Dover, MA: Outdoor Recreation

Outdoor Recreation in Dover

Caryl Park

Dover has many areas available for passive and active recreation.

Dover has open space for recreation owned by the Town of Dover, Parks and Recreation, Conservation Commission, The Trustees of Reservations, Hale Reservation, Dover Land Conservation Trust and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts/Massachusetts Horticultural Society (Elm Bank Reservation).

More information can be found on their websites, including information on off-road bicycling, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing.

Structured recreation programs are offered by the Dover Town Library and the Parks and Recreation Department. Parks and Recreation manage the walking trails, playing fields, tot playground, tennis courts and basketball court at Caryl Park, located off of Dedham Street, and the playing fields at Chickering Field, across the street from Caryl Park.

Recreational Opportunities

Bicycling off-road is available at Noanet Woodlands and Hale Reservation. It is not permitted on the Wylde Woods property. Please check their websites for detailed information.

Boat Landings for access to the Charles River are located on Riverview Drive off of Claybrook Road under the management of the Parks and Recreation Department, and on Bridge Street under the management of the Conservation Commission. Starting at the bridge on the Dover/Sherborn line, the boundary of the Bridge Street property managed by the Conservation Commission runs for nearly 400 feet along the Charles River and 380 feet along Bridge Street. It is an excellent place to launch a canoe in the river. Parking is limited.

Dog Walking is allowed at some of the open space properties in Dover. It is not permitted at Caryl Park. In all cases it is expected that dog owners will have control of their pet. Please check the individual property websites listed on this page for details.

Fishing can be done from various access points to the Charles River, at Channing Pond off of Springdale Avenue, and at Hale Reservation. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts requires a fishing license for fishing in the Charles River. This can be obtained at the Dover Town Clerk’s office and at various retail outlets.

Horseback riding is allowed at Noanet Woodlands, Hale Reservation and Wylde Woods. Please check their websites for detailed information . Riding is also available through the Norfolk Hunt Club.

Hunting is prohibited, regardless of the weapon used, on all public lands in Dover. Conversely, hunting is allowed on private property provided, however, the person engaged in hunting has the written permission of the landowner or person in lawful control of the property on his/her person while so engaged. Hunting is governed by Dover’s by-laws, specifically C. 109: No person shall fire or discharge any firearm within the limits of any park, playground or other public property, except with the consent of the Board of Selectmen, or hunt, trap, fire or discharge any firearm on any private property, except with the written consent, to be in the person’s possession, of the owner or legal occupant thereof.

In addition to local by-laws, Massachusetts has several statutes and regulations dealing with possession and carrying of firearms. Also on the books of the Commonwealth are a whole host of statutes and regulations that govern hunting in Massachusetts. Anyone, even with written permission, hunting upon private lands in Dover must also conform to the strict laws and regulations addressing these issues and must have a hunting license.

Playgrounds can be found at Caryl Park, with a smaller one behind the Caryl Community Center, across from the Dover Town House on Springdale Avenue.

Playfields. The Chickering Playfields are located off of Dedham Street in Dover, just behind the Chickering Elementary School. They are located right across the street from Caryl Park.

Tennis courts are available at Caryl Park and the Dover-Sherborn Regional School campus.

Walking /cross-country skiing trails can be found on the extensive open space properties summarized below. There is a map of Dover with areas to go for a walk.

Caryl Park off of Dedham Street includes walking trails linked to Noanet Woodlands. For more information on Caryl Park visit the Parks and Recreation Website.
Cemetery lands off of Centre Street are open for walking but under their rules and regulations. Please check the Cemetery web page for more information.
Elm Bank Reservation is owned and managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. There are trails, playing fields and gardens spread out on about 110 acres. More details can be found here. The Massachusetts Horticultural Society leases an area of Elm Bank Reservation for their headquarters. For more information on their property you can visit the Massachusetts Horticulture Society website.
Hale Reservation consists of about 625 acres in Dover and about 575 acres in Westwood. It is managed by Hale Reservation, Inc., a private, non-profit organization whose headquarters are in Westwood. You can find out a lot more information on Hale Reservation including trail maps on their website at www.halereservation.org.
Snow Hill Reservation is the largest parcel (110 acres) owned by The Dover Land Conservation Trust, which owns over 500 acres of open space in Dover. It can be accessed from Pine Street. For more information on lands owned by the Dover Land Conservation Trust please click here.
The Trustees of Reservations.
- Noanet Woodlands is among the most significant open space parcels in Dover. Noanet Woodlands is roughly 650 acres. The reservation is used heavily for hiking, biking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, snow shoeing, and other activities. It can be reached from several access points in Dover.
- Peters Reservation features a mix of river frontage and walking trails on 89 acres and can be reached from a small parking area on Farm Street or by canoe/kayak from the Charles River. It connects to Chase Woodlands across the street.
- Chase Woodlands has over 2 miles of trails and includes 85 acres.
- Powisset Farm is located at 37 Powisset Road. Open fields and a cluster of farm buildings comprise a scenic, pastoral landscape that is a rare treasure within the Greater Boston area. It also includes a community-supported agricultural farm. You can find lots more information on The Trustees of Reservations including trail maps by visiting their website at www.thetrustees.org.
Wylde Woods is actively managed by the Conservation Commission. It is part of the Center Street Corridor of Conservation lands. With over 60 acres, there is a network of marked walking trails. It can be reached from a parking area on Centre Street. X-Country skiing is available in the winter.