Moore State Park

Turkey Hill Brook flows past the sawmill at Moore State Park.

Tranquil, beautiful Moore State Park is known for its rhododendrons and its old sawmill.

Turkey Hill Brook plunges over an old mill foundation in one of Moore State Park's several picturesque waterfalls.

Some parks have waterfalls, some have flowers and some have picturesque old buildings. Moore State Park is one of those rare places that has all three.

This 400-acre oasis of beauty, peace and quiet just seven miles from Worcester began to be developed in the 1740s, when a community grew up around a water-powered sawmill. Later, a wealthy family bought the land, preserved the mill, which has New England's largest dry-laid stone foundation, and planted azaleas and rhododendrons that now number in the thousands.

Though the terrain is rugged enough to produce a total of 90 vertical feet of waterfalls, the park also includes Eames Pond, fields and forests. There are dirt roads and trails for walking, and in winter, cross-country skiiers will find marked trails through the fields.

The photogenic sawmill still stands and other building remnants are visible. A new covered bridge, named Enchanta, was recently dedicated.

Wildlife observation is outstanding. The park abuts a bird sanctuary and dozens of different species of birds can be seen in a single session. A specially constructed bat house — one of the first large scale bat colony relocation experiments in New England — is located near the Eames Pond dam.

Moore State Park is open every day of the year, from sunrise to sunset.