Noanet Woodlands - Dover

Noanet Woodlands is named after a chief of the Natick Indians, who camped, fished, and hunted along Noanet Brook. Noanet Woodlands was later cleared for timber, firewood, and a few small homesteads, before taking turns as a sawmill and a large rolling and slitting mill for the Dover Union Iron Company; today, the mill’s 24-foot-high dam and 20-foot-deep wheel pit are preserved. In 1923, Amelia Peabody purchased Mill Farm on Dedham Street along with 30 additional parcels, shaping the landscape as we know it.

In the spring, warblers, thrushes, and other songbirds pass through; scarlet tanagers and northern orioles are common throughout the summer, while hawks migrate overhead during the fall. The four ponds are home to bluegills, painted turtles, and bullfrogs. Wildflowers, including pink lady’s slipper, flowering wintergreen, and marsh marigold, abound in the woods and marsh.

More than 16 miles of shady trails and wood roads are perfect for walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and horseback riding. Ascend Noanet Peak for views of Boston, and follow trails to the 1,200-acre Hale Reservation, a privately owned open-space preserve.