Patuxet Park

9 Baslers Ln, Kingston, MA 02364, USA

Kingston Conservation: 781 585-0537

https://sites.google.com/view/kingstonconservation/patuxet-park

Owned By: Town of Kingston

• Directions
• Trail Map

Patuxet Park in Kingston offers 0.62 miles of walking trails along wetlands and through woods and open fields, with views of Smelt Brook. It is sometimes misidentified on maps as Pawtuxet Park. Named for the Patuxet, members of the Wampanoag tribe who made their home in the area now known as Duxbury, Kingston and Plymouth. Hunting is not allowed on this property.

FISHING ADVISORY: It’s important to know that some of our freshwater fisheries are contaminated with mercury, PFAS and/or other concerning substances. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health maintains an online database with up-to-date advisories regarding fish consumption, sorted by location. We recommend you consult this valuable resource when planning a fishing excursion.

Features

This relatively narrow strip of land, formerly Basler’s Farm, a dairy farm, was acquired by the Town of Kingston in 1970.

According to the town’s website, the Patuxet, a subset of the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans, used this property as a summer encampment prior to European settlement of the area. Historically, Smelt Brook carried an abundance of smelt and herring. The main Patuxet village was in Plymouth — the same area where the Pilgrims settled in 1620. The village was unpopulated when the Pilgrims arrived, decimated by a series of plagues in the 1610s.

Please bear in mind that Native American cultures often favor oral histories to written ones. Much of what’s recorded about the history of the South Shore is from the perspective of European settlers. It’s not the whole story. To learn more about local Native American tribes, we encourage you to interact with their members. The Mashpee Wampanoag and the Herring Pond Wampanoag share information on their websites.

Trail Description

The 0.62-mile trail begins to the right of the property sign. It heads downhill, through a thicket, and along some wetlands before turning into the woods. If you look off to the right before you get to the woods, you can catch occasional glimpses of Foundry Pond through the trees. Next, a wide flat trail leads to a footbridge that crosses Smelt Brook. Go straight after the bridge to explore an open field, or continue to the left on the trail, through more woods, with additional views of the brook. Most of the trail is relatively flat, but there are sections with a moderate slope. Eventually the trail opens up into a larger hilltop field. Numerous spur trails and a short loop lead to private property. There is also a 20′ wide access easement that connects with Leland Road.

Habitats and Wildlife

Smelt Brook flows northeast through this property and then into Foundry Pond, before merging with the Jones River at Rocky Nook. Not far downstream, the Jones River empties into Kingston Bay. Follow the Jones River Watershed Association for more information.

The property includes a portion of Foundry Pond, which was created by a dam on Smelt Brook. Also on the property, within the wetland area, is an unnamed stream that flows into the brook. The woods here are primarily maple, oak and pine, with some birch and cedar and the occasional small holly tree. Sumac prevails in the larger of the two grassy fields. The thicket near the entrance is a prime spot for birding.