Braintree Town Forest

Braintree Town Forest is an 85-acre property in the Braintree Highlands with a well-marked, 3.5-mile color-coded trail network and views of Cranberry Brook. The blue trail leads from the parking area to all the others; the orange trail passes an intriguing rocky area on its way to intersect the yellow. A picnic area sits along the red trail in a pleasant pine grove. The forest was established by Braintree Town Meeting in 1938 for open space and forestry, and in 2011 the trails were dedicated to Charlie Moore, a longtime member of the Town Forest Committee who helped steward the land for years. Two old dams along Cranberry Brook within the forest -- plus a third nearby in Cranberry Pond Conservation Area -- hint at the site's earlier use for milling or manufacturing. Look for glacial erratics and rocky outcroppings scattered among the oak, pine, beech, and American holly.