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The Reservations
Ride |
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| Have
a question about this
destination? |
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| Located
around Dover, just beyond the Route 128 west of
Boston, this 20-mile loop would be a great ride
in itself, with quiet roads rolling through woodlands,
meadows, and horse farms. But as a side benefit,
this ride takes you to no less than six different
reservations: Noanet Woodlands, Rocky Woods, Fork
Factory Brook, Chase Woodlands, Peters Reservation,
and Ridge Hill Reservation. |
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Therefore,
you have two options: do this ride in one shot,
which will take between 2 and 3 hours depending
on your speed; or use the ride as a convenient
way to explore one reservation after another,
on foot, in a bike-and-hike fashion, which may
take an entire day - and you will still need
to come back to see them all. Either way, you
will ride through a preserved landscape that
is still surprisingly rural despite the proximity
of the big city. Of course, sprawling is leaving
its mark here too, but in the form of mansions
that are either hidden from the road or well
integrated in the scenery. Another advantage:
roads are in excellent condition here, with
a smooth blacktop that makes the ride safer
and more comfortable than usual.
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If you like
the area and want to explore it further on foot
another time, check our Noanet
Peak and Hale
Reservation hiking destinations.
Noanet is the first reservation you will visit
on this ride.
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| Riding directions: |
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From the parking lot, take
left on Central Street towards Dover (opposite
the way you drove from) |
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Turn left on Charles River
Street |
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At Charles River Village,
the next intersection with a few houses,
take right on Willow Street (no street sign) |
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At the "Yield" sign, continue
right on Dedham Street; you will soon see
the entrance to Noanet Reservation and Caryl
Park on the left (just before the tennis
courts) |
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At the next intersection,
with Dover visible on the left, turn left
to stay on Dedham Street and ride through
Dover center |
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At the light (gas station
on the left), turn left on Walpole Street.
After less than half a mile, you will ride
along Noanet Reservation on the left, with
several access gates |
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After a few miles under the
tall pines of Noanet, turn right at stop
sign on Hartford Street; after more than
a mile, you will see the entrance to Rocky
Woods Reservation on the right, and a trail
to Fork Factory Brook Reservation on the
left; |
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Turn right on route 109 West
until you reach Medfield. There is more
traffic here, but the shoulder is quite
large and provides for a safe ride until
you're off route 109 |
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In Medfield center, turn right
on North Street |
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At a fork, make sure you take
left on Harding Street, which later becomes
Junction Street |
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At the next intersection,
turn left on Farm Street. You will soon
ride between Chase Woodlands on the right
and Peters Reservation on the left; there
is a small sign and a parking lot for Chase
on the right of the road half a mile after
the intersection with Bridge Street; both
reservations are worthwhile destinations
for a long walk; Peters allows you to reach
the banks of the Charles under tall pines |
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At an intersection with Springdale
Street on the right (large meadow on the
right), continue straight on Main Street
(make sure you always go straight at the
fork with Pleasant Street on the left about
a mile down the road) |
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At the end of Main Street,
turn right on Charles River Street and ride
on the bridge over the Charles River; you
will soon see Ridge Hill Reservation on
the left; a large meadow with many shady
areas, Ridge Hill is a great place for a
final rest and snack stop before the end
of the ride |
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When you reach Central Street,
turn left to ride back to Claxton Field
and your car. |
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