Chemung Hill - Stoughton, MA 1985
The sledding season is almost here! Soon children will be will dusting off their sleds and Clark Griswold will be applying his non chloric silicon based kitchen lubricant that will make the surface of his sled surface 500 times slipperier than any cooking oil! In preparation for this, we've compiled a list of the best sledding locations on the south shore of Massachusetts. So get that hot chocolate ready enjoy! What are you favorite sledding locations? Please leave a comment below with your favs!
1. World's End - Martins Lane, Hingham - World's End is a 251-acre peninsula made up of four hills, great for sledding, connected by 4.5 miles of walking trails. There are four sledding hills to choose from but experts say that the best bet is Planter’s Hill which is the large drumlin rising just before you cross “The Bar” to the far side of the reservation.
2. Pete’s Hill- 14 Depot St, Sharon near Sharon center on Rt 27 - Pete's Hill (also known as Peter's Hill), is a great place to take your kids sledding. The hill is wide open and offers plenty of room to slide down, free of obstacles. This sledding spot is perfect for the kiddos because it offers a long ride at a minimal grade. Pete's Hill is located in a neighborhood area, so parking can get a little dicey (depending on how many people show up to sled). Best to park in the parking spaces at the top of Depot Street right near Sharon center. Walk down the hill towards the train station. Turn right at the second street on Hillside Avenue. You'll see the sledding hill on the right.
3. Coast Guard Hill - 900 Ferry St, Marshfield - The Recreation Department has been operating Coast Guard Hill since 2009. Hay bales are placed in front of trees and trach barrels to keep sledders from being injured. The 15 minute hike back to the top of the hill is well worth making – for a couple of reasons. You can take in a beautiful view of the ocean, then ride down the 200-foot- slope.
4. Strawberry Valley Golf Course - 164 Washington St, Abington - The Strawberry Valley Golf Course off Washington Street is a winter destination for families across the region. On a trip to the Abington golf course, you'll find people sledding and tubing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. The best hill is not far from the parking lot off Route 18, at the second hole. There's a small hill for the little kids when you first walk in to the left but if you have older kids you can walk straight ahead and then go to the right for the big hill!
5. Whitman Town Park - 141 Whitman Ave, Whitman - Whitman Town Park is a historic park near the center of the town. The land was a gift from Augustus Whitman, whose family gave the town its name. After snowfall, local families flock to the park in large numbers to take a ride down the small slope on the Maple Avenue side of the public park. The big hill located right in the center of the park is a great spot for children of all ages.
6. South Shore Country Club - 274 South St, Hingham - There are multiple slopes on the South Shore Country Club golf course in Hingham, but most sledders congregate at the top of the hill by the driving range. To park, drive as far back as you can go and you will see the remnants of sledders trails. Park at the Country Club for smaller, quieter hills, and park on Fort Hill Street for bigger, more adventurous hills.
7.Kennedy Park - Fall River - An opening in the veranda at Kennedy Park frames kids and adults sledding down the hill.
8. Widow's Walk - 250 Driftway, Scituate - Widows Walk is a town owned golf course in Scituate that attracts many hearty sledders when the snow falls. The slopes are mostly gentle and long, and getting to them does require some trekking, but once there on a ridge, one only needs to climb back up the incline to get in a good ride. There are some very steep hills located on the course, but these require significant hiking through snow, so please be very careful if you decide to embark on this type of adventure.
9. Chemung Hill - 1800 Central St, Stoughton - This is a throwback to one of the greatest sledding hills that is unfortunately just a shell of it's former self. For decades, people brought sleds and snow tubes to the hill for a thrill like no other. Due to a series of unfortunate sledding accidents, the town was forced to install deterrents to discourage sledding. A row of shrubs were installed across the hill which were promptly torn out by would be sledders. After that, a chain link fence was installed, which followed the same fate. Over time, the overgrowth of the hill became too formidable for most sledders. You can still sled there today down a narrow strip in the center, and it does provide an enjoyable experience for the little ones, but nothing like it used to be. You can even grab a nostalgic
Chemung Hill Sledding Team shirt to commemorate the those childhood memories.
Mike LaFleur (facebook)
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