With tens of millions of visitors a year, Boston dominates the itineraries of visitors to Massachusetts. And while the city’s history, avid sports culture, fantastic food, and famous museums make it easy to fill a week or more, those looking for a more outdoorsy retreat to complement their urban getaway might have to look a bit outside of its limits, namely at Otter River State Forest. Located near the small town of Baldwinville near the New Hampshire border, this nature escape covers over 12,000 acres and gives visitors abundant opportunities for waterfront recreation.
Here, you can fish, swim, and boat, and there are other bodies of water surrounding the area to explore as well. One of Otter River State Forest’s biggest selling points is its campground, but you can also look forward to hiking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, or snowmobiling.
Otter River State Forest is open from sunrise to sunset, and parking for non-residents is $30 at the time of writing. Getting here shouldn’t be too difficult, either, considering the park is located only about 90 minutes from Boston. U.S. Highway 202 takes you right to the entrance, so don’t worry about going off the beaten path. Flights can be found to Worcester Regional (about 30 miles away), Manchester-Boston Regional (55 miles), or Boston Logan International (80 miles), but look into getting a rental at the airport — having your own car can be a major convenience.
Fishing, swimming, and boating in Otter River State Forest
Anglers have a lot to look forward to in Otter River State Forest. Local water bodies, including Beaman Pond, Lake Dennison, and several rivers, house a wide array of species like bream, trout, panfish, and smallmouth bass. Thanks to the several access points and boat ramps scattered around, you can even try your luck out in the water, not to mention you might be able to ice fish in the winter, too. That said, spring is usually the best time to start trying your luck due to the opening of trout season…