Rutland State Park
| Rutland State Park | |
|---|---|
  Rutland State Park Location within Massachusetts  Rutland State Park Location within the United States | |
| Location | Rutland, Massachusetts, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°22′14″N 71°59′07″W / 42.37056°N 71.98528°W[1] |
| Area | 300 acres (120 ha)[2] |
| Elevation | 833 ft (254 m)[1] |
| Administrator | Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation |
| Website | Official website |
Rutland State Park is a 300-acre (121ha) recreation area located in the town of Rutland, Massachusetts, United States. The park is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).[3] Much of the conservation land abutting the park is colloquially referred to as Rutland State Park, including Barre Falls and parts of Oakham and Hubbardston.[4][5]
Activities and Amenities
[edit]Amenities include picnic areas and a picnic pavilion, restrooms, grills, a freshwater beach and boat ramp at Whitehall Pond. The park is designated for day use, camping is prohibited.[3]
The park has trails suitable for hiking, cycling, horseback riding, cross country skiing, and mountain biking.[3] The parks trail system incorporates dirt roads predating the areas use as a park; these roads are often in poor condition for vehicular traffic, but offer wide, clear, relatively flat pathways for walking, horseback riding, and cycling.[4]
Rutland State Park is directly connected to two long-distance trails-- the Massachusetts Central Rail Trail and the Midstate Trail. The Massachusetts Central Rail Trail passes through the southern end of the park, the Midstate Trail passes through the western edge of the park. [6][7]
The park is suitable for birding.[8] It is home to a variety of bird species, including great horned owl, barred owl, northern saw-whet owl, American woodcock, red tailed hawk, ruffled grouse, American kestrel, scarlet tanager, indigo bunting, and goldfinch.[4]
Swimming, boating, and fishing are permitted at Whitehall Pond; motorized boats are prohibited.[3] The pond is stocked with trout in April and May. Bass, pickerel, yellow perch, and bluegills are among the fish species present in Whitehall Pond.[9] Aquatic invasive species are present in Whitehall Pond; efforts to remove invasive aquatic species are being managed by DCR. [10] Whitehall Pond features shallow waters, with a maximum depth of approximately 5 feet (1.5m).[11]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Whitehall Pond". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ↑ Cite error: The named reference
2012acreagelistwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - 1 2 3 4 5 "Rutland State Park". Mass.gov. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - 1 2 3 Lynch, Mark C. "Birding Rutland State Park - A Preliminary Report". Bird Observer. 10 (5). Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- ↑ Restrepo, Sebastian (2025-10-28). "Forgotten Mass.: Underground buildings and tuberculosis - welcome to Rutland Prison Camp". masslive. Retrieved 2026-07-08.
- ↑ "Explore the Trail". MassCentralRailTrail. Retrieved 2026-07-08.
- ↑ "Map Room and Hike Resources | The Midstate Trail". www.midstatetrail.org. Retrieved 2026-07-08.
- ↑ Marchello, Marcy; O'Neil, Mary; Salett, Marsha C. (February 2023). "Accessible Birding Sites in Massachusetts: 2023 Update". Bird Observer. 51 (1).
- ↑ "White Hall Pond - Rutland - North Worcester County". massachusettspaddler.com. Retrieved 2026-07-07.
- ↑ Jasinski, Peter (June 22, 2026). "DCR Recreational Advisory: Rutland State Park". Mass.gov. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ "Long Pond". Mass.gov. May 15, 2025. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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