot, walking until we could see the dam up ahead. We then returned to the main trail to continue on our journey.
We walked for another short walk before arriving at the massive Garwin Falls. I could not believe the size of the Falls as I was not expecting to be impressed. The Falls was thunderously singing a sweet song as we wandered over to the edge of the Falls. We were able to walk right up to the edge, and of course I took numerous photographs. I was absolutely stunned at this magnificent creation, wide in size, tall in height, and perfect in melody. We stared for some time, before talking along the edge of the brook. Agile Wilma jumping along, while Shadow a bit unsteady on the uneven surface. I attempted to balance across on a log, but was not able to get Shadow to follow so Wilma and I crossed to take a couple photographs before balancing back across. We took are time at this breathtaking location, pleased to only see several visitors who were all leaving when we had arrived.
On the way back to the car we wandered off the trail several times to explore the brook and upper cascades. We viewed the dam from below and atop, quite grotesquely plastered with graphity. Not what you expect to find in such a serene and natural environment, however we did not let this deter us from a fantastic visit to the Falls.
Garwin Falls was definitely one of the most picturesque waterfalls I have ever seen. We will be back again to visit this spectacular site (Rating: Waterfall: 5).
Today Shadow, Wilma and I Adventured to Crescent Ridge Dairy in Sharon, Massachusetts. Crescent Ridge Dairy is a Farm that includes a shop, farm animals to view, and an ice cream stand. They specialize in local produce, and homemade products.
We had a mouthwatering Adventure to Crescent Ridge Dairy after our nearby hike at The Bradley Estate. It was great to arrive at this ice cream stand to find no lines! I checked out the menu and quickly decided to choose cookie doe ice cream with whip cream, and of course a dog ice cream for my two best friends. Once our order was ready we headed over to a shady area to gobble up our ice cream. So tasty! I was actually unable to finish my ice cream, however packed it up for a future treat. We walked around the property and found some benches in the back, and farm animals on the side. Wilma was thrilled to see the goats, and it appeared as if she wanted to play with them. It definitely brought a smile to my face. Shadow was more interested in trying to find leftovers under the tables, my always hopeful boy! We were quite happy to visit Crescent Ridge Dairy today (Rating: 4, Dog Ice Cream: 5)
Somehow this blog posted before I finished it so I have deleted that, and here is the final blog posting…
Yesterday Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to The Bradley Estate in Canton, Massachusetts. The Bradley Estate was inherited by Doctor Arthur Tracy Cabot before being acquired by his niece Eleanor Cabot Bradley in 1945. It is a 90 acre property that includes the estate, fields, woodlands, and gardens. The Estate is a popular location for weekend weddings. It is owned and managed by the Trustees of Reservations.
We had a peaceful Adventure to The Bradley Estate. We arrived to find the property almost empty from visitors. There was as $5 parking fee, but yet our admission was free due to our Trustee membership! I had researched the property ahead of time so had known that dogs were not allowed in the formal gardens, but were permitted on the trails. We decided to head over to the front of the Estate to take some photographs. There were flowers of varied colors along the paved road, many with unique shades. I took numerous photos before soon arriving at the Estate. The Estate was lovely with gardens on either side. Although there were no “no dog” signs I decided not to venture too far adjacent to the property unclear of the forbidden boundaries. Instead we then veered over to the trails and began on our hike.
I was quite pleased to find some more flowers along the trail, many adorning the rocks. This provided quite the picturesque scene. There were Azalea’s, Rhododentron, wildflowers and more. We wandered past what appeared to be a farm, and some fields before heading into the woods. The trails were simple, but tranquil, birds chirping, and an occasional smells of fragrant flowers flooding the air. There were several moments when the sounds of busy roads overtook the nature walk, however overall it was quite serene. The trails were not labeled, and somewhat confusing but having studied the map before our journey I figured I was in the right general direction. At one point we arrived at the back of the Estate, a nice surprise along the way. This helped me to know we were on the right track to our trip home.
Throughout our hike Shadow and Wilma often trotted side by side seeming to be energized on this beautiful morning. Some of my favorite parts of the trails were: the colorful flowers along the path, the bright greens of spring, the tall ferns on the trail, and a rustic fence along the way. So as you may guess this is yet another property I discovered through the Trustees of Reservations. Although I was bummed that we could not explore the gardens, we definitely had a lovely Adventure to the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate (Rating: 3).
I am a bit behind on my blog from the weekend as we had a busy weekend of Adventures. Therefore I will be sharing these Adventures throughout the week.
On Monday we had our last Adventure of the weekend at the Circle Museum in Austerlitz, New York. The Circle Museum is an eight acres property that includes a gallery, and metal sculptures scattered throughout the forest and hillside. The sculptures are created by artist Bijan Mahmoodi and range from straight-forward themes to abstract art.
We had a creative Adventure to the Circle Museum on a lovely spring evening. This stunning location was found by my friend as we researched stops for our journey home. I was immediately impressed as there were numerous sculptures of all shapes, sizes and colors in every direction. It was hard to know where to start but we began zigzagging in and out of these creative sculptures, analyzing our thoughts on their appearance. I tended to think many resembled bugs, while my friends’ thinking was much more inventive. It was such a fun location with endless sculptures throughout the grounds. We wandered for awhile before heading up a little hill to view yet more sculptures. Throughout our visit Wilma was overly focused on which direction everyone was headed while Shadow a bit tired from our long weekend enjoyed some rolls in the grass. Such a special outdoor Museum of inventive artwork. So glad we were able to visit this splendid Museum (Rating: 4, Company: Just right!)
The Adventures of Shadow and Wilma 