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Forest Trails

Emery Preserve East

773 Ship Pond Rd, Plymouth, MA 02360, USA

774-343-5121

https://wildlandstrust.org/davis-douglas-conservation-area

Owned By: Wildlands Trust

Plymouth’s Emery Preserve East features a 1-mile out-and-back woodland trail with a challenging hill and lovely views of Cotton Pond. This narrow strip of land also features an impressive glacial erratic boulder.

Part of the Davis-Douglas Conservation Area. Other related properties nearby include: Emery Preserve West, Six Ponds East Conservation Area, and Davis-Douglas Farm, along with conservation land in Plymouth.

Hunting is not allowed on this property.

For up-to-date information and real time trail conditions, visit wildlandstrust.org/trails

Features

According to the website of the Wildlands Trust, this part of Plymouth was protected thanks in large part to the local Six Ponds Community. In 1973, the preserves known as Emery East and Emery West were donated to the Wildlands Trust by Mary B. Emery, Arthur H. Emery, Edward S. Emery, III, Richard B. Emery, Mary Charlotte (Emery) Russell, H. Shippen, and Lydia Goodhue. These were the first-ever lands protected by the Wildlands Trust. Then, in 2001, Six Ponds East Preserve was acquired. In 2010, the Town of Plymouth acquired a parcel of land in between Six Ponds East Preserve and Emery West Preserve with the assistance of Wildlands Trust. And then in 2012, the Wildlands Trust purchased Davis-Douglas Farm, with funding from public and private sources. It became the organization’s headquarters in 2014.

This land is within the region of the Wampanoag. To learn more about local Native American tribes, we encourage you to interact with their members. The Herring Pond Wampanoag and the Mashpee Wampanoag share information on their websites.

Trail Description

Look for the property sign at approx. 773 Ship Pond Road, where there is room to park 1-2 vehicles at the roadside. You’ll find the trailhead just beyond the sign, with blue blazes marking the way. The trail leads into the woods, through an open area with a very large glacial erratic, and then back into the woods. The trail then heads uphill. There’s a bench at the top for resting, which you may appreciate more on the return trip! A staircase has been built into the far side of the ridge, to assist hikers with the descent. After that, you’ll soon reach the loop trail, which offers views of Cotton Pond and its wetlands. This is an out-and-back trail, so after you complete the loop, head back to your starting point. Approx. 1 mile total.

Habitats and Wildlife

Interpretive signage at Davis-Douglas Farm nearby offers fascinating detail about this property’s geography. It is situated on an outwash plain — thick layers of sand and gravel deposited by retreating glaciers 14,000 years ago. Kettle ponds, esker ridges, and kames (steep-sided mounds of sand and gravel) — common features of outwash plains — are all present here. The soil is sandy, acidic, and well-drained, which is why Pine Barrens have flourished here. Part of the Cape Cod Bay watershed, the streams here flow east and empty into the Atlantic Ocean near Ship Pond.

The woodlands here are primarily pitch pine and scrub oak, along with some white pine, red maple, gray birch and aspen. The understory is made up of ferns, sweet pepperbush, huckleberry, inkberry, high bush blueberry and viburnum. The ridge you’ll encounter along the trail is known as the Ellisville Moraine.

  • A photograph of a forest trail with signs on both sides and some stones in the foreground.
  • A photograph of a pond viewed through a colorful forest.
  • A photograph of an open forest trail with rocks in the foreground.
  • A photograph of a large glacial erratic boulder surrounded with colorful trees.
  • A photograph of a colorful forest trail.
  • A photograph of a forest trail, leading uphill.
  • A photograph of a forest trail with a wooden bench to one side.
  • A photograph of a pond viewed through colorful trees.
  • A photograph of a steep forest trail with a rope railing.
  • A photograph of a pond and a wetland with one stone in the foreground.
773 Ship Pond Rd, Plymouth, MA 02360, USA

Historic Site: No

Park: No

Beach: No

Boat Launch: No

Lifeguards: No

Hours: Dawn to Dusk

Parking: Very limited roadside parking at approx. 773 Ship Pond Road.

Cost: Free

Trail Difficulty: Easy, Medium, Hard

Facilities:

Bench, informational kiosk.

Dogs: Dogs must remain on leash. Please clean up after your pet!

Boat Ramp: No

ADA Access: No

Scenic Views: Yes

Waterbody/Watershed: Cape Cod Bay / Atlantic Ocean

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