Dunn State Park
Dunn State Park is a Massachusetts state park located in Gardner. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).
History
The land for Dunn State Park was originally donated to the city of Gardner, MA by John Ainsworth Dunn upon his death in 1915. Dunn was the owner of the John A. Dunn Furniture Company, which went out of business during the Great Depression. The land was later transferred to the state.
Description
Dunn State Park is a 119-acre (0.48 km2) park offering multiple recreation opportunities. The 20-acre (81,000 m2) Dunn Pond is a feature of the park.
Dunn Pond is located on Rt. 101 (on Pearl St.) just off 140 and Rt 2. It is frequented by Picnic goers and family swimmers. There is a picnic area with almost a dozen picnic tables and fireplace grills. There is a nearby grassy knoll which is great for playing games or sports like Frisbee. A trail that encircles the pond has exercise, "Vita Courses" along the way. There are also little trails that veer off the main path for adventuring, fishing, or just to get a better view of the parks natural scenery.
There are several locations around the lake to sit on a bench, and there are even more docks to fish from. One such location is accessible by car via Betty Spring Road. Visitors can drive up and park behind the lake and sit on the benches, the fishing dock, or visit the wooden bridge. Every year, the lake is stocked with fish, and fishing derbies are held, (usually on Sundays). The state also hosts a myriad of events at the pond; from cross country races, to log rolling and chain saw contests.
During the summer, you can often catch the ice cream truck, which sometimes stops here. This is great for the kids, as are the two playgrounds by the public swimming area. There are Life guards on duty during daytime hours in the summer. At times, you can rent a paddle boat or canoe and take it out on the water. In the fall, runners from the nearby Gardner High School use the recently built bike trail. This is a great place to run or walk your stroller, dog, or friend for some exercise, and is a scenic and serene trek through the forest.
The winter season is less frequented by visitors. At times the city does clear the ice for skating however, which is very nice because of the lodge on the Dunn park grounds. There is a warm fireplace and couches to sit on. Vending machines and public bathrooms are also in the lodge and available year round for changing or snacking. Park rangers are around all year to answer any wildlife or activity questions.
A Totem Pole was created in 1980's by Ralph Fleurant. It is located towards the entrance.
Fees
The following Information is taken from the official Department of Conservation and Recreation website:
- All activities offered by the park are accessible to people with disabilities.
- Parking fees are in effect
- Vehicles bearing a HP or Veterans license plate or placard as well as Massachusetts seniors who are 62 years of age or more and have a Mass. Senior Citizen Pass from the DCR are allowed in free of charge as long as space is available.
Directions
Dunn State Park is located in the northern part of central Massachusetts.
From east or west: Rte. 2 to exit 24 (Rte. 140 north), left at second light onto Rte. 101 south. Park will be on the left.
From the South (ie from Worcester): take 190 North to Rte. 2 West. Follow East/West Directions above.
From the North ( ie from New Hampshire): take Rte 12 South to Rte 140 South to the traffic light in Gardner at Pearl Street and Rte 101, turn right. The park entrance is 1-mile (1.6 km) on the left.
Recreational opportunities
- Publicly guarded swimming area
- Picnic area
- Wheel Chair Accessible
- Boating (non-motorized)
- Pay-per-ride Paddle Boating
- Boat Ramp
- Canoeing
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Skiing (Cross-Country)
- Visitor's Center
- Walking Trails
- Ice Skating (sometimes)
External links
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State Parks:
Reservations
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State Parks:
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Wildlife
Management Areas
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Agawam Lake · Agawam Mill Pond · Ashby · Ashfield Hawley · Attitash · Ayer Game Farm · Baddacook Pond · Bakers Pond · Bay Circuit Trail · Bearse Pond · Becket · Bennett · Birch Hill · Black Brook · Blackstone / West River · Bolton Flats · Boxboro Station · Brayton Point Salt Marsh · Breakneck Brook · Brewer Brook · Bullock Ledge · Burrage Pond · Canoe River · Catamount · Chalet · Chase Garden Creek Salt Marsh · Childs River · Chockalog Swamp · Church Homestead · Clapps Pond · Clinton Bluff · Concord River · Connecticut River · Cook Pond · Copicut · Coy Hill · Crane Pond · Cummington · Cusky Pond · Dartmoor Farm · Darwin Scott Memorial · Day Mountain · Deerfield River · Dogfish Bar Beach Coastal · Dolomite Ledges · Dunstable Brook · E. Kent Swift · Eagle Island · East Mountain · Eastham Salt Marsh · Elbow Meadow · English Salt Marsh · Eugene D. Moran · Facing Rock · Fairfield Brook · Farmington River · Fish Brook · Fisherville Pond · Fisk Forestdale Lot · Fisk Meadows · Five Mile River · Flagg Swamp · Flint Pond · Four Chimneys · Fox Den · Fox Island Salt Marsh · Frances A. Crane · Freetown Swamp · George L. Darey Housatonic Valley · Glen Echo Lake · Gosnold · Grassy Pond (Dennis) · Grassy Pond (Plymouth) · Green River (Franklin County) · Green River (Berkshire County) · Greenfield River · Halfway Pond · Hamilton · Hancock · Harlow / Cooks Pond · Haskell Swamp · Hauk Swamp · Hawksnest State Park · Hawley · Head Of The Plains · Herman Covey · High Ridge · Hinsdale Flats · Hiram H. Fox · Hockomock Swamp · Hog Pond Lot · Honey Pot · Hoosatonic River · Hoosic River · Hop Brook · Housatonic River · Hubbard Brook · Hunting Hills · Hyannis Ponds · Ipswich River · John J. Kelly · Jug End Fen · Jug End · Kampoosa Fen · Katama Plains · Knops Pond · Konkapot River · Lackey Pond · Lake Lorraine · Lake Rohunta · Lake Snipatuit · Lake Warner · Lanesboro · Lawrence Brook · Lawrence Pond Lot · Leadmine · Leyden · Lilly Pond · Little Alum Pond · Long Sought For Pond · Maple Hill · Maple Springs · Martha Deering · Martin H. Burns · Mascuppic Lake · Mashpee Pine Barrens · Mashpee Pond Lot · Mashpee River · Massachusetts Military Reservation · Mckinstry Brook · Meetinghouse Swamp · Merrill Pond · Miacomet Heath · Mill River · Millers River · Mine Brook · Montague Plains · Montague · Moose Brook · Moose Brook · Moose Hill · Mossy Pond · Mount Watatic Reservation · Mt. Esther · Mt. Toby Highlands · Mt. Toby · Mt. Tom · Muddy Brook · Muddy Pond · Mulpus Brook · Nashua River · Natty Brook · Nemasket River · Nissitissit River · Noquochoke · Nordeen Marsh · North Brookfield · North Shore Salt Marsh · Northboro · Oakham · Olivers Pond · Orange · Otis · Packard Pond · Palmer · Pantry Brook · Pauchaug Brook · Peru · Peterson Swamp · Phillipston · Podunk Marsh · Poland Brook · Popple Camp · Popponesset Beach · Poutwater Pond · Powell Brook · Prince River · Provincetown Route 6 Corridor · Purchade Brook · Quaboag · Quacumquasit · Quag Pond Bog · Quashnet River · Quashnet Woods State Reservation · Quinapoxet River · Quinsigamond Marsh · Quisset · Raccoon Hill · Rainbow Beach · Red Brook · Richardson · Robbins Pond · Rochester · Rocky Gutter · Rowe · Salisbury Salt Marsh · Salisbury Salt Marsh · Sandwich Game Farm · Sandy Pond · Satan's Kingdom · Savage Hill · Savoy · Sawmill River · Scorton Creek Coastal · SE Mass Bioreserve · Sevenmile River · Shattuck Brook · Sheperds Island · Shubael Pond · Sibley Brook · Sly Pond · South Barrier Beach · South Meadow Pond · South Shore Salt Marsh · South Triangle Pond · Southampton · Southwick · Spectacle Pond · Springhill Lot · Sputtermill Pond · Squannacook River · Stafford Hill · Sudbury River · Sunderland Islands · Taconic Mountain · Taunton River · Taunton River · Tekoa Mountain · Thad Ellis · Thayer Pond · Three Mile Pond · Townsend · Townsend Hill · Trapfall Brook · Triangle Pond · Tully Brook · Tully Mountain · Tully River · Wakeby Pond · Wales · Walnut Hill · Ware River · Warwick · Wendell · West Meadows · Westboro · Westfield River · Westfield · Weymouth Back River · Whately Great Swamp · Whately Ponds · Whately · Wilbraham Game Farm · William Forward · Williams River · Williamsburg · Winimusset · Wolf Swamp ·
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Sanctuaries
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Billingsgate Island · Carr Island · E. Howe Forbush · Egg Rock · Grace A. Robson · J.C. Phillips · Knight · Penikese Island · Ram Island (Salisbury) · Ram Island (Mattapoisett) · Susan B. Minns · Tarpaulin Cove · Watatic Mountain ·
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Roger and Virginia Drury Preserve · Tatkon Preserve · McElwain-Olsen Preserve · Reed Brook Preserve · Hawley Bog Preserve · Stacy Mountain Preserve · Greene Swamp Preserve · Black Pond Bog Nature Preserve · Halfway Pond Island Preserve · Grassy Pond Preserve · Boat Meadow Preserve · Sandy Neck Preserve · Hockomock Swamp · David H. Smith Preserve and Fire Trail · Hoft Farm Preserve · Katama Plains Preserve · Francis Newhall Woods Nature and Wildlife Preserve · Miacomet Moors Preserve · Homer-Watcha Preserve ·
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Other
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Concord Land Conservation Trust · Harvard Forest · Lincoln Land Conservation Trust ·
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