South Shore Trails Stat Report

Trying something a little different 🙂 We thought it could be fun to share some of the facts and figures around South Shore Trails. We have never had a single paid advertiser. Our focus has always been on just getting people the content that they need.

What we are going to share with you:

  • Top 10 pages
  • Overall traffic growth in 2020
  • Where do visitors come from
  • Mobile v Desktop

Top 10 pages by views

Clearly paddling season is coming around the corner… our listing of kayak spots was up over 300 from the prior month.

Page Town Diff to April
1 Trail Listing +36%
2 Homepage +46%
3 Covid Trail Safety -4%
4 Turkey Hill Hingham, Cohasset +416%
5 Bay Farm  Duxbury, Kingston +50%
6 3rd Cliff Spit Boardwalk Scituate +128%
7 Trail Map +27%
8 Kayak Launch Spots +351%
9 Bare Cove Park Hingham +104%
10 AJ Memorial Trail  Scituate +194%

Overall Traffic

While we have always felt we provide a community benefit, it is a clear story in the website traffic growth compared to 2019.

Where does the traffic come from?

Since we don’t pay for ads generally, all the traffic is really just natural. Over the course of time Facebook has become less of a traffic driver for South Shore Trails. We certainly get a fair bit of traffic from it, but a couple years back social used to be upwards of 70% of our traffic. 

The real difference is not a drop in social traffic but rather a great improvement in our SEO and search result placement. 

On the go visitors

We love that most of the users visit us on mobile! 

South Shore Quest 2020

Are you looking for a way to engage the whole family? Or just challenge yourself on a hike? You should check out the South Shore Quest!

The South Shore Quest is an annual challenge to “encourage exploration of the outdoors through the use of CLUE-directed walks through local public lands and parks”. The organization was formed in 1998 and has been delivering fun ever since. 

Update: Historically, the quest books have been for sale for $5 at local retailers. Given the pandemic, they are posting the book for free online but asking for donations via this link. We love their enthusiasm and dedication to the cause. Consider donating via this link.

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The Idea

Questing is an ideal activity for small groups and families, as well as individuals. By turning a walk into a treasure hunt, children often race ahead of their parents instead of lagging behind

 

How it works:

For a given Quest, participants use the map and directions found in this booklet to follow hidden CLUES to a treasure box. The box contains a small guest book, a stamp pad, a rubber stamp, and answers to questions asked by curious “Questers”. Once the box is found, participants stamp the back pages of this booklet (as proof of accomplishment), and each person signs and stamps the guest book to record having finished the Quest.

Getting started:

  1. Download the Quest book from South Shore Quest
  2. Pick a trail to get started on. You can find all the trail maps and information here on South Shore Trails. 
  3. Pack a snack and enjoy the adventure.

South Shore Quest 2020 Trails

Here is the list of trails that are included in the South Shore Quest!

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Pandemic Updates:
  • All Quests will be boxless until further notice to help reduce the risk of contagion.  The clue phrase will work as proof of completion if working towards a patch.
  • Please continue to practice social distancing by Questing with just your immediate family.  It’s difficult to space properly on narrow trails with large groups.
  • Before heading out on a Quest check to be sure the property the Quest is located on is currently open to the public.  We will update our website under Trail Updates as we hear of closures but can not guarantee our site will be up to date in this ever changing landscape.
  • Fairies are practicing social distancing as well.  Please do not open or handle the Fairy doors on any of the Quests.

Want to learn more?

South Shore Quest website

4 sample quests online to try 

Code of Ethics

Weir River Watershed Association

Volunteer with South Shore Quest

FAQ for South Shore Quest

Source Credit: We’ve used a lot of South Shore Quest’s descriptions in this post. We like to use their own words to describe the South Shore Quest so we make sure we are reflecting their vision correctly. 

Spring Update

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There are few things more refreshing and relaxing than a sunny Spring day – and very thankful for each of them recently! We’ve taken the opportunity to dig more in the yard, prep the garden for veggies, and take in the beautiful Pink Super Moon from the beach.

What’s in this letter:

  • Covid trail safety

  • Fun Home-based Ideas

  • Trail Closure Updates

  • Free advertising for a local business!

We hope you are all managing to keep spirits high and healthy. We can’t wait to explore with you again soon. If you have any suggestions for content or website improvements, please let us know. We want to be the best we can be for you.

Enjoy your fresh air and fun adventures!

P.S. We are up to 200 trails on the site! Share your favorite in our Facebook group.

 

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COVID trail safety

One challenge we all face right now is how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly during this civil state of emergency related to COVID. Fresh air is great for everyone, but it is important that we stay safe and take care of nature.

Here are a few tips on how you can get some fresh air while being smart, staying safe, and sticking close to home. 

Fresh ideas for fun at home

Just because you are home doesn’t mean the fun and outdoor inspired activities have to cease :-). We’ve curated a couple ideas that might be enticing to all ages.

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Additionally, our partners are Mass Audubon and The Trustees are working hard to provide great content for us all to enjoy remotely!

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Trail Closures

Our website has 200+ trails listed… and for some silly reason everyone wants to go to about 10 of them 🙂 We get it. Worlds End, Norris, Daniel Webster, Wompatuck State Park…. All great! But, there are so many others to explore when you need fresh air.

We recently attended a Zoom meeting for many of the South Shore conservation organizations. The situation for each organization is fluid but trust us when we say as a whole they want nothing more than for everyone to be enjoying the great outdoors in a respectful, safe manner.

Trustees

Wildlands Trust

Mass Audubon

Duxbury Beach Preserve

Massachusetts DCR

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Might be the appropriate gift for nearly anyone in your life right now. We have been living in our Salty Hat. Limited quantity available. 20% of proceeds goes to your town’s food pantry. Shop now!

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Work with South Shore Trails!

Interested in partnering with South Shore Trails? Contact us to talk details. We are looking for partners to feature in upcoming newsletters and trail reviews.

Do you know of a local business that would benefit from getting a free advertising spot on our website? If so, have them reach out to us! Our website traffic has been up 3x in recent weeks – and we’d love to share it.

Covid Trail Safety

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We know that during these challenging times, everyone wants to get outside and recharge. One challenge we all face right now is how to enjoy the outdoors responsibly during this civil state of emergency related to COVID. Fresh air is great for everyone, but it is important that we stay safe and take care of nature. 

Here are a few tips on how you can get some fresh air while being smart, staying safe, and sticking close to home. 

Note: Some organizations have chosen to close their properties during this time of uncertainty. Please respect these closures and find a new place to explore. We have nearly 200 trails and spots listed in our database… only a fraction of them are closed. Find a new favorite 🙂 

Please check their websites to stay up to date on closures (Trustees, Audubon, Wildlands Trust).

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Get some personal space (AKA avoid crowds!)

  • Visit a lesser-known spot and explore places close to home. Consider trying a trail you’ve driven past. If it is too short, that is a perfect opportunity to try two spots.  
  • Have a plan B (and C). If your first destination has a busy parking lot, go to the next spot on your list! Use our trail list to find several options that fit your needs.
  • Get outside earlier or later in the day to avoid peak times.
  • Recharge in your backyard and neighborhood! What a great time to start any spring garden prep and envision some wonderful summer bbqs in your own fresh air.

Be prepared

  • Help stop ticks by wearing light-colored pants, closed-toe shoes, and applying an EPA-approved bug repellent. We like this one from Amazon. Read our post on tick safety.
  • Use the bathroom before you leave the house. It is unlikely you’ll find an open business or public facility available for you or your children to use.
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Know before you go

  • If you are exhibiting symptoms related to COVID-19, or if you have recently been exposed to COVID-19, please stay home.
  • Stay at least six feet away from other people.
  • If you do decide to go for hike, remember trails are not being maintained during these closures. Avoid obstacles and be safe.
  • Be sure to tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back.
  • Always leave no trace, including cleaning up after your pet, so be sure to bring a disposable bag to carry out any waste.

BONUS OPPORTUNITIES

  • Trail Cleanup? Use this as an opportunity to pick up any trash you come across on the trails or beach. 
  • Try a new hobby like bird watching or sketching.
  • If you are interested in geocaching, focus on finding the cache but not touching or opening it. 

Thanks to Maine Dept of Fish & Wildlife for some of the content for this post. 

50 Places to Explore the South Shore in 2020

In honor of NSRWA’s 50th anniversary, they have kickstarted a “50 Places” challenge for 2020. The goal for the challenge is to inspire people to visit great locations across the South Shore. We love any opportunity to get outside and try something new.

If you visit one of their spots, you can share your picture with us by tagging @southshoretrails! We’ll repost it for the whole community to see.

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Bonus!

  1. Visit the property designated for the week and take a picture of the location or you and/or your friends and family exploring.
  2. Share the photo online any time that month on the Instagram page @northsouthrivers with the hashtag #ExploreSouthShore and include the name of the property
  3. You could win a prize if your picture is selected by randomly selected by NSRWA!
  4. Want to see the rules? Here you go.
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Cranberry Watershed Preserve / Kingston

This 225 acre property abuts the Jones River and has three brooks that travel through it: Howards Brook, Pine Brook, and one unnamed brook. This large property area contributes greatly to the Jones River Watershed. A portion of the Bay Circuit Trail runs through the property as well.

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LOCATION:

Access from Rt 27

parking behind Silver Lake Middle School

STROLLER SCORE: TBD

LINKS:

Trail Map

AllTrails Information

Wicked Local Article [2010]

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Tidmarsh / Plymouth

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Tidmarsh Sanctuary is a 481-plus acre landscape in Plymouth. Once a working cranberry farm, this landscape underwent the largest freshwater ecological restoration ever completed in the Northeast.

Its previous owners, the Schulman Family, along with the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, and many other organizations, re-created nearly three and a half miles of meandering stream channel, sculpted the land’s surface, and removed nine dams to reconnect the headwaters of Beaver Dam Brook to the ocean for the first time in more than a century. The restoration before and after images are absolutely worth checking out!

As a result of the collective actions of the collaborators, this entire landscape is now on a dramatic trajectory of change—a spectacle that will play out for decades, and even centuries, to come.

(image source: Audubon Society)

TRAIL NOTES:

  • excellent for birding!
  • several trails offering a unique perspective on the landscape (+ more trails coming!)
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(1) Entrance Trail / .4 miles

(2) Meadow Trail / .2 miles

(3) Farm Road Ramble / .3 miles

(4) Volunteers’ Trail / 1 mile

(5) Ridge Trail / .2 miles

(6) Madar Loop / .7 miles

all trail details are from the Audubon Society

Entrance Trail

Length: ~ 0.4 miles
This trail leads from the parking lot to the Meadow and Ridge Trails. Enjoy shade from the Pitch Pine and Oak Forest as you pass old cranberry bogs. Stop and enjoy the small pond and look for herons and ducks.

Meadow Trail

Length: ~ 0.2 miles
This short trail winds through the restored grassy sandplain community and connects you from the Entrance trail to the Farm Road Ramble and Volunteer’s Trail. It is a great spot to look for butterflies, moths, and other pollinator species.

Farm Road Ramble

Length: ~ 0.3 miles
This old farm road provides a perfect foundation for exploring the wetlands. Stop for a moment on the bridge while crossing over the stream, where you may catch a glimpse of herring swimming upstream in April and May. For a longer adventure, explore Madar Loop and take the spur trail to the pond overlook.

Volunteers’ Trail

Length: ~ 1 mile each way
Named to recognize Mass Audubon’s valuable volunteers, this trail takes you to the farthest reaches of the sanctuary. At the end, enjoy a view across the cattail marsh on one side and the newly restored wetlands on the other. Watch for muskrat and dragonflies in the summer; in the fall and spring, the slow-moving waters are a great place to observe migrating ducks.

Ridge Trail

Length: ~ 0.2 mile
This trail, which brings you to a scenic overlook with a vista of the valley, is a good trail if you have limited time. As you look out, you can see water running through the center of what used to be cranberry bogs. Now restored to a more natural channel, the Beaver Dam Brook flows from Tidmarsh to Plymouth Harbor.

Madar Loop

Length: 0.6 mile loop + 0.1 mile each way optional spur
This loop trail takes you closer to the wetland restoration area where you will look out on a diverse mix of vegetation including cattails that have replaced what was once a monoculture of cranberries. At the center of the loop, a small forested hill provides a clue to the topography of this property before the cranberry era. Watch for ducks, herons, turtles, and frogs before returning to Farm Road Ramble.

LOCATION:

60 Beaver Dam Rd

Plymouth, MA 02360

STROLLER SCORE: TBD

LINKS:

Mass Audubon Map

Mass Audubon Page

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Best Picnic Hikes on the South Shore

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When the good weather returns to New England and the South Shore, we immediately want to be outside as much as possible. Let’s savor every single moment of the extra daylight, sun on our faces, and spring in our step.

While we never leave home without a snack in our fanny pack, sometimes it is even more fun to bring along a picnic. Bonus? You get to sit and enjoy the view that much longer. The South Shore has some really beautiful spots so let’s settle down and enjoy them.

Our Favorite Benches + Docks

  • Driftway – Scituate //  best sunset, dusk views. Perfect for taking your next family picture! There are two docks with seating.
  • Norris Reservation – Norwell // views along the North River from a little hut. Also several benches scattered throughout the trail system
  • John Little – Marshfield // Dock is located along the river about 1.5 miles in. Lots of peace and quiet!
  • World’s End – Hingham // Beautiful views of the Boston skyline! 
  • Willow Brook Farm – Pembroke // Viewpoint is from a small tower. Tower has some benches for seating.

Need a Picnic Table?

  • Miller Woods –Norwell // smaller, very woodsy trail. Table is located just off the entrance.
  • Turkey Hill –Hingham // Located right at the top of the hill. Great peaceful views and plenty of space for kids to run. Dog friendly.
  • Norris Reservation –Norwell // Located just off the dam down by the rushing stream. Site is dog friendly and you can take a longer walk after eating.
  • Jacobs Pond –Norwell // Located on the island portion of the trail. Plenty of parking!
  • Luddam’s Ford Park – Hanover // Located along the Indian Head River. Approachable hikes, plus a boat ramp!

Pack a blanket?

  • Couch Beach –Marshfield // Quiet spot along the North River.
  • Bay Farm – Duxbury // After you cross through the big fields, you can take your blanket to the beach/rocky area down by the water
  • Rexhame –Marshfield // Enjoy either the ocean or the marsh. Lots of places to settle in and enjoy the view.
  • Ellisville – Plymouth // A little further south but offers beautiful vistas from a short 1 mile walk

Newsletter #14

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Happy Spring!

It feels hard to believe that we have officially left Winter behind… maybe it is because of the impending snowy nor’easter? We are absolutely ready to pack up our winter layers and embrace some Spring weather.

The South Shore comes alive in the warmer months. The cherry blossom trees at World’s End are an absolute favorite. We are also itching to check out the new Mass Audubon Tidmarsh Property in Plymouth. In the meantime, let’s continue to embrace our last snowy days. I’m sure we’ll think of them fondly during the first July heatwave.

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Nature Memberships!

No better way to celebrate Spring than joining one of our many non-profit nature organizations! Memberships are a great way to try new trails… and get a good discounts on events.

Learn more here….

Spotlight: Must Follow Accounts!

We find so much inspiration from others sharing their adventures. Sharing is caring – so check out these accounts and maybe you’ll learn something new.

Heather (@_heather__t) // Beautiful outdoor photography. Professed addict of sunrises and sunsets.

@imcndbl1 // Incredible wildlife photography. Beautiful seasonal shots that you won’t see anywhere else. We are huge fans!

Timothy Mollen (@timothymollen) // Recently featured on VisitMA. Photography feels different than other local artists.

 

Wharf Creek / Marshfield

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Wharf Creek is a Marshfield town trail located off RT 139 / Careswell Road along the Green Harbor. The trail is nearly entirely in wetlands which can make for a damp hike. The best time to visit would be when it has not rained for a few days. 

There are two entrances to Wharf Creek. The first is located across from Coffee Shack donuts on RT 139 / Careswell Road. The second is off Calypso Lane. This second entrance is in a very residential neighborhood so parking is not especially obvious. Given this is a town trail and the primary signage is at the Calypso entrance, we think it is probably okay to park here for a quick hike. Alternatively, a visitor could park at Coffee Shack and treat yourself to a donut either before or after the hike. 

The trail itself is very peaceful and does not appear to be frequently used. The path is relatively well maintained although it can be very narrow at some parts. During tick season, visitors should be extra vigilant. The highlight of the trail is the view of Green Harbor. This vista located about a half mile in from the Rt 139 entrance.

 

Trail Notes:

  • The trail is generally very level and even terrain – but can be very wet.
  • The trail beds do seem to have more exposed roots and combined with the narrow paths does not make it stroller friendly.
  • Absolutely make sure you stop and enjoy the view of Green Harbor
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LOCATION:

Careswell Street

Marshfield, MA

STROLLER SCORE: C

LINKS:

Trail Map

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