Great Brook Farm State Park

About this park

Great Brook Farm State Park, established in 1967, spans roughly 1,000 acres in Carlisle and centers on a genuinely working dairy farm, a rarity among Massachusetts state parks. The farm offers free guided tours on weekends from May through October, and in a notable bit of agricultural-technology history, became home to the first robotic milking system installed anywhere in Massachusetts. More than 20 miles of multi-use trails wind through the park's open fields and woodlands, supporting hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and in winter one of the premier cross-country ski touring centers in New England. The land carries real historical depth as well, with documented Native American sites and 17th-century cellar holes left behind by early English settlers scattered throughout the property, a reminder of the area's long settlement history predating the park itself. A seasonal ice cream stand, serving soft-serve made from the farm's own milk, has become something of a local institution and draws visitors well beyond those simply there to hike. The Hart Barn, a converted dairy building, can be reserved for group gatherings, and the park's accessible main parking area, composting and vault toilets near the barn, and year-round trail network make it a dependable destination for Carlisle-area families throughout every season.