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Freetown State Forest
29 reviews
4 of 5
It has lots of long smooth fire and dirt roads, but the real gem is the singletrack, it's endless. Very rocky, tight and twisty. Not for the meek, it will beat you up (or down), but it's real fun. You can easily go all day without hitting the same trail twice, providing you have enough stamina. Grab a map before you head out, its easy to get lost.
Summary: These trails used to be great .Last time I came here to ride I was heartbroken .Motorcycles have rutted up the singletrack .Very sad .I do not bother to make the drive anymore.
Recommended Route: None
Other recommended trails in the same area: Mattapoisett Woods, Mahoneys
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Summary: I used to race here years ago for the Freetown Big Bang, I jsut returned to check it out and my god, the place is ruined. All you find are huge mud pits, slicked out rocks, and foot deep ravines from dirtbike tires. I am a very technical rider and the rock gardens that used to be fun are now just a pain since you dont have much of a chance between the slick mud and rocks. I rode there for about 2.5 hours and got up to speed only twice when not on the fire roads. What a dissapointment.
Oh yeah, and I hope you like your wilderness experience with the constant drone of two-strokes in the area.
Other recommended trails in the same area: Take my advise, drive to Otis/151 or the Trail of Tears on Cape Cod, or make the hike to Big River or Arcadia in Rhode Island. Freetown is ruined.
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Summary: I've been riding here regularly for at least ten years and it's a love hate relationship. It's pretty diverse, ranging from rooty, sandy bermed out motorcycle trails to the infamous miles long rock gardens. I rode it recently and it seemed like the place took a serious butt wipping from motorcycles this winter. The ruts were deeper than ever and the hills torn to loose sand. It's always been like that here but it seems worse than ever now. That's not saying I didn't have fun, I almost always have fun here, just be prepared for seriously dirt bike damaged trails. Of course the dirt bikes can't hurt the rock gardens. One thing I can say about freetown is that unless you always ride huge epic 5 hour/30 milers, you can't ride the whole thing in one trip. There are roughly three big areas to ride, they are: 1.west side of bell rock road/ high street- most diverse, a little bit of everything and you get the ledge 2.The area around the ranger station, not as many routes, mostly just the motorcycle route, very rocky, twisty, often swampy stuff, and 3. the southern part of the forest near copicut reservoir. This area recently became environmentally protected somehow. This area is kind of the lesser known trails. This is the kind of forest where you can develop different routes after you explore a bit. I have three main rides I do unless I feel like a Freetown epic, then I ride the big bang race course to the motorcycle parking lot, cross the road and ride out to copicut reservoir. From there I go out by the NB rod and reel club out to this wacky spring then out to the pipe line. Then I take these old fire roads to the motorcycle trail which eventually takes you to the ranger station. Then get back on the motorcyle trail a bit up payne road and follow that until it crosses payne road and eventually high street. That trail is the start of the big bang, its a great swoopy mostly down trail along a big sand pit. This leads back across copicut back onto the roller coasters, but at this point I usually hit the road back to my car. This loop seriously kicks my butt like no other ride. I usually come back starving, bleeding, aching, and one time with a touch of hypothermia.
Usually I just ride the big bang loop. It's a great loop that hits much of the highlights of Freetown.
Recommended Route: I've ridden Spencers route and it's a good one, but I personally have a different one. I also like to stay away from the dump. Nothing like sucking wind full of Sh*t smell. Good news is the dump is closed for now pending a court battle to expand it (For christ's sake it's like 500 ft tall already, I'm not kidding!!) But I won't guarantee that it won't still be nice and ripe on those hot summer days. But enough dissing Fall River. I usuallypark at the indian reservation, at the beginning of ledge road. I ride down ledge rd to the first gate on your right (the gravel piles are gone, just an intersection now). I take the right and cruise down until I get to the singletrack on the right. I follow this thru the rollercaosters and along copicut. I follow the trail down the washed out fire road and towards the RR track. I follow the main trail across the bridges Spence mentioned and all around and eventually I get to the fire rd which I follow up to the ledge. After a little break there I take "break your bike" south to "Junky row" then I go left and follow the motorcycle trail back thru the parking lot (you can cross the street and do an extra loop to add mileage).
Other recommended trails in the same area: Otis, Borderland, Gilbert Hills
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Review Date September 27, 2002
Overall Rating 5 of 5
Ridden Trail: Ridden Once
Reviewed by: pm
, from ct
Summary: This is one of the most technical rides in MA!! Go here if you like rock gardens, long rock gardens.. Long never stopping unrelenting rock gardens, and some single and double track in between.. I cant wait to go back... Bring full suspension - really!!
Recommended Route: see bikerag.com for some pics and a prelim. map
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Review Date August 12, 2002
Overall Rating 3 of 5
Ridden Trail: Every few months
Reviewed by: LLoyd
, from Springfeild, MA
Summary: Unfortunately Freetown is as good as it gets in SE MA. Nothing but roots, rocks, and ruts. When you are not riding any of the three R's it is just sand. I have ridden here a couple dozen times over the last year and even with people who intimately know this place I have yet to ride a route that is worth coming back for. The guy below does describe one of the better routes to be traveled although I have not done it quite the way he has. I too am one of those nut jobs that enjoys rock gardens and if you ride the north and east sides of the forest you will get your fill. The motorcycle trails (which happen to be where most of the rock gardens are) are not all that bad provided you have dual suspension and can actually ride your bike. The dry summer has made for some exceptional riding in parts of this place, which are usually unridable. If you have to ride here (and you have my sympathy) see what the guy below wrote and follow his route it probably is the best. This is a great forest with plenty to offer (just limited for MTBr's). I have no doubt that if you ride here often you bike handling skills will improve particularly if you are a rock garden lover. I give Freetown 3 tires because it size and technical difficulty. Do not bring a newbie here lest you want them never to ride again.
Recommended Route: Avoid SE Mass all together. With the closing of Otis (for security reasons) the only half way decent single track is gone in these parts. In the rest of SE Mass Building houses is priority 1. So who knows how long even Freetown will remain. It would not be the first time this stupid state developed public land.
Other recommended trails in the same area: None. Go west (there is nothing worth the effort going east) and ride Arcadia in RI. Far better than Freetown and three times the size. Or go north and ride Vietnam. Rock gardens there too but more diversity of terrain. Ride those trails before a good portion of them are lost to development. BTW if you really want to stop losing prime single track obey the rules and work with the land managers/owners. Better yet join NEMBA and volunteer. SE Mass is already gone. Whats next?
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