Falmouth Nature Preserve

Falmouth Nature Preserve trails in blue; Underwood Park trails in orange. The connector trail between the two parks passes through private property. (Woodman Preserve in green and Underwood Springs Forest in lavender.)

This is a pleasant, wooded preserve with about 4.25 miles of well-marked trails, popular with dog walkers. There is a nice section of the trail — along the red and orange trails — that follows the pretty Mill Creek tidal estuary and salt marsh. The forest here is varied, passing under some old hemlocks, birch, maple, and oak trees.

The orange and red trails are relatively easy to walk and follow, particularly the red trail. (Although as it approaches the marsh, it gets a bit harder.) Some of the trails linking the two loops — marked with blue blazes — might be a bit overgrown. The white trail is a bit more uneven, dipping in and out of deep, little ravines a couple of times. It includes a nice place to look out over the marsh — as does the red trail, I’ve marked both on my map.

There are also paths that wander off the preserve into nearby woods that local people use, connecting neighborhoods and parks. Note — these paths pass through private land, some of which is signed by landowners allowing walkers but asking visitors to be respectful.

Directions: The Falmouth Nature Preserve is at 178 Foreside Rd. The lot has approximately 8 parking spaces.