Blackstone River & Canal State Park

Absolutely beautiful scenic park located in Uxbridge, MA. There are several open fields close to the river as well as wooded areas bordering the Blackstone as it meanders through the park and local country side. Between the canal and river there is a dirt pack trail suitable for walking, jogging and dogs are allowed as long as they are leashed. In one of the open areas as near the river is a stand of birch trees which was magnificent and rather unusual in their growth pattern. This park is a 5 star experience you won’t want to miss if you like the outdoors and have a spirit of adventure.

Great place to hike! Lots of different choices and so very pretty. Different levels of hiking make it great for whatever you are up for that day.

This is our go to place to walk our dog. We normally start at the mill end and walk to about halfway, although we have gone to the other end as well. We enjoy this trail because it’s pretty straight (goes along the canal), it’s quiet, and there are multiple places our dog can go in the water if he wants.
Although the trail is frequented by walkers, runners, dog walkers, and cyclists, the dog owners dint always pick up their poop. It’s not nearly as bad as some other places (Lincoln Woods) and the dogs tend to go on the edges of the trail, but it’s still a thing to watch out for.

If your looking for somewhere to go with your family for a Saturday, entertain the kids during the week, or even go for a walk by yourself, this is the place to go! The walking trails are great along the canal and the inside is so well-​kept. You can go fishing boating or just for a walk. There is wildlife everywhere you look. Make sure you go into the barn the visitor’s center is. There’s tons of info on the Blackstone Valley inside. If you go upstairs, there is a mini museum that is free. There are activities for children up there. I was able to entertain the kids I was watching in the museum upstairs for an hour and a half. There are dress up clothes, activities, and cool things to learn about. If you like photography, this is one of the best places for pictures in the area. A lot of people take their family pictures, wedding pictures, and senior pictures here. There are tons of locations to work with. There are restrooms inside and picnic tables scattered around. There is a dock we can get rid up to the water and people often fish off the bridge. there is a paved parking lot with overflow parking in the field. There are some roots that stick up into the path but are easy enough to navigate around even with a stroller. There are bubblers inside but you probably still want to bring water bottles and snacks. You definitely want to check this out!

We were looking for some place to take a nice walk on a lazy Sunday and alas, our GPS lead us here. I didn’t expect much since the last time we relied on our GPS, it lead us to a smelly beach that filled us with GPS regret.
Upon arriving, we saw wide open fields, beautiful foliage and a wonderful little red barn. It was so inviting! We began to take a walk along the trail and it lead us to more beautiful fields and various stops along the river. There were just enough people on the trail to feel safe but not too crowded. The sights and sounds were beautiful. We saw bikers, canoers, runners and walkers like us. We ended up at the end of the trail where we saw an old (but restored) Mill.
While we only walked a small portion of the trail, we felt like we were in a little piece of heaven on that beautiful Fall Day. We will make it a point to return again and again. Perfect place to enjoy nature!

The visitor center is clean and well maintained. The trail we walked on was totally straight, so not that interesting walking. Everyone was very friendly. There were no trash cans on the trail or at the trailhead.
This is a nice place but not a destination. It concerned me that there were so many warnings about hunting season.

went for a exciting mid-​morning hike with the lady here. There is a lot of DOG POOP everywhere so keep a watchful eye. I wish people would pick up their dogs droppings so that other do not have to look at it, step in it, and smell it.
This place had easy trails and nice views. We saw many turtles on our walk this morning. The trails were well maintained and there was no trash anywhere besides all the animal excrement.

As an avid kayaker I was excited when I first visited the River Bend Farm and discovered that they had a small ramp and a River and Canal Guide. This past fall I returned with my kayak on the roof and my life jacket on. We launched at the Visitor Center and thankfully they were open. I needed to use the facilities which were clean and well cared for. I also spoke at length with the park ranger on duty and he gave me some great info about the canal and what to look for.
The River Bend Farm State Park offers there different options ranging in skill level from beginner to intermediate. None of them were very long but My bother and I circled around a few times and each pass was more fun then the last. It is a great way to spend an afternoon enjoying a relic of our countries industrial age.

It seemed
like a good
idea at
the time
Blackstone River & Canal State Park is a track of land along the Blackstone River that has areas for hiking, picnicking and exploring history. Way back in the early 19^th century the industrial revolution, fed by the many textile mills in the area, demanded a faster and more reliable way of getting the goods to the ports and large ships by the ocean.
Canals seemed the logical choice and a period and extensive and enthusiastic canal digging began. Encouraged by the the success of the Erie Canal of 1817, the Blackstone Canal was seen as a great way of getting textiles and other material from the mills of Central Massachusetts to the ships of the Atlantic Ocean.
It was completed in 1828 and became an immediate success. However problems with this canal, as with all the others of the time, quickly developed. Droughts dried up the canals and made them too shallow and floods made them too dangerous. Mud made the tow roads difficult to move on and locks required lots of maintenance and were time consuming. Transportation of goods became very dependent of the vicissitudes of the weather.
The railroads finally drove the last nail in the coffin of the canals and by 1848 the Blackstone Canal closed for good. Like most of the other very ambitious canals of the time the Blackstone didn’t last very long.
Although the canal no longer serves it original propose it’s still a cool place to explore and hike. Most of the structures are long gone but many areas of the tow roads, locks and canal itself can be seen and the Blackstone River and little ponds are still there.
There is also a little visitors center at River Bend Farm and nice areas for a picnic or more causal stroll. The canals of New England are an important but mostly forgotten part of history. A lot of time, effort and money was poured into them but they ultimately proved less than successful. Fortunately parks like this preserve what is left of the great canals and what seemed like a very good idea at the time.