Scarlet Tanager, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Black-throated Green Warbler, Wood Thrush, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Phoebe, Hairy Woodpecker, Broad-winged Hawk, Eastern Towhee, Gray Catbird, Great Crested Flycatcher,  Eastern Wood-Pewee, Veery, Ovenbird

Rocky Gutter Wildlife Management Area (WMA) consists of hardwood and softwood forests of white pine, red maple, oak, black gum, holly, and white cedar. Blueberry and greenbriar are also common. Several small streams flow through the area including Rocky Meadow Brook.

There are two main parking areas located on Rocky Gutter Road and Frances Street in Middleborough.

A very large Atlantic white cedar swamp fills much of the southern half of this WMA. This swamp and other wetlands in the vicinity are habitat for the Waterwillow Borer Moth, a globally rare moth found only in Massachusetts and nowhere else in the world

Take a wild adventure through thousands of acres of remote forest at Rocky Gutter Wildlife Management Area in Middleborough. With 15 miles of old logging trails through mature pines, oaks, and white cedar swamps, this state-owned refuge is a protected ecosystem that draws hunters, hikers, and mountain bikers to explore.

Rocky Gutter Wildlife Management Area’s 3,000 acres of woods and freshwater swamps are an outstanding place for active outdoor explorers to discover. This is an excellent destination for hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners, and photographers who enjoy nature’s quiet solitude.

Wildlife management areas are open to all types of outdoor exploration, but they’re protected primarily for wildlife habitat. During hunting season, Rocky Gutter draws hunters looking for white-tailed deer, eastern coyote, wild turkey, and other native species. If you’re visiting Rocky Gutter during hunting season, make sure you (and your dog) wear blaze orange.

Rocky Gutter’s vast upland forest habitat includes white pine, black gum, oak, and holly trees. Blueberry and greenbrier are also common and serve as tasty snacks for the deer that live in this area. Dozens more woodland species can be found here too, including turkeys, coyotes, foxes, and raccoons.

Several small streams flow through Rocky Gutter, from Rocky Meadow Brook in the northeast to Double Brook in the southeast. Freshwater wetlands surround these streams, creating red maple and cedar swamps where frogs, turtles, birds, and water-loving mammals thrive. The Atlantic white cedar swamp at Rocky Gutter is home to the water-willow borer moth, a globally rare species that’s found only in Massachusetts.

Fifteen miles of old logging trails wind through most of Rocky Gutter Wildlife Management Area. These roads create flat, easy paths through the mature pine forest. Because this is a large wildlife management area that is mostly maintained as a wildlife habitat, it’s best for active outdoor explorers who feel comfortable using a compass.

Starting at the parking area at France Street, head south to see active cranberry bogs at the end of the trail. If you hike north from the parking area, you’ll find yourself on a meandering network of woodland roads. These trails will take you to Rocky Meadow Brook and cranberry bogs along Purchase Street. The landscape here can be wet and swampy, so we recommend you wear boots.