Woodpeckers, woodcocks, wood thrushes, red-tailed hawks, turkey vultures, and ruffed grouse have been seen here. 

In a relatively remote area along the Ashland-Framingham boundary, Ashland Town Forest and the adjoining Cowassock Woods cover more than 550 acres of forest, laced with trails. Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT) acquired the 50-plus acres of Cowassock Woods in two stages in 1984 and 1992 after a developer’s plan for a residential subdivision at the site fell through. Evidence of these plans is still seen along the trails today.

If driving south on Edgell Road, cross MA-9 and take an immediate right onto High Street. Go 0.3 miles. The road’s name changes to Salem End Road. Go about 1 mile to a three-way intersection. Take the middle option to stay on Salem End Road. Go about 0.8 miles. Parking and trail access is on the left between 886 and 890 Salem End Road View Map.

A portion of one of the trails in Town Forest has been designated as part of the Bay Circuit Trail (BCT), which stretches 200 miles through eastern Massachusetts, from Plum Island on the North Shore to Kingston on the South Shore. The BCT is marked by white trailblazes; markers of other colors identify the rest of the trail system.

The AllTrails website has descriptions and maps of hikes at Ashland Town Forest.