The Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest is one of the natural treasures of the Merrimack Valley, and in combination with the Merrimack and Concord (Musketicook) Rivers, provides opportunities for city and town residents of Greater Lowell to encounter nature first hand. These woods hold great significance for Native Americans of the region and offer a host of recreational, cultural, and educational opportunities.

The forest is managed by the Massachusetts, Department of Conservation and Recreation. The terrain is a tiny part of the vast area of North America, created by the retreat of the Wisconsin Glacier -- between 15,000 and 12,000 years ago. The forest, a cultural artifact, was established by the state legislature in 1935 through the purchase of scores of privately owned parcels, now totals over 1,100 acres.

The forest’s location near an urban center makes it unusual, if not quite unique. It has over sixteen miles of diverse trails and is accessible to well over 150,000 people for hiking, mountain-biking, bird-watching, cross-country skiing, horseback riding and other activities. Hunting and snowmobiling are permitted in season. Since the early 1970s, the forest has served as an adjunct to school programs for students of all ages. It is an excellent site for learning about the natural history of the region, and about the human settlement here over the course of nine thousand years.

The main entrance to the forest is located on Trotting Park Road in Lowell.
Other access points will be found on Gumpus Road (Lowell or Dracut), Totman Road (Lowell or Dracut), Fellows Lane (Dracut), Althea Avenue (Tyngsboro) and Trotting Pk Rd (Tyngsboro).