Your timing has to be just right to find this special place—you can only reach it by canoe or kayak, and only when the water is flowing in Bogstow Brook. When the intermittent waters of the brook enter South End Pond, a wooded upland rises to the east above the Charles River. Tree-covered knolls offer glimpses of the surrounding floodplain. But for intrepid paddlers, your reward is a short walk to a 130-foot, tree-covered knoll that offers unforgettable glimpses of the surrounding floodplain.

Paddle on the Charles River, turning west into a stream that leads to South End Pond. Bolder paddlers can creep along Bogastow Brook to South End Pond. Landing can be a challenge, as grasses grow tall and thick.

FREE to all.

Open daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of half an hour.

South End Pond
Millis, MA 02054
Telephone: 508.785.0339
E-mail: charlesrivervalley@thetrustees.org

Get directions on Google Maps.

Located on the southeast shore of South End Pond. Access is by canoe or kayak only via Bogastow Brook, which runs adjacent to the Reservation. Bogastow Brook is a small, intermittent brook, thick with vegetation, making access very difficult. Bogastow Brook may be entered from South End Pond, which is connected to the Charles River via a small tributary near the Medfield State Hospital.

Trail link to The Trustees Charles River Water Trail 

At present, a downloadable trail map is not available for Bridge Island Meadows.

• Dogs are not allowed.
• Authorized seasonal bow hunting is allowed on this reservation with written permission for a limited number of hunters through a deer management program administered by The Trustees. Per MassWildlife regulations, hunting is permitted from the first Monday in October through December each year, from ½ hour before sunrise all day until ½ hour after sunset, Monday through Saturday. Hunting is not allowed on Sundays. Signage is posted at the property listing safety precautions and requirements. Learn more about hunting on Trustees properties. Any questions may be directed to The Trustees at info@thetrustees.org.
• PHOTOGRAPHY: We ask that photographers or their clients become Contributing Level Members before conducting portrait sessions at this property.  Click here for more information, and to request permission for any portrait sessions. The Trustees of Reservations reserves the right, and may give permission to its designated photographers and videographers, or to outside media, to photograph or video visitors and program participants at all its facilities and properties.