Frank Knowles/Little River Reserve (DNRT)

Frank Knowles/Little River Reserve (DNRT)

Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust Potomska Road Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02748

Official Website
Frank Knowles and Little River Reserve map

About this Location

The Frank Knowles-Little River Reserve is part of a 500-acre block of publicly accessible protected land surrounding the headwaters of Dartmouth’s Little River. The Reserve includes 5 parcels acquired by Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust (DNRT) between 1996 and 2010. DNRT also manages the trails on the adjacent town-owned McBratney property. Together these properties offer an abundance of ecological, recreational, and historical outdoor experiences.

Visitors can explore nearly 9 miles of hiking trails that wind through wetlands covered with ferns and mossy boulders, hillsides dominated by hulking yellow birch and white pine, glades of austere beeches, wide expanses of salt marsh, and old fields teeming with wildflowers and bird-life. A network of stone walls and several historic farmhouses and barn foundations harken back to the days when farms covered the land. The large contiguous forest areas make excellent wildlife habitats, including breeding habitats for bird species such as barred owls, wood thrush, and veery.

The trailhead for the Frank Knowles-Little River Reserve is marked by a Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust sign and kiosk on the east side of Potomska Road (next to a small parking area). The parking lot and the trailhead are 0.7 miles south of the intersection of Potomska, Rock O’Dundee, and Gaffney roads.

Notable Trails

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike at Frank Knowles Reserve.

Content from Official Website