Home › Massachusetts › Chelmsford › Thanksgiving Forest Reservation
Thanksgiving Forest Reservation
4.8 ★★★★★ 63 Google reviews · Running trail in Chelmsford, Massachusetts · Dawn to dusk
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Not reported
- Loop distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Loop
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Dawn to dusk
Confirmed from Thanksgiving Forest Reservation's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
Hiking area with dog-friendly trails, and options for boating and fishing.
What runners say about Thanksgiving Forest Reservation
“Amazing time, good place to go with friends, nice and easy hikes and trails”
“In Winter is a perfect quick ski until the hikes and dog walkers wreck the tracks.”
I've been hiking here with family and friends since childhood. It is also a good fishing and boating spot, with a launch right off the parking lot. It's an easy hike, dog friendly too. There are several trails, Including connections to the back of great brook farm. I highly recommend a visit!
Fresh snow midday walk in the woods at Thanksgiving Forest (Chelmsford, MA). I parked at the lot in the end of Janet Road, then did the Bovey Trail then the red connectors to Great Brook Farm State Park but stopped at around the Carlisle town line, then backtracked the Bovey then forward past the Rocks, then the…
Parking is very limited, but it’s a lovely place to walk that not many people frequent because again parking is very limited. High prevalence of ticks in warmer weather so be warned.
We love the loop trail and the connection to Great Brook. In Winter is a perfect quick ski until the hikes and dog walkers wreck the tracks. When tracks are laid, the big loop takes about 30 minutes. Note, in Winter you need to buy a ski pad at Great Brook if you are going over the creek to use their trails!
Trail conditions & character
“In Winter is a perfect quick ski until the hikes and dog walkers wreck the tracks.”
“Parking is very limited, but it’s a lovely place to walk that not many people frequent because again parking is very limited.”
“We love the loop trail and the connection to Great Brook.”
Plan your run at Thanksgiving Forest Reservation
The practical stuff
- AccessDawn to dusk — the gates close, so do not plan a run that finishes after dark
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
- At the trailheadparking — reported by runners
- DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
- Websitetownofchelmsford.us
Hours
| Monday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Tuesday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Wednesday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Thursday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Friday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Saturday | 6 AM–8 PM |
| Sunday | 6 AM–8 PM |
Running trails near Chelmsford
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
Russell Mill Pond and Town Forest
4.7 ★★★★★ 237 reviews
Trails for hiking and mountain biking around a pond with fishing.
Great Brook Farm State Park
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An expanse of trails through fields & woods, centered around a working dairy farm, open for tours.
Archer Meadowbrook Preserve
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Billerica State Forest
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Urban green space providing rustic, multi-use trails & wooded areas for walking & wildlife viewing.