Halfway Pond Conservation Area - Plymouth, MA

Look out for rare species and important natural communities as you stroll, hike, or canoe within this diverse preserve network.

Preserves:

Big Point Preserve at Halfway Pond | 23.4 acres
Conant-Storrow Preserve | 26.7 acres
Gallows Pond Preserve | 56 acres
Tayler-Touster Wildlands | 61 acres
West Shore Preserve at Halfway Pond | 242.5 acres

Description:

Just as Henry David Thoreau referred to Walden Pond as the “eye of the world,” Halfway Pond shines as the eye of Plymouth County. The pond provides habitat for the Plymouth red-bellied turtle, an endemic population of the federally endangered northern red-bellied cooter, and its shores provide one of the region’s better sites for spotting Bald Eagles. Its exceptional water quality supports six mussel species, including two state-listed rare species.

Walk for a brief time or several hours on an extensive network of well-marked trails. Enjoy the scent of swamp azalea, swamp rose, and sweet pepperbush as you canoe Halfway Pond on a July evening. Explore woodland swamps and pond shores during crisp fall days when the vegetation glows with brilliant color. Snowshoe through open woodlands in winter or search the pine barrens in spring for unusual wildflowers.

From the Mast Road parking lot, enter the trail on the west side of the road to join Gramp’s Loop. To add nearly 2 miles to your hike, join Leona’s Loop from the southeast corner of Gramp’s Loop, creating a figure-eight route through globally important pine barren habitat.

From Gramp’s Loop, follow Gallows Pond Trail across Mast Road into the oak-pine forest along the shores of Gallows Pond. This preserve is characterized by wooded hillsides, dry kettle holes, views of the pond, a three-acre wetland, and some large glacial erratics. At the top of a rise above Mast Road, Whippoorwill Trail branches off, making its way through quiet woods and leading to an extensive woodland swamp. After the swamp, look for beech trees and white pines in the higher elevations. The trees here are older and larger than most in the conservation area. Whippoorwill Trail also connects with a trail on Conant-Storrow Preserve, where the forest of oak and pitch pine supports plants in the heath family.

Less common is the forest of beech trees you’ll pass through on Big Point Trail above the shores of Halfway Pond. On top of a large bluff at the tip of Big Point, a panoramic view captures most of the pond, its island, and the forest beyond—a spectacular place to sit and watch the sun go down. Blackmer Hill Trail and Joe Brown Trail both offer easy, pleasant walking through old woods and create connections and loops with the other trails.

The conservation area includes the Stewardship Training Center (STC), a 12,000-square-foot building that hosts a wide range of training programs to help municipalities and conservation organizations build land stewardship capacity. The STC campus is closed to the public outside of pre-scheduled programs.

Access:

Significant hills characterize this conservation area’s terrain, so be prepared for an arduous hike. The trail tread, meanwhile, is generally free of rocks and exposed roots.

Acquired:

Through the extraordinary planning and leadership of LeBaron R. Briggs, III, and the generosity of his and other local families over the course of several decades.

History:

1982: LeBaron and Ruth Briggs donated 242.5 acres to create West Shore Preserve, with assistance from The Nature Conservancy.

1982 and 1990: Ruth and LeBaron, Winslow and Ann Briggs, John and Delia Briggs, and Marjorie Briggs donated 56 acres to create Gallows Pond Preserve, providing a natural connection with Halfway Pond.

1986: Irene Tayler and Saul Touster donated 61 acres, creating the Tayler-Touster Wildlands.

1993: Richard Conant, Jr., his family, and Kenneth S. Burchell donated 26.7 acres to create Conant-Storrow Preserve, abutting Gallows Pond Preserve.

1998: LeBaron R. Briggs, III donated 23.4 acres to create Big Point Preserve.

2001: Wildlands purchased 10 acres on Halfway Pond abutting existing preserves.

2018: Wildlands purchased 11.4 acres on Halfway Pond.

2022: Wildlands purchased 30 acres on Halfway Pond and established the Stewardship Training Center (STC). The STC building is the former estate of prominent cranberry grower LeBaron Russell Barker. Leona’s Loop, established in this year, was named after Leona Asker, one of the founding members of Wildlands Trust.

Location:

Mast Road and West Long Pond Road in Plymouth, MA

Directions:

Mast Road Parking Area

From Route 3: Take Exit 7 (old Exit 3) and head southwest on Clark Road. Turn right onto Long Pond Road, continue about 1.5 miles, passing Plymouth South Middle School. Turn left onto Mast Road (across from the Waverly Oaks Golf Club). Follow Mast Road about 2 miles to trailhead parking on right before Halfway Pond.

Gallows Pond Rd/West Long Pond Rd Parking Area

From Route 3: Take Exit 7 (old Exit 3) and head southwest on Clark Road. At intersection, turn left onto Long Pond Road and then immediately take 1st right to continue on Clark Road. Continue down Clark Road (bear left at fork to stay on Clark Road) and continue onto West Long Pond Road to parking area just ahead on right.

Parking:

A parking area lies at the trail head on the west side of Mast Road, with additional parking at the edge of the road along the pond. Parking is also permitted at the intersection of Gallow's Pond Road and West Long Pond Road. (Driving on Gallows Pond Road or on Mast Road along Halfway Pond is not recommended due to poor conditions.)