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Dartmouth Preserves

Dartmouth Massachusetts is adjascent to New Bedford, but has a more rural character. Part of that character includes numerous reserves.

Preserves we have visited in Dartmouth:

Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary

Allens Pond has its own page: click here for Allens Pond.

Demarest Lloyd Beach and forest

Link to website

Location on a map

Trail Map on NaturalAtlas.com

Demarest Lloyd State Park, as the name implies, is a state park. In Spring 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, all state parks were closed to any parking. The nearby Wylde Reserve, however, connects to the park and provides an alternate entrance. Wylde Preserve provides a walk through the wood, with a brief stop at a small pond before continuing to the state park. A pond means water, which made this little fellow happy.

A toad nestled in the leaves

The Demarest Lloyd State Park itself has some wooded areas (rather scrubby) and a long beach. The beach is rocky, rather than sandy, as is true of so many New England Beaches.

A wooded section of Demarest Lloyd State Park`

A view along the Demarest Lloyd State Park beach

Picture of a shell and a rock

Company! This dog is clearly happy to be visiting the park. (His owner is there, just out of view.)

A dog wading into the seawater

Looking out across the water you can see a large house at the end of the point. While they must have a very nice view, it would not be fun to be there in a storm!

Large house at the end of Mishaum Point in Dartmouth Massachusetts

That house is on the end of Mishaum Point (also in Dartmouth). It is over 1.5 miles as the crow flies from the beach we were standing on. In the distance beyond it (7 to 10 miles depending on where you are looking) you can see the Elizabeth Islands and the town of Gosnold. Gosnold is the smallest (population) town in Massachusetts, with only 75 residents in the 2010 census. Most of those residents live on the island of Cuttyhunk (also the name of that section of Gosnold.)

Dodge Reserve

Link to website

Location on a map

PDF Trail Map

Dodge Reserve (visited Spring 2020) is a small little preserve hidden in a suburban neighborhood. The walk is less than a mile round-trip, along a little brook that has the remnants of what was likely a dam at some point. It has some gorgeous old apple trees (two of them) that were in full bloom! The beautiful flowers gave Anne a chance to play with her macro lens, as you will see below. A couple came in while we were there and did some pruning; it was pleasant to see them being tended. This preserve only opened in 2019, just a year before we visited.

Apple Tree Blossoms on a branch

Apple Tree Blossoms

Apple Tree Blossoms

Apple Tree Blossoms

Some action shots: This bee has certainly been busy, and is fully loaded with pollen. (Notice the yellow 'balls' of collected pollen that are stuck to its legs.)

A bee approaches an apple blossom

A bee on an apple blossom with pollen attached to its legs

Knowles Reserve

Link to website

Location on a map

PDF Trail Map

Knowles Preserve is across from the harbor & marina in Dartmouth. We did not do the trail here, which would have led us to a little pond. But we did enjoy viewing the harbor.

Harbor at Knowles Beach

We will have to come back some day and check out the pond path.

Lloyd Center

The Lloyd Center has its own page. Click here for Lloyd Center.

Ocean View Farm

Ocean View Farm has its own page. Click here for Ocean View Farm.

Slocum's River Preserve

Slocum's River Presreve has its own page. Click here for Slocum.

Wylde (to Demarest Lloyd)

Link to website

Location on a map

PDF Trail Map

Wylde (visited Spring 2020) is a very small preserve that attaches to the Demaraest Lloyd State Beach and Forest. For pictures, and discussion, see the Demarest Lloyd section above.

Back to the Preserves main page

Updated April 2021