Parsons Reserve

In April, I visited Parsons Reserve in Russells Mills Village Historic District, Dartmouth, MA to visit its locally famous daffodil fields. Part of Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust, a local ecological preservation organizations that has operated since 1971, the thirty-two acres of trails and blossoming fields bring a sense of wonder and whimsy to the otherwise quiet area.

The land making up Parsons Reserve is named for donor William W. Parsons, as land was acquired in 1992, 1999, and 2005. Mr. Parson had first bought the property near Horseneck Road during the 1960s. However the earliest daffodils were planted during the 1940s at the height of World War II by Raymond Pettey. These are some old daffodils, with about twenty-sever varieties! Adding to the experience are the “daffodil rangers”, volunteers trained to protect the daffodils and talk with visitors. Sometimes they share daffodil facts, but they usually reminisce about their own life and ask how far one drove to see the daffodils.

Parsons Reserve is also home to a vernal pool, which rises at spring around the same time of year that the daffodils bloom. Vernal pools are home to a wide range of species, including salamanders, fairy shrimp, tadpoles and frogs, caddisflies, and dragonflies. Water in the pool will slowly dry up throughout the summer until it is completely gone by the fall. A new sign beside the pool described the importance of these small bodies of water to the surrounding ecosystem.

The website does a great job warning visitors that the site is not accessible to those with mobility issues or using a wheelchair. While I personally did not find the trail as steep as advertise, possibly because I have hiked small mountains and brief portions of the Appalachian Trail, hikers should wear sturdy shoes for the journey. Parking is hard to come by, so expect to wait in a parking line for about ten to fifteen minutes before securing a spot. Some parking attendants are nicer than others. if you are looking for a local gem and can practice patience, Parsons Reserve in mid-April to early May is the perfect place to see hundreds of daffodils. You may want to bring Henry Wordsworth Longfellow’s Poem “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” to read aloud to see a real-life crowd of golden daffodils.