Doane's Falls Reservation — Attraction in Royalston

The Doane's Falls area is a beautiful place to explore. It has an easy, wide, well maintained trail. In the spring there are several vernal pools on the side of the trails. They are teeming with life! In the colder months, the mist from the falls creates amazing ice sculptures on the rocks, trees, plants and dead fall.... it's never the same, always changing. I recommend staying on the trails for these observations, because it is very steep & with a coating of ice, it can only result in disaster. Down & cross the from Doane's Falls parking area by the Tully Canoe launch (on Doane Hill Road), there is another fantastic place to explore. Spirit Falls Road is a trail that runs parallel to the East Branch of Tully River. It goes in quite a way and terminates at the bottom of Spirit Falls which is another opportunity to hike; however, this trail is very steep & Spirit Falls is not as dramatic as Doane's Falls, especially in the drier seasons. Spirit Falls Road is not a difficult trail. It is great to explore in all seasons. We snowshoe & crosscountry ski in winter & it's always beautiful! We came across bikers with huge grippy winter tires, biking in the snow! How fun!The river widens upstream to be Long Pond. There are several places to stop and take in the beauty, explore, take pictures, or spot some Pileated Woodpeckers with...

If you're looking for a picturesque and short outdoor adventure in Massachusetts, this place should be on your radar. You get three nice waterfalls to admire along the roughly 0.5 mile round trip hike. The hike is a breeze, especially in dry conditions, with a light to moderate grade throughout. The trails are well-maintained, easy to navigate, and relatively wide.

As you make your way along the trail, the upper falls will greet you with a great vantage point right on the path. The middle and lower falls, on the other hand, require careful footing slightly off the trail to find that perfect viewing spot. And if you prefer to stay on the trail, you can still catch a glimpse of middle and lower falls.

Overall, I recommend adding Doane's Falls to your list of places to explore in Massachusetts, especially if you've never been before. I will certainly be...

It is a really beautiful, short trail but not very handicapped accessible despite the specific parking and signs indicating that it is. From what I could tell, the trail almost immediately goes down a rocky slope. There is an access point off of another road that has a pretty flat gravel path to an overlook point- just be aware you may have to get creative if you go there in...