Stone Farm was a great find for our families–it’s a beautiful, well-labeled, interesting, easy-to-access spot in the city of Brockton near the Easton line. It proves that nature can be found even in urban areas. The Wildlands Trust/Brockton Audubon manages these 105 amazing acres that, surprisingly, were deserted on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. We had the whole place to ourselves!
HOW TO GET THERE
Address:
Stone Farm Conservation Area
Torrey St.
Brockton, MA 02301
TRAIL DESCRIPTION & MAP:
We entered the trail behind the baseball outfield, through the entrance across from home plate. (There is another entrance near third base marked by two large rocks, but we did NOT take this path as we wanted to take the main blue loop.) We followed the blue loop to the left, picked up the red out-and-back trail, and then got back on the blue trail and finished the loop. The trails are very clearly marked with large blazes, and there are maps throughout the property that indicate where you are on the trails. Navigation is easy!
Nice big, clear blazes 
We love that the maps show you where you are!
P.I.N.T. Score
Rated on a scale of 1 (difficult/not good) to 5 (easy/awesome!)
P – Parking & Access – 3 (There is a lot that fits 2-3 cars on Torrey St. at the baseball field. You can also enter at the dirt road near the field–to The Family Ministry Center–and park in another small lot.)
I – Interest Level – 3 (We were pleasantly surprised at how much there was to look at for a relatively small space! There are long boardwalks, a cool old stone foundation, and informational signs to read along the trail.)
N – Navigation – 4 (well-marked trails; maps around the property that show you where you are)
T – Terrain – 4 (fairly flat, smooth, wide paths over grass or forest floor (without many stumps, roots, or rocks); could be accessed with a jogging stroller; there is one narrow boardwalk that would be tricky, but not impossible, with a jogging stroller.)
The P.I.N.T. Score represents our opinions of this trail. It reflects our experience, perception, and physical health. Therefore, the scores are not intended to be expert advice, nor will they be accurate for everyone: we cannot judge what may or may not be appropriate for each individual’s different abilities. Consult a physician or medical expert before attempting any new physical activity. Hiking contains inherent hazards, so hike at your own risk. You should always make your own decisions about what level of physical activity is appropriate for you and your family. Weather and other factors may affect trail conditions. Remember, trail conditions may change suddenly and drastically at any time.
POINTS OF INTEREST
- The stone foundation. It’s located in a clearing at the start of the blue loop. It’s a great picture spot or place for a picnic.
2. The boardwalks. There is a long skinny series of bridges at the beginning. The other boardwalks are long and smooth–a great place for a nap! 😉
3. There are lots of benches along the trail to sit and take a rest.
4. There are many stone walls throughout the property. We learned from one of the informational signs that two men could often only make 10 feet of stone wall in one day. New England farm soil is notoriously rocky, so farmers would move the rocks that emerged from the ground and make walls with them. So even though the walls are in the middle of the woods now, back in the heyday of New England Farming, the structures marked property lines and were located in fields, not forests!
Here are a few more pictures from our day!
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