Things to Do in Easton
Borderland and the parks around it
The top thing to do in Easton, MA is Borderland State Park: the stone Ames Mansion (free DCR tours), more than 20 miles of trails, 6 ponds for fishing and paddling, and a free 18-hole disc golf course, at 259 Massapoag Avenue in North Easton. Within a short drive are more parks that DCR and Mass Audubon run: Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary in Sharon, F. Gilbert Hills State Forest in Foxborough, Bristol Blake State Reservation in Norfolk, Ames Nowell State Park in Abington, and the Blue Hills Reservation to the northeast. Here's what each offers, and how it differs from Borderland.
Nearby Parks at a Glance
Borderland State Park (Easton and Sharon)
Start here. The park has the Ames Mansion tours, the easy 3-mile Pond Walk, disc golf, fishing and paddling, free DCR programs most weeks, and dogs on leash. Parking is $5 for Massachusetts plates and $20 for others, and the lot fills on nice weekends; see parking.
Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary (Sharon)
Mass Audubon's sanctuary at 293 Moose Hill Parkway in Sharon has 20 miles of trails, open daily from dawn to dusk, and a nature center open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 am to 4 pm. Admission is $4 for adults and $3 for seniors and children; members get in free. It's a wildlife sanctuary, so dogs and horses are not allowed. Leave the dog at home or bring it to Borderland instead.
F. Gilbert Hills State Forest (Foxborough)
A 1,000-acre DCR state forest with 23 miles of trails through pine and oak, and part of the 30-mile Warner Trail, which runs from Sharon to Diamond Hill State Park in Rhode Island. Parking is free and the forest is open dawn to dusk. DCR's winter Trip-Tip suggests a 3-mile round trip from park headquarters at 45 Mill Street to High Rock, past stone water holes the Civilian Conservation Corps built for firefighting in the 1930s. Mountain bikers get a 5-mile loop. Note that the forest also has off-highway motorcycle trails in season, unlike Borderland.
Bristol Blake State Reservation (Norfolk)
A small, quiet place: 140 acres of ponds, marshes and fields on a former sawmill site, managed by DCR with Mass Audubon, which runs the Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary there. Trails and boardwalks lead to Stony Brook Pond and Teal Marsh, where DCR says turtles and great blue herons are common, and the half-mile Pond Loop is level. Rules are strict: no pets, no picnicking, no fishing, no biking, no running. The sanctuary charges $4 for adults and $3 for children and seniors, free for Mass Audubon members and DCR parks pass holders.
Ames Nowell State Park (Abington)
Another DCR park with the Ames name, on Linwood Street in Abington. It's built around Cleveland Pond, popular for boating and fishing, with several miles of trails along the shore and through the woods. Unlike Borderland, it has a ball field and a pavilion. It's open sunrise to sunset, dogs are allowed, and alcohol isn't.
Blue Hills Reservation (Quincy to Dedham, Milton to Randolph)
DCR's management plan places Borderland about 9 miles southwest of the Blue Hills, the big reservation of more than 7,000 acres and 125 miles of trails that DCR describes as only minutes from downtown Boston. Great Blue Hill, at 635 feet the highest of its 22 hills, looks out over the whole metropolitan area. It's also where to go for a swim in summer: DCR lists swimming at Houghton's Pond, where parking is free, with lifeguards from late May to Labor Day (2026 season).
Parks in Easton, MA: How They Compare
- History and a house tour: Borderland (the Ames Mansion).
- Disc golf: Borderland; DCR says it's the only course among the dozen parks in its Blue Hills group.
- Dog walks: Borderland, Ames Nowell, F. Gilbert Hills. Not Moose Hill or Bristol Blake.
- Birding without dogs or bikes: Moose Hill or Bristol Blake.
- Long trail days: F. Gilbert Hills (Warner Trail) or the Blue Hills.
- Swimming: Houghton's Pond in the Blue Hills. DCR doesn't list swimming at Borderland.
- Free parking: F. Gilbert Hills and Houghton's Pond. Borderland charges.
A Day Around Easton
DCR's own winter Trip-Tip pairs Borderland with F. Gilbert Hills and Bristol Blake, saying the three parks are within 20 minutes' drive of each other. A good full day: a morning on Borderland's Pond Walk and a mansion tour, lunch at the picnic tables by the visitor center, then an afternoon walk to High Rock at F. Gilbert Hills or the boardwalks at Bristol Blake. Check each park's hours first; several close at dusk.
Easton FAQ
What is there to do in Easton, MA?
The biggest draw is Borderland State Park: Ames Mansion tours, 20+ miles of trails, ponds for fishing and kayaking, and an 18-hole disc golf course. Moose Hill, F. Gilbert Hills and Bristol Blake are short drives away.
What parks are in Easton, MA?
The state park in town is Borderland State Park, a 1,843-acre DCR park that spans Easton and Sharon. DCR's Ames Nowell, F. Gilbert Hills and Bristol Blake parks are in nearby towns.
Where can you swim near Easton, MA?
DCR lists swimming at Houghton's Pond in the Blue Hills Reservation, with lifeguards from late May to Labor Day. DCR doesn't list swimming at Borderland.
Are dogs allowed at Moose Hill in Sharon?
No. Mass Audubon prohibits dogs and horses at Moose Hill. Borderland, nearby, allows dogs on a leash.
Is there free parking at parks near Easton?
Yes. DCR lists free parking at F. Gilbert Hills State Forest and at Houghton's Pond in the Blue Hills. Borderland charges $5 for Massachusetts plates.