Ashdod Forest - North and South Rivers Watershed Association

Duxbury, MA 02332, USA

Owned By: Town of Duxbury

Trails through 244 acres of dense woodland and wetlands with occasional stream crossings.

Features

This large forest provides ample habitat for wildlife. The presence of an old well and a bottle dump suggest that it wasn’t always woodland. Some of the lands here were among the first to be acquired as open space by the Town of Duxbury in the 1970s.

Prior to European contact, the Mattakeeset band of the Massachuseuk (or Massachusett) Native American tribe lived for thousands of years in the North River watershed. Their village included most of today’s Pembroke and Hanson as well as parts of Duxbury. Meanwhile the Patuxet band of the Wampanoag tribe inhabited the Jones River watershed, and the area now known as Kingston, Plymouth and Duxbury. This property lies within the upper portion of the South River watershed — right between those two territories. It’s possible that both tribes utilized the area.

Trail Description

A half-mile section of the Bay Circuit Trail runs through this property. Look for the white BCT blazes. The trails within Ashdod Forest are well-used but not always well-marked. They extend for a brief distance on the north side of Congress Street, and for a much greater distance on the southern side, continuing past Matthews Bog and eventually to Union Bridge Road. Access is also available from Keene Street.

Habitats and Wildlife

This dense forest includes plenty of pine, as well as hemlock, oak, sassafras, maple and birch. Look for princess pine, sweet pepper bush, fern and bittersweet as well. Be careful of ticks! The likelihood of spotting a white-tailed deer here is quite high!