Plymouth Town Forest Mountain Biking Trails

The Town Forest is over three hundred acres in size, some of which have seen some rough treatment, and some of which are as lovely as anything in Plymouth. Start at the Town Forest sign and trail head, at the intersection of Drew Road and Long Pond Road. There is a short spur to the right with more room for parking. The trail begins just behind the sign on a path paralleling Drew Road. Farther along, there is a gate and more parking as the trail bears right into the woods, through a tall stand of mature white pines. After a short walk, there is a confusing intersection. Follow the trail markers to the right In this area is one of the red pine plantations that were established all over town in the middle of the last century. Those non-native trees suffered an insect infestation and then died off all at once in the last ten years. That would be sad, except that the understory is a riot of white pine and other native young trees bursting out now that there is no competition for light. Following the trail north, we pass trash and construction debris dumped illegally. Town workers have striven to block access to these back trails, so there is less of this activity recently. Still, this isn’t what we want to see walking in the woods. Further on, the landscape is filled with old pines and mixed hardwoods, on gently undulating terrain. The trail is wide, making it harder for ticks to hitchhike onto your clothes. You will see the Plymouth Community Intermediate School on the right, and at a five way intersection (follow the trail markers!) make a sharp left. After grazing Cook’s Pond Road, the pine needle carpeted trail veers to the southwest, through the Wildlife Management Area. Be sure to wear blaze orange if it is hunting season. Soon flashes of blue through the trees reveal Cook’s Pond, and you can turn down either of two spur paths to the edge of the pond. It is worth walking down to enjoy the view and the peace. The trail leads to a grassy clearing under the high tension wires and pylons. Follow the trail marker to the right. Motorized bikes and ATVs have churned up the sandy soil, making it a bit of a slog for a short distance. These open meadows contrast with shadowy forest and are much appreciated by hawks and owls hunting rodents. You will pass by cranberry bogs down below on the right and the left. Halfway up the slope to the left the marked trail enters the woods again. These oaks and pines are shorter: either younger than the other side of the forest, or stunted by winds and thin soil up on this hill. There is more illegal dumping in this area. Some of the junk is so old that it has a thick green carpet of moss over it, making it almost pretty in an exasperating way. After crossing Drew Road, pick up the trail again. It soon forks, with the right path descending down to the edge of Little South Pond. On a sunny day, this is an exquisite little glen with a copper colored pine needle floor and a tiny beach of the whitest crystalline sand. The sparkling water is colored the full spectrum of Caribbean blues. These ponds of the Town Forest are coastal plain ponds, whose water levels fluctuate widely from season to season. The sandy apron of the pond widens as the water level drops in summer. At some time decades ago, a connection was dug between the two ponds so that Great South Pond could flow into Little South Pond. We follow the marked trail along this channel, brimming with seasonal high water. It is a stunningly beautiful little passage. The trail opens onto Great South, with a wide arc of beach. Crystal clear water covers a broad floor of rippled white sand. The marked Town Forest trail loops back to the left at this point, but ambitious hikers are able to follow another trail to the right. Not pictured on the map but .75 more miles (one way) is Pinnacle Hill. Cross over a concrete bridge, west across DCR land, keeping to the left at a fork, and head into the Cortelli Preserve, a Wildlands Trust property. Climb to the top of Pinnacle Hill, a dramatically high cone of glacial till with an awesome view - the third highest point in Plymouth! The Town Forest trail leaves the Great South Pond shore heading northeast, skirting the flank of another dramatic hill. Clearly the glaciers went nuts in this particular neighborhood, with massive bergs forming the ponds and kettles, and enormous depositions of rock and sand forming the knobs. Soon you are back on Drew Road, taking note of the long line of “No Parking” signs, meant to discourage summertime misuse of these exquisite pond shores. Apparently, there has been a great deal of bad behavior in the past. Non-motorized boating is allowed on the South Ponds, but swimming is not. It is legal to park in only two spaces at the brick pump house near the intersection of Drew and Rocky Pond Roads. Following the trail back, retrace your steps until, soon after re-entering the woods beyond the utility lines, the road forks. Bear right here to come along side the dead red pine plantation again. The trail markers will guide you to the right at an intersection, leading back to the start.
Source: https://www.plymouth-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif3691/f/uploads/2022plymouth_trail_guide.pdf