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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Rocky Woods was recently named an “excite property” by the Trustees of Reservations, and it’s easy to see why. This past Saturday, Rocky Woods offered a wreath-making activity entitled Wreaths from the Trees. This was the first year the activity had been offered, but the property is certainly building up steam.
Within the Welcome Cabin were branches collected from the nearby paths, metal frames to weave those branches into, as well as glitter and ribbons to decorate the wreaths. While there were a few branches already offered, “we’re encouraging people to go out and find their own branches,” said Tim, who has worked at Rocky Woods for a little over two years now.
This activity is just one of the many things Rocky Woods is doing to become an engagement site. “The goal is to make this the back country experience as close as you can get to the city,” said Tim. “With the prevalence of staycations now, instead of spending a weekend in Maine you can spend an afternoon in Rocky Woods!” The Welcome Cabin is still in the midst of renovations, including a new and improved bathroom, as well as an ice-skating rink, which will harken back to the 50s, when Rocky Woods was an epicenter of winter activity.
“We got a lot of people who come in and remember the 50s and 60s and you hear some really amazing stories, people are like: ‘Oh, we used to ice skate here all the time!’” said Tim. The history is certainly not forgotten, as pictures of the rink in the 60s and 70s were displayed around the cabin, and the original boot and shoe cubbies from the 50s are still used for benches and storage.
The site is already a place of much excitement for many locals and local groups. “We get local school field trips, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts - they do a lot of their badge work here, get their nature hike down,” Tim explained. “We have Eagle Scouts help us out with things. The most recent thing is they helped us build a fire pit, and we’ll have that going with the ice rink next door, and that will really make this warm and welcoming.” Rocky Woods is truly dedicated to the people, and embodies the soul of a true non-profit. “We’re not keeping the money - we’re putting it right back into the park.”
Rocky Woods still partners with REI as their outdoor classroom, and will begin to offer many more experiences as the renovations continue. A shower will be installed in the Welcome Lodge for those interested in “glamping” and camping sites will be open on weekends, not just structured camping times.
It may have started with some holiday wreaths, but it’s just the beginning for this local gem.
