Plan Your Visit to Myles Standish State Forest

Start every visit at Forest Headquarters, 194 Cranberry Road, Carver, MA 02330: it has the Interpretive Center, restrooms, free parking, camping check-in and the start of the bike paths and the easy East Head Reservoir Trail. The forest is open sunrise to sunset year-round. Camping must be booked ahead, and in fall you share the trails with hunters.

Hours and Fees

Open sunrise to sunset. Day parking costs $8 for Massachusetts plates and $30 for others from May 23 to September 7 (2026). Full details on the Hours & Fees page.

Getting There and Parking

Headquarters is at the end of Cranberry Road in South Carver, reached from Route 58. The east side of the forest is reached from Long Pond Road in Plymouth, off Route 3. Three lots are open year-round: Headquarters, the Bentley Trail lot and the East Entrance. See the Parking & Directions page for every lot.

Pick Your Season

• Summer: camping (May 7 to October 11, 2026 in 2026), swimming at College Pond, biking, fishing.
• Fall: hiking and hunting. Wear blaze orange; no hunting on Sundays.
• Winter: cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Some roads are not maintained for winter travel.
• Spring: hiking, stargazing and birdwatching. Watch for red-bellied cooters basking on logs in the ponds.

Book Camping Early

All sites are reserved through ReserveAmerica, up to four months ahead. No walk-ins. The four camping ponds differ: Charge Pond takes 30-foot rigs and horses, Barretts Pond has the yurts, Curlew Pond is mostly tent and pop-up sites. Start with the camping page.

Trails

Myles Standish State Forest has 13 miles of hiking trails and over 15 miles of paved bike path. The Trail Map page lists every named trail with distance and difficulty.

What to Bring

• Drinking water and a snack. DCR's trip guide recommends both; headquarters has a water station.
• Sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate clothing.
• Sunblock and insect repellent. DCR notes some trails, like the Frost Pocket Loop, are quite sunny.
• A trail map, downloaded or picked up at headquarters. DCR warns some trails are not well marked.
• Blaze orange in hunting season.
• A 10-foot or shorter leash for your dog, and bags to pick up after it.
• A bike helmet for every rider 16 or under; it's the law.

Rules People Get Wrong

No alcohol anywhere. No firewood from home; buy it at the park. Keep off posted pond shores and stay out of the frost pockets. The full list is on the Rules & Regulations page.

Restrooms

At headquarters, restrooms at the back of the Interpretive Center are open 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Each camping loop has showers and flush toilets, and College Pond has a bathhouse in summer. There are no restrooms at the Cutter Field Road pull-outs.

Accessibility

DCR lists accessible camping, accessible fishing with a beach mat at Fearing Pond, accessible restrooms, beach wheelchairs and a beach mat. The College Pond restrooms are not accessible. For anything else, call the park at (508) 866-2526 before you go.

While You're in the Area

Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower II and the Forefathers Monument are in Plymouth; the Myles Standish Monument is in Duxbury. See things to do in Plymouth.