Pudding Hill Reservation - Marshfield, MA

Ponds, fields, and forests offer a peaceful refuge for people, birds, and wildlife just minutes from Marshfield Center.

Pudding Hill Reservation offers a variety of habitats and an oasis of quiet just minutes from Marshfield Center. A pond-side meadow, a bubbling stream, and a pine-covered ridge are linked by a wide path that offers a pleasant stroll at any time of year. The trail begins near the preserve sign on the left side of the road. A path leads through a small field and up the hillside from Pudding Hill Lane.

White pines dominate on the gravelly soils of this glacial ridge and create an open, airy forest. In spring, a high-pitched, trilling song may alert you to the presence of a nesting Pine Warbler or Chipping Sparrow. White oaks and black oaks are found in some parts of the preserve. The South River is little more than a brook here and flows through Chandlers Pond, over a spillway, and along the base of Pudding Hill. Red maples predominate in these lowlands. Waterfowl, herons, and Belted Kingfishers visit the pond in spring and fall. In the moist soil along the shores of the pond, you may see mosses and skunk cabbage, and wildflowers such as starflower, Canada mayflower, and pale green orchids. You are welcome to walk through the open field, which is within the reservation, and along the shore of the pond.

Swimming is not permitted at Pudding Hill Reservation.

Access:

Steep hills span the eastern side of the reservation. On the western side, smaller hills and mowed, wide trails offer a comparatively less strenuous hike. Be careful where you step, as roots and rocks are common along the trails.

Acquired:

1991: 33.9 acres donated to Wildlands Trust by Elizabeth Bradford.

1994: 3.3 additional acres acquired by exchange.

History:

Like most ponds in New England towns, Chandlers Pond owes its existence to a dam built for milling operations in colonial times. During the 18th century, the Baker family operated several gristmills on the pond, which were succeeded by the Marshfield Cotton and Wool Manufacturing Company in the 1800s. By the middle of the 19th century, the area where Pudding Hill Lane crosses the spillway was the site of a factory school, a dye house, boarding houses for the mill workers, and work areas for a blacksmith, a cooper, and a coffin maker.

Location:

Pudding Hill Lane off Cross Street, Marshfield, MA

Directions:

From Route 3: Take Exit 27 (old Exit 12) and merge onto Route 139 E. Turn right on Cross Street (at Old Ocean Street). Go straight through after stop sign, then bear left onto Pudding Hill Lane.

Parking:

Parking area and kiosk are located on the left a short distance ahead.