F. Gilbert Hills State Forest

F. Gilbert Hills State Forest
Sunset Lake
F. Gilbert Hills State Forest
Location in Massachusetts
F. Gilbert Hills State Forest
F. Gilbert Hills State Forest (the United States)
LocationFoxborough and Wrentham, Massachusetts, United States
Coordinates42°03′40″N 71°17′16″W / 42.0611556°N 71.2877063°W / 42.0611556; -71.2877063[1]
Area1,030 acres (420 ha)[2]
Elevation443 ft (135 m)[1]
AdministratorMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteOfficial website

F. Gilbert Hills State Forest (previously known as Foxboro State Forest) is a pine and oak Massachusetts state forest located in the towns of Foxborough and Wrentham. The forest, which is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, was named for a former State Forester and employee.[3]

F. Gilbert Hills State Forest is adjacent to the Harold B. Clark Town Forest to its north, and is connected to Wrentham State Forest to its west. The "minimally developed" Franklin and Wrentham state forests are managed in conjunction with the Gilbert Hills property.[4]

Contained on state forest land are some unique stone structures that some believe were made and used by the native Algonquin tribes prior to the town's founding.[5]

Activities and amenities

The forest has 23 miles (37 km) trails, including a section of the 30-mile (48 km) Warner Trail, for walking, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and off-road vehicle use. It also offers accessible restrooms, picnicking, and restricted hunting.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "High Rock". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ^ "2012 Acreage Listing". Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  3. ^ "F. Gilbert Hills State Forest". Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 5, 2013. Archived from the original on July 2, 2013. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
  4. ^ a b "F. Gilbert Hills State Forest". Department of Conservation and Recreation. July 19, 2017. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
  5. ^ "Foxboro State Forest". StoneSites.Net. 2003. Retrieved November 5, 2009.