Battleship Cove

I would love to say that I make a living off of travel writing but at the moment thats not happening. I work with elementary school aged kids and on Christmas break a few weeks ago we went on an amazing field trip to Battleship Cove in Fall River Massachusetts.

Birds eye view of Battleship Cove  Photo Courtesy of wikipedia

Before this field trip, I never heard of Battleship Cove and to be frank I had no idea that Massachusetts even had Battleships on display. Battleship Cove is located on 5 Water Street in Fall River. Battleship Cove is open 362 days a year, only closing on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The fall/winter hours are from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm and the spring/summer hours are from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.  

Battleship Cove prides itself on staying affordable to the general public. The breakdown of Admissions goes a little something like this....

Adults $17

Seniors $15

Kids aged 6-12 $10.50

Kids under 6 FREE

For more info on admissions click HERE 

The massive cannons on the USS Massachusetts

Now on to the fun stuff! Located at Battleship Cove are a number of maritime ships. The biggest and most impressive ship is the USS Massachusetts a.k.a Big Mamie. According to Battleship Coves' website the history of USS Massachusetts goes a little something like this....

"Battleship Massachusetts went into action on November 8, 1942, as part of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. While cruising off the city of Casablanca, Morocco, the Battleship engaged in a gun duel with the unfinished French battleship Jean Bart. Battleship Massachusetts helped sink two destroyers, two merchant ships, a floating dry-dock, and heavily damaged buildings and docks in Casablanca. The Battleship also saw action in the New Guinea-Solomons area and participated in the invasion of the Gilbert Islands in November 1943, the invasion of the Marshall Islands in January 1944, the powerful carrier strikes against Truk in February 1944, and a series of raids against Japanese bases in the Western Pacific and Asia. Big Mamie's 16" guns pounded Iwo Jima and Okinawa before their invasion in 1945, and by July of that year she was off Japan with the Third Fleet. The Battleship bombarded the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Kamaishi, and then sailed south to bombard a factory at Hamamatsu. Returning to Kamaishi, Battleship Massachusetts fired the last American 16" projectile of the war." (battleshipcove.com)

USS Massachusetts - photo courtesy of wikipedia

Now this ship is MASSIVE. You can explore basically everything on this ship. The deck is loaded with inoperable guns and cannons that make for a great photo shoot. The kids I went with absolutely loved playing with the enormous guns. There are several doors leading you into the ship where you can explore more. It you are claustrophobic, I wouldn't venture into the ship. Once inside, you can view the infirmary, the bunks, the engine room, the kitchen, and where they ate. The kids absolutely loved exploring the ins and outs of this battleship!

There is also a submarine at the cove called USS Lionfish, but we did not get a chance to check it out due to time constraints. The other ship that we went on is the USS Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.  This ship was much smaller than the USS Massachusetts but it was just as cool to explore. The wind was blowing hard and the temperature was dropping so we took the kids to see some exhibits that were located inside. 

One of the PT Boats on display

Some of the inside exhibits are two PT boats, that kids thought were "wicked cool". A list of other exhibits can be found HERE. All in all this was a great field trip. If you bring kinds they will have a great time exploring the ships and pretending to use the huge guns. I do have to say though, the steps are steep and some areas are hard to maneuver, so toddlers are probably not the best to bring with you. Also I suggest you do the exact opposite that we did and go when its not 20 degrees out. 

BATTLESHIP COVE

5 WATER STREET FALL RIVER, MA

508-678-1100

http://www.battleshipcove.com/ 

One Of The Cheapest Places To Stay In Boston

Most people in America are already aware at how expensive the city of Boston is. If ya want to go to a bar, it'll cost ya. If ya want to park your car, that will cost you $20 or more. Literally everything you do in Boston will cost you a pretty penny or two. However, in the Chinatown neighborhood of Boston there is a place to stay that won't burn a hole in your pocket.

A typical room in the HI Boston

Located at 19 Stuart Street in Boston, Massachusetts, sits a modern and affordable hostel called HI Boston. Compared to the hotels in the area this place seems almost too good to be true. The rooms go for about $40 a night, and you have an option of getting a private room or you can bunk in a dorm style room that sleeps up to 8 people. Next to each bunk is an over sized locker that provides some privacy. Every bunk also has a nook with four sockets that you can use to charge your phone or laptop. The bathrooms are located next to the rooms, and are very well maintained.

When you awake in the morning you find yourself enjoying the free breakfast from 7am - 10am. After breakfast you can hang out in the modern looking lobby and chat with fellow travelers. There is also a pool table and TV so you have in-house entertain.

Location is probably the best selling point for this hostel. It's located in the colorful neighborhood of Chinatown and just a block over is the entertaining Theater District. There are two T stops with in walking distances and a number of bars, historic landmarks, and other activities are located near by.

The lobby at HI Boston

The only negative aspect about this hostel is that check out is no later than 11am, beer is not allowed inside (quiet hours are 11pm - 7am) and there is an extra $3 a night charge at check in if you are not a Hostelling International member. Other than that, I can confidently say that this is the best hostel you will ever stay at.

For more Info check out their website HERE

Top 10 Most Haunted Cities in the U.S.

Below is a list of the top 10 most Haunted cities in the United States. The list is taken from FACTS.FM  and if you want to view the actual page this list is on, you can find the link HERE.

#1 Athens, Ohio 

Athens is a small town in Ohio that is home to stories of all sorts of hauntings. There are stories about everything from a headless train conductor to violent murders of livestock. Some even claim that the town’s five major graveyards form the symbol of a pentagram when they are plotted on a map.

The most haunted place in Athens is the Athens Lunatic Asylum which held many violent patients and is known for performing hundreds of lobotomies. A deaf-mute former patient of the asylum was supposedly trapped in an abandoned ward and died. The deaf-mute patient’s decomposing body wasn’t found until weeks later, and the stain from her body supposedly can still be seen today.

#2 Savannah, Georgia 

Savannah, Georgia holds several gothic mansions, cemeteries, and trees that were used in hanging Spanish moss. The most haunted place in Savannah is The Hampton Lillibridge House which was built in 1796 and was originally used as a boarding house. The house started to undergo restoration in the 1960s, and this is when the strange phenomenon began to occur. The roof collapsed during construction and killed one of the workers, and other workers claimed to hear voices and footsteps. Oftentimes equipment would get thrown across the rooms and a man in a black suit has been spotted staring out of the windows.

#3 Portland, Oregon 

Portland’s strange history and significant amount of ghost sightings has given the city a reputation as the most haunted city of the Pacific Northwest. The most haunted location in Portland is the Shanghai Tunnels where the practice of shanghaiing took place. Shanghaiing is where men and women were kidnapped, shipped to the Orient, and forced into prostitution or slave labor. The tunnels run under the city streets and today they are said to be haunted by the ghosts of those who were kidnapped.

#4 Chicago, Illinois 

Chicago’s history of underworld criminals and its infamous great fire has influenced many of the city’s ghost stories. One famous ghost story is the story of Resurrection Mary where a young girl was hit and killed by a car. The young girl was buried in a nearby cemetery and has since been seen wandering the streets in her white burial dress.

The most haunted place in Chicago is the Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery which is rumored to be one of the prohibition-era gangsters’ favorite locations to dump the bodies of those they killed. There have been several sightings of headstones moving and ghostly apparitions walking the grounds at night. The most famous sighting here is of the “White Lady,” which is the ghost of a young woman cradling a baby in her arms.

#5 Key West, Florida 

Key West is the southernmost Florida Key that holds some of the oldest and creepiest ghost stories in the United States. The rich history of buccaneers and rumrunners in Key West provides some background to many of these ghost stories.

The most haunted – and creepiest – artifact in Key West is known as Robert the Doll. Many have claimed Robert to be possessed. Robert the Doll was originally given to the young painter Gene Otto in the early 1900s. Otto became extremely afraid of the doll because Robert the Doll would threaten Otto and wake him in the night by throwing furniture around his room. Otto’s parents even claimed they saw the doll moving, neighbors claimed to have seen the doll pacing the halls when the family was out.

#6 New Orleans, Louisiana 

New Orleans is filled with haunted mansions, graveyards, taverns, and more. The most haunted place in New Orleans is the LaLaurie House which is a mansion that is rumored to be a place where the homeowners treated their slaves viciously. There was also evidence that gruesome surgical experiments were performed on the slaves. Ever since these tragic events occurred there have been several sightings of the ghosts of the slaves tortured here.

#7 San Francisco, California 

San Francisco developed a reputation as a Mecca of all things haunted. This city is home to creepy folklore, ghost tours, and a large quantity of haunted mansions, hotels, and army bases. One of the most famous haunted hotels is the Queen Anne Hotel which, in the 1980s, was a school for girls and is said to be haunted by the ghost of the school’s headmistress, Mary Lake.

The most haunted place in all of San Francisco is Alcatraz Island. Alcatraz was formerly a maximum-security prison, and visitors who go there today say they have some very strange experiences. Visitors have claimed to hear the voices of former inmates in what used to be the cafeteria and apparitions of inmates walking around the cellblocks.

#8 Charleston, South Carolina 

Charleston is one of the oldest cities in the U.S. and is filled with Victorian mansions that line downtown in an area known as the Battery. The Battery was a protective artillery installation during the Civil War, and this is where most of the city’s haunted houses can be found.

The most haunted place in Charleston is The Dock Street Theater which was built in 1809. Two ghostly spirits are claimed to haunt the theater: a poor prostitute who was killed by lightning and an actor who was the father of John Wilkes Boothe, the man who killed Abraham Lincoln. Many say these spirits wander the backstage area of the theater.

#9 Salem, Massachusetts 

A series of infamous trials were held in 1692 after three local women were accused of using witchcraft to terrorize young girls. Several accusations were later made on over 150 people who were arrested and charged for witchcraft, and 19 of these accused people were executed by hanging. The most haunted place in Salem is the Joshua Ward House, which housed the man who served as Sheriff during the Salem witch trials. A gruesome death occurred in this house where the Sheriff crushed a man accused of using witchcraft to death, and this man is said to haunt the Joshua Ward House today.

#10 Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 

Gettysburg was the site of the biggest military clash of the Civil War in July of 1863. This event remains the bloodiest event that has ever occurred in the U.S. Many people claim that those who died during the battle still haunt the battlefields. The most haunted place in Gettysburg is The Devil’s Den which was the site of one of these battles. The ghosts of those who were killed and dragged to the Devil’s Den are said to haunt the area and prevent cameras from taking clear photos, and on some occasions cameras have suddenly died.

Frightening Things to do in Salem

When you think of Halloween it's hard not to think of Massachusetts spookiest city. Salem is well know for the witch hunts in the 1600s that led to many villagers being murdered or run out of town. All though Salem has been modernized, it still holds a great deal of America's darkest history. Below is a detailed list of some of the top attractions in Salem today.

THE HOUSE OF SEVEN GABLES

Built in 1668, this is the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansion in New England and one of the most famous houses in America. The House of the Seven Gables inspired author Nathaniel Hawthorne to write his legendary novel of the same name. Visitors can tour the house and other buildings on the campus. Guided tours and group tours are available for a small fee. More info on rates and reservations can be found HERE.  

HAWTHRONE HOTEL

Located  in the heart of historic Salem, Hawthorne Hotel has a rich history which began in 1925 and has welcomed numerous leisure travelers as well as celebrities and ghosts. Over the years, episodes of iconic shows including Bewitched and Ghost Hunters  have all been filmed on this historic property. Room 612 and room 325 are reported to be the most haunted rooms in the hotel. Do you think you have what it takes to spend the night? More info about the Hawthrone hotel can be found HERE.

THE WITCH HOUSE

The Salem witchcraft trials took place between February 1692 and May 1693. During the trials, 19 people were convicted and hanged. Among the judges who convicted the witches was Jonathan Corwin, whose home is today the only structure left with direct ties to the trials. Today the house is a museum focusing on 17th-century living. It's one of the last remaining links to that time in American history. More info about visiting this historic house can be found HERE. 

JOSHUA WARD HOUSE

The most haunted place in Salem is the Joshua Ward House, which housed the man who served as Sheriff during the Salem witch trials. A gruesome death occurred in this house where the Sheriff crushed a man accused of using witchcraft to death, and this man is said to haunt the Joshua Ward House today.

SALEM WAX MUSEUM 

This is the one place is Salem that truly scared me as a child. The wax figures are very disturbing and even more so because they depict true events.  This museum depicts Salem's vivid history from it's founding in 1626 through the terrifying hysteria of 1692. Behind the Wax Museum building is the Old Burial Point, reputed to be the second oldest burial ground in the country and open to museum visitors. Adjacent to the Old Burying Point is the Witch Trials Memorial erected in memory of the victims of the witch hunt of 1692. The memorial is also open to museum visitors. More info about the wax museum can be found HERE

SALEM WITCH DUNGEON MUSEUM

At this museum you are treated to a live reenactment of the Salem Witch Trails. You'll experience the acclaimed performance of the witch trial adapted from the 1692 historical transcripts. After the trail, guest are taken on a tour through the terrifying dungeon. More info can be found HERE 

Boston Ghost Tours

What better city is out there to do a ghost tour than Boston. There is so much history on the streets of Boston that I'm sure some historic figures still roam the streets. Boston Ghost Tours is a trolly/walking tour that takes you through the ghostly streets of Boston. 

"Walk amongst the dead in burying grounds nearly four hundred years old, hear stories of those whose mortal remains lie beneath your feet, and listen to tales of many of the sordid practices that went along with them. Venture to the site of the biggest grave-robbing scandal in New England’s history. And ask yourselves - are you afraid of being buried alive? Walk atop Boston’s largest unmarked burying ground and hear tales of the tortures, punishments and executions that took place there. You may even find yourselves involved in some…

Boston has found itself plagued with some of history’s most nefarious figures – The Boston Strangler, Jolly Jane, Dr. John Webster, Cotton Mather, amongst a slew of other assorted characters.

The city proper is not the only source of stories here. Boston Harbor played a pivotal role in the formation and daily life – and death – of Boston citizens. With drowning being an occupational hazard of a sailor’s life, the Harbor is home to many a dark tale of death in freezing waters" (http://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/boston/gravestones-ghost-tour.htm#a). 

These tours run rain or shine and the website suggest people wear comfortable shoes for the two 20 min walking portions. The length of the tour is about 1 hr and 30 mins and children under 6 are NOT allowed. This tour boards beside the Marriott Long Wharf Hotel on 200 ATLANTIC AVE. 

For more info about the tour schedules check out their website GHOST TOUR SCHEDULE

TOUR RATES

Adult Ticket	$39.90	$35.91
Seniors*, Students, Military	$36.75	$33.08
Child Ticket (ages 6-12)*	$25.20	$22.68

RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED! CALL 617-269-3626.

FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT THEIR WEBSITE http://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/boston/

Cushing Memorial Park

I live in the town of Framingham, which is situated about 20 mins from Boston. Framingham has it's low points and it's high points. One of those high points is Cushing Memorial Park located at 100 Dudley Rd in South Framingham. This is a clean, safe, and beautiful park.

A pathway on the Winter Street side

You can park on the Dudley Rd side next to the chapel or park by Keefe Tech on Winter Street. I always park at the Winter Street parking lot because it is never busy and there is always plenty of parking spots.

My dog Petey enjoying a stroll in the park. All dogs must be leashed!

The park itself has a small playground for the kids, paved paths (1 mile loop with markers) and there is plenty of open space for a pick up game with friends (soccer, baseball, frisbee, etc.) Water bubblers are available to the public, and doggie bags are next to just about every trash can (I always bring my own just in case they run out). I love to take my dog to this park because they strongly enforce that all dogs must be on a leash. For this reason alone I prefer Cushing Park over Callahan State Park because it is much safer for my dog.

The Chapel on the Dudley Rd side

This park isn't just your run of the mill park. A beautiful chapel sits on the ground near the Dudley Rd side. You can rent it out for weddings or other special occasions. A little bit further down from the chapel is the "Living 9/11 Memorial". On that horrible day 17 people with ties to Framingham lost their lives.

A far away shot of the trees planted for the 9/11 victims.  My dog insisted on going the opposite way because there was a Jack Russell he needed to greet!

The park is open from sun rise to sun set. It is a great place to bring the kids or your dogs. Hope to see you there!!

Massachusetts Deadliest Waterfall

Bash Bish Falls ( I know, I know, you want to call it Bish Bash Falls) is a waterfall in Bash Bish Falls State Park located in western Mass near the New York Boarder. Bash Bish Falls State Park is located next to both Massachusetts Mount Washington State Forest and New York's Taconic State Park.  It is the highest waterfall in the state and is also the deadliest. 

Although this waterfall is deadly, it is also extremely beautiful. From the top of the falls known to locals as the "summit" you can see all the way into New York. The most picturesque portion of the falls is the final cascade that is split into twin falls by a large rock. The protruding rock forms an 50 ft "V" shape waterfall. 

THE LEGEND OF BASH BISH ROCK

According to The Berkshires website the legend goes a little something like this:

"Legend has it that a beautiful Indian woman, called Bash Bish, lived in a village near the Falls. She was a cheerful sister to all. Yet one day a jealous friend accused her of adultery. She pleaded innocent before the village council, but the stern elders sentenced her to death. She was to be strapped to a canoe and turned loose upstream from the Falls.

The moment before her execution, the rays of the sun formed a halo around her body and a ring of colorful butterflies fluttered around her head.

The canoe plunged into the Falls. Smashed, it was retrieved from the pool at the base of the Falls, but no trace of Bash Bish's body was found. Villagers concluded Bash Bish was a witch. The memory of her execution haunted their sleep for years to come.

The story might have ended there had Bash Bish not left a young daughter, White Swan. White Swan grew to enjoy health, beauty, and the love of Whirling Wind, a great chief's son. But some unexplainable loneliness often caused her to climb to the gorge above the Falls. When she discovered she was unable to give Whirling Wind children, she decided to end her life by plunging into the turbulent waters of the Falls. Whirling Wind, who without White Swan's knowledge had followed her up the gorge, followed his love into the water.

Once again, the villagers searched the lower pool. Although they found Whirling Wind's battered body, they never found any sign of White Swan. It is said the images of Bash Bish and White Swan sometimes appear fleetingly in the Falls."

Bash Bish Falls saw it's deadliest years in the 1960s when several people died from drowning and or falling from a steep drop. In 1973 the state of Massachusetts installed railing to prevent falls and a number of warning around the falls. Even though protective measures have been taken, more than 25 deaths have occurred at the Falls. In 2010 AOL travel named the falls one of the ten "Most Dangerous Travel Destinations In The World" the link to this can be found here.

If you have the guts to visit Bash Bish Falls, I stress that you do not take the warnings lightly. Bash Bish Falls is located on Falls Road off East Street in Mt. Washington, Massachusetts. Bash Bish Falls is approximately 145 miles from Boston and 125 miles from New York City.

You Know its Spring in Boston when....

View of Fenway Park from the Green Monster

You know it's spring in Boston when the lights at Fenway Park turn on. The Fenway faithful fill the park and the Red Sox drama begins. Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in America and people travel near and far to just gaze upon its historic field. The greatest baseball players have played here and some of the most notorious games have also taken place here. 

View of the field from the bleachers

Fenway Park is actually pretty affordable for someone on a budget. During the day an hour long guided tour is offered for less than $20. If you have a ticket to the game you should try to go early because you basically have unlimited access to anywhere in the park for batting practice. You can go on the Green Monster, hang out right behind home plate, chill by Pesky's Pole and harasses the visiting pitchers by the bull pen. 

Batting practice seen from the Green Monster. Great place to catch some well hit balls 

Don't believe the rumors about tickets being hard to get. Standing room, bleachers and grandstand are always available. The standing room tickets are pretty cool. You have access to walk around the grandstand level and mingle with all sorts of fans. The grandstands are pretty nice too, especially on hot summer days because you are in the shade. Now bleachers are the cheapest and the seats are truly the most entertaining.  I guarantee you will see many drunk fans with wicked bad Boston accents yelling, getting kicked out and giving hell to Yankee fans. This is where the "blue collar" fans sit and it's my favorite spot to watch a Yankee game. 

Yes, beer and food is ridiculously expensive here and thats why I try not to buy any. Some ball parks are surrounded by parking lots, but not Fenway. Bars, and restaurants are all right outside and they offer some really cheap deals. I would recommend you don't drive and park by Fenway, parking can be up to $50 some days. If you are down to walk a little there are free parking garages not to far and some garages near Boston University are as cheap as $10. Boston also has great transportation, so try to take a cab or the T to Fenway. The Green Line on the T has two stops that are both about a 5-10 minute walk to the park. 

Hope to see some of my readers at Fenway this year cheering on the sox! If you have any more questions about Fenway Park just leave a comment or get at me on twitter

GO RED SOX!!

FOLLOW ALONG ON TWITTER @Cheap_Adventure

A 550 Million Year Old Bridge in Massachusetts

Natural Bridge State Park in North Adams, Massachusetts

Don't worry you don't need glasses. A 550 million year old bridge does exist in the state of Massachusetts. The bridge can be found in Natural Bridge State Park in North Adams, Massachusetts. As you may have guessed, this bridge is not man made but it is an extremely rare bridge in North Adams.  The bridge is the only natural white marble bridge in North America. According to Geologist, the natural bridge is 550 million year old bedrock marble that was carved into an arch/bridge by glacial melt water about 13,000 years ago. 

Natural Bridge

The park is open from 9 am to 5 pm throughout the summer and early fall. Parking is extremely cheap at only $2. The park itself is pretty small and you'll probably spend just over an hour there. There is a 1/4 mile walkway above and through the chasm and a 1/2 mile wooded walking trail. The trails are easy and most people bring their dogs to go sightseeing with them. 

For more info about Natural Bridge State Park Click Here

Travel through Time in Framingham

Old Burying Ground Cemetery in Framingham

It was around mid October when I started getting the travelers itch. I need to get away, go on an adventure, but I was stuck in my hometown of Framingham, Massachusetts. I googled "Hiking trails in Framingham" and I stumbled upon a post about the Old Burying Ground.  I remember going there for my 3rd grade field trip that showcased the long history of Framingham. So one fall afternoon I took my my dog with me to explore the historic grounds of the Old Burying Ground on Main Street.

Upon entering it's gates, you are greeted right away with mysterious looking headstones and primitive looking graves. The town keeps the grounds pretty neat and clean, and the graves seem to be well taken care off.

Weird looking markings on a grave

Take your time and explore every inch of this place because some graves are hidden. Some of the coolest looking and oldest graves are hidden in the right hand corner of the cemetery. The oldest marking I could see were from the late 1600s, but there are older graves that are ineligible. 

Grave of a Revolutionary Soldier

There are several Revolutionary War soldiers buried here as well as veterans from other wars. As you walk in, there is a plaque with the names of the Revolutionary War soldiers. One of my best finds was the grave of Peter Salem. It is located all the way in the back, down a slight hill and it is completely by it self. One of the best things about this place is that you can go home and research the names you found. You'll find out that some of the people buried here played a significant part in American history.

A freed black slave who killed British Marine Major John Pitcairn 

One of the oddest graves I found was near the front right corner and the gravestone described several children dying on the same day. If you look closely at the photo below you will notice that half of it is upside down. I don't know it this a mistake or if it was done on purpose, but it's the most interesting grave in the whole cemetery. 

This is what I could make out from the carvings on the grave: "4 of the children of M' Ezra and Susanna Twitchell. Susanna died Dec 19th 1776 age 8yr. Anna who died Dec 18th 1776 age 6yr. Calvin who died Dec 18th 1776 age 3 years 6 months. Synthya who died Dec 18th 1776 age 1 year 5 months"

Even after I left Old Burying Ground I couldn't stop thinking what killed these kids all on the same day.  Was it a disease? Was it an Indian massacre? It took me a while but I did find out what the cause of death was. All four of these kids died of throat distemper (diphtheria) on the same day. Here is more info on the Twitchell family.

Old Burying Ground Cemetery is located on MAIN STREET in FRAMINGHAM. Please check it out, you will not be disappointed at some of things you will find.

A hike through Purgatory Chasm....Not as scary as you would think!

View of "Fat Mans Misery" If you are thin enough you might be able to fit through it

For those that aren't familar, Purgatory Chasm is a state park located in Sutton, Massachusetts. It's famous for it's 70ft deep chasm of granite bedrock.  There is about two miles of hiking trails and with a special permit you are allowed to rock climb. The best part of this natural wonder is that it is completely FREE!!

This is also a great place to take the family. There is a picnic area with grills, a playground and the famous sliding rock where kids love to slide down. The park is open year round with ample area to go snow shoeing during the winter. However, hiking is closed during the winter because of ice hazards.

Sliding Rock at Purgatory Chasm

There are many trails that very in difficulty. Just bring a hiking buddy and good shoes and you should be all set. Map of the trails is available here