Massachusetts has a wealth of historic landscapes within the State Park system – highlights, organized by landscape type, are listed below.

Scenic Landscapes
Many of the properties managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) have long been recognized for their scenic value. Through decades of use by conservationists, recreational visitors and nature enthusiasts, sites such as Mount Greylock (Massachusetts’ first state park) have come to possess cultural as well as natural significance – and afford impressive views of the surrounding landscape!

Bash Bish Falls State Park
Boston Harbor Islands State Park
Connecticut River Greenway State Park
Mt. Greylock State Reservation
Mt. Sugarloaf State Reservation
Purgatory Chasm State Reservation
J. A. Skinner State Park
Wachusett Mountain State Reservation

Designed Landscapes / Former Estates
The DCR manages several properties that were once private estates, many of which feature gardens and designed landscapes.

Borderland State Park
Bradley Palmer State Park
Maudslay State Park

Agricultural Landscapes
Agricultural landscapes reflect the interaction of human beings with the land.

Great Brook Farm State Park

Former Industrial Landscapes
Mills, quarries and other industrial activities leave their mark on the landscape, as seen at several sites managed by the DCR.

Dubuque, Kenneth Memorial State Forest
Halibut Point State Park
Moore State Park
Natural Bridge State Park

Civilian Conservation Corps Projects
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) offered young men employment during the Great Depression. CCC enrollees in Massachusetts worked in numerous state forests and parks, building cabins and shelters, erecting dams and bridges, and creating miles of hiking trails.

Freetown-Fall River State Forest
Upton State Forest
Brimfield State Forest
Mohawk Trail State Forest
Pittsfield State Forest

Rail Trails
The DCR manages several “rail trails” that utilize former railroad rights-of-way, offering pedestrians, bicyclists and/or cross-country skiers a chance to view the diversity of natural and historic landscapes in the Commonwealth.

Ashuwillticook Rail Trail
Cape Cod Rail Trail
Nashua River Rail Trail
Norwottuck Rail Trail

Some historic landscapes defy categorization. Visitors to Walden Pond State Reservation can experience the landscape that inspired Henry David Thoreau, a pioneer in the American conservation movement. Hikers along the 90 miles of the Appalachian Trail that run through Massachusetts can enjoy spectacular views of the mountains and valleys of Berkshire County. The 2,100 mile, inter-state footpath was conceived by Massachusetts native and environmental pioneer Benton McKay in 1921.