freetown-state-forest-official

[freetown-state-forest-official]

everyday of my life i think about the time my friend thought the main character of ace attorney was named Ace Attorney

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I don't actually know if I'll go through with the project that involves Strid, but he was fun to design regardless. I love kelpies and I was trying to find a midpoint between aquatic predator and normal horse.

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Deep Water Prompt #2420

The swamp lights draw in everything but us. We don’t intervene, not since the disaster. Only watch the strange creatures who disappear into the glow. 

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Text: “The swamp is always there if you need a rest,” they said. “Ten year nap does a world of good, and you’ll be just the same when we pull you out, promise.” 

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Is now a good time to post dilapidated rock walls in Hockomock Swamp?

Vipin. What were you thinking?

#none of my photos from this hike adequately captured just how dense the vegetation is #i would probably need a nice camera with a few lens options to really get it... phone just doesn't cut it #seriously vipin wtf were you thinking?? i'm so glad he's okay but ahhhhh nooooooo #hockomock swamp #bt photo ref #bridgewater podcast #bridgewater #bridgewater triangle

[freetown-state-forest-official]

More photos of the tall trees in Hockomock Swamp. It's a bit difficult to get their full height from ground to tree top in one shot.

click for quality

#hockomock swamp #bt photo ref #bridgewater triangle #bridgewater

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Wildflower meadow at Hockomock Swamp. The cicadas are actually so loud my ears were ringing once I passed through and was back in the trees.

Wish I'd gone earlier in the season, there were still some wildflowers around but from what was left... the intermittent meadows must be popping with color in July and August.

Some of the flowers I saw were: red clover, milkweed (flowers mostly gone, pods growing), goldenrod, bull thistle, yellow thistle, Queen Anne's lace, aster... and a whole bunch of other stuff I couldn't identify (I'm also not sure what type of aster oops)

#hockomock swamp #native wildflowers #bridgewater #bridgewater triangle #bt photo ref

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Top left: Taken from on the trail Top right: Taken from 100ft off the trail Bottom: Taken from 100ft off the trail click for quality

**Disclaimer: If you aren't familiar with it, don't go off the trails or outside of maintained areas in Hockomock Swamp. Or if you do, stay within sight distance of the main areas. There are ticks, sink holes and a lot of uneven terrain, people have gotten lost and needed to be rescued.**

#i just want ppl to stay safe if they also want to go hiking in the area! #hockomock swamp #bridgewater podcast #bridgewater triangle #bt photo ref

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Picture 1: Taken standing on the trail

Picture 2: Taken 50ft off the trail

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These don't do it justice but I literally just hit a wall of vegetation that I would have needed a machete to hack through. There are also a lot of thorny plants that look like wild roses but I'm not sure since they weren't in bloom. My arms are a little scraped up now.

**Disclaimer: If you aren't familiar with it, don't go off the trails or outside of maintained areas in Hockomock Swamp. Or if you do, stay within sight distance of the main areas. There are ticks, sink holes and a lot of uneven terrain, people have gotten lost and needed to be rescued.**

#adding disclaimers to literally any pics i post that are off the trails in hockomock bc it's such an easy place to get turned around #bridgewater #bridgewater triangle #bt photo ref #hockomock swamp

[freetown-state-forest-official]

This is pretty close to the beginning of the actual swamp/forest outskirts after passing through the cornfield at the trail head.

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Lots of tall older growth trees, mostly pine and I think birch(?) I should have paid attention but forgot... Also yes it's a swamp but definitely more standing water than is usually based on how submerged things were/where the water line was in some areas.

#hockomock swamp #bridgewater #bt photo ref #bridgewater triangle

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Trailhead of the Hockomock Swamp rail trail in Taunton, MA

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Definitely not what I was expecting it to look like! It's about an acre of corn with a path running through it before you get to the actual swamp/forest. I thought I'd ended up in the wrong place at first!

#bridgewater #bridgewater podcast #hockomock swamp #bt photo ref #bridgewater triangle

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Hello!

Originally I'd planned to hike in Hockomock Swamp last weekend but due to timing and Hurricane Ida it didn't work out so I put it off to this weekend. What I didn't think about before hopping in my car was that southern Massachusetts basically flooded last week so water is pretty high right now (even Boston area water levels are high).

And so my plan to go hiking in Hockomock was already a bit foiled by the fact that while the rail trail is pretty dry and slightly raised, there's a lot of standing water in some areas around the trail. Plus there's another thing I didn't take into account... summer vegetation in an already dense swamp. I think my original plan would have been a bit more doable if I went in say, October or November during a dry spell after there's been some vegetation die-off. Because as of right now? Getting out into the swamp is going to take waders and a machete.

Which is not to say that I come to you empty handed! I return from hiking in the Bridgewater Triangle with records of the Hockomock Swamp rail trail and also Massasoit State Park.

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***Big-ass disclaimer: If you are not familiar with it, you should not go off the trails or outside any maintained areas in Hockomock Swamp. It is a massive undeveloped wetland and people have gotten lost and needed to be rescued. There are sink holes, ticks, dense vegetation and unstable terrain. I may be a dumbass but I also have enough experience with orienteering and trail mapping/blazing to be comfortable with going off the trail within reason. I never planned to go more than ~100 yards off-trail since this was my first time there, plus I had a GPS app to mark waypoints for when I did.***

#i will be putting a version of that disclaimer on the handful of photos I took that were off the trail #i have a VERY good sense of direction and i almost got turned around at one point..... 30ft off the trail. that's how dense it is #you will just suddenly hit a WALL of vegetation #hockomock swamp #forest whispers

[freetown-state-forest-official]

I am awed and horrified. I have been in the Freetown state forest once and would like to never be there again. After what I experienced, I will drive an hour out of my way to avoid the whole triangle. I can't imagine actually hiking in there but godspeed you funky explorer!

I am maybe a little odd but I'm actually kind of hoping to see something? Which of course means that I never will 😂 Paranormal aside, Freetown State Forest was such a weird place to hike! The trail map (literally from mass.gov) is oddly scaled and then absolutely NO trails are blazed. I was actually shocked by the complete lack of blazes and markers anywhere except the very well cleared gravel bridle paths. Which of course those have bigass reflective blazes.......

And uh. I'm planning to go back in the fall so I can hike up to the ledge... In the dark... In order to watch the sunrise. Wish me luck?

#weirdest thing that happened while i was there was that there were a couple times the forest went absolutely dead silent #no birds or chipmunks or crickets or anything... just wind #darkshrimpemotions #forest whispers #freetown state forest

[freetown-state-forest-official]

The inside of my brain rn (and probably a wall in Vipin's dorm room/apartment)

#oh i love this and the pics used! #the ledge #bridgewater ma #bt photo ref #bridgewater triangle

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Text: I woke to sharp fangs buried deep in my neck, which meant the door had been left open. Again. 

#just ~vibes~ from today's episode

[freetown-state-forest-official]

My stickers showed up! And as much as I love buttons, I needed this sticker. I get a bit of amusement out of this one because of a couple things;

There are NO blazes on the non-vehicle trails at Freetown State Forest which makes it really easy to go in the wrong direction and get lost if you don't have a good sense of direction. And in addition to the lack of blazes, there are a couple of trails that just completely disappear and you're just kinda fumbling through the woods looking for the next sign of ppl wearing down a path for a little bit. On the other side of that, there's one very well-traveled path that is probably the clearest path in this one particular area and..... It is not on any trail maps. Where does it go? Just totally dead ends you into a landfill on the southwest side of the forest.

So. Always stay on the path but... Make sure you're on a real path too. I would not want to be out there past dusk.

(I'm not trying to be ~ooo creepy~ for clout, all of the trails that aren't bridle paths are unmarked and if you don't have a decent sense of direction you could get lost. Freetown State Forest is confusing and Hockomock Swamp is genuinely dangerous to just wander around in bc it is huge and there's only one marked trail that I know of.)

#would absolutely hike there again during foliage season for sure bc it was really beautiful #but definitely recommend keeping an eye on where you are and not just blindly following what looks like a path #bridgewater #bridgewater podcast

[freetown-state-forest-official]

Greeting a 12 year old,

Vipin [enthuastic] : NICE TO MEET YOU ETHAN!

Jeremy [ not enthusiastic ] : hi there

#cinnamon rolllllll #he and jeremy in ep4 is freaking hilarious like they are clearly friendly and also a really cute student/teacher friendship #vipin khurana #jeremy bradshaw