Tucker Preserve - Pembroke, MA

Fish, hike, or mountain bike within this diverse 78-acre preserve featuring both forest and river habitats.

Located on the Indian Head River (IHR), a tributary of the North River, Tucker Preserve can be enjoyed on foot or by canoe. Protected land on both sides of the river ensures the canoeist or kayaker a scenic trip. Near the west side of the preserve, the river quickly winds through a hemlock grove before it slows and widens downstream, where deep red cardinal flowers and basking turtles may be seen.

You’ll find natural and historical riches here. Walk through the field along the river and into the woods to the trailhead. Follow the trail through the woods of hickory, ash, elm, and other hardwoods. Giant trees tower over an open understory of shrubs and herbs. The cracked and furrowed bark of several red oaks and black birch signifies their great age.

The trail moves away from the river toward the west side of the preserve as the slope drops steeply to the riverbed. The cool, moist, north-facing slopes, shaded by hemlocks, encourage vegetation more common in northern and western parts of the state. Several rivulets, lush with sedges, wild geranium, and very large jack-in-the-pulpit, course through the property. Lady slippers are abundant in the drier oak-pine woods, and you may see the checkered leaves of rattlesnake plantain, an evergreen orchid. Deep-woods birds also make their home here. Look for Ovenbirds, Yellow-billed Cuckoos, Veeries, and Scarlet Tanagers, or listen for the sweet arpeggios of the Wood Thrush. Near the preserve’s back boundary, the river runs through a gorge and an old dam site more reminiscent of New Hampshire than Massachusetts.

Tucker Preserve is now just one of many natural areas you can explore in a single hike at the intersection of Pembroke, Hanover, and Hanson. The Indian Head River Trail (IHRT) is a six-mile trail network connecting 325 acres of conservation land along the IHR, including the Towns of Hanover and Pembroke’s Ludden’s Ford Park, the Town of Hanson’s Rocky Run Conservation Area, Tucker Preserve, and Plymouth County open space. From 2017 to 2023, the trails were expanded and improved by a coalition of municipal and nonprofit partners, including Wildlands Trust.

Note: While boat access to the river is limited at the preserve, Chapman’s Landing, owned by the Town of Hanover, provides boat access and ample parking along the IHRT. Continue north on West Elm Street, crossing over the river. Take the first right on to Indian Head Drive. Continue to the boat ramp at the end of the road.

Access:

Tucker Preserve: The terrain is very hilly, so expect an arduous hike. Watch your step around rocks throughout the trails, especially along the river, where the trail also narrows. While boat access to the river is limited at the preserve, Chapman’s Landing, owned by the Town of Hanover, provides boat access and ample parking along the IHRT. Continue north on West Elm Street, crossing over the river. Take the first right on to Indian Head Drive. Continue to the boat ramp at the end of the road. 

IHRT: The IHRT system features trails of similar quality and condition to those within Tucker Preserve. However, occasional unbridged water crossings require visitors to make small steps up and down from narrow walkways. 

Acquired:

Donated to Wildlands Trust in 1993 by Sidney Tucker and Harold M. Tucker.

History:

The preserve land was formerly owned by the Clapp Rubber Company, which had its mills at the present site of the town park. Old stone walls on the property reflect earlier uses of this land for farming and pasture.

Location:

West of West Elm Street, Pembroke, MA

Directions:

From Route 3: Take Exit 27 (old Exit 12). Merge onto Route 139 West toward Hanover. In 2.1 miles, turn right onto Washington Street. Continue onto MA-139 W/MA-53 N/Columbia Rd. Turn left onto Broadway. Turn left onto Elm Street.

Drive approx. 0.7 miles to Luddam’s Ford Park (Pembroke) on right (past the bridge). The preserve entrance is visible from the parking lot.

Parking:

Parking for Tucker Preserve is available at the Ludden’s Ford Park (Pembroke) parking lot. Parking areas for the IHRT also include Ludden's Ford Park (Hanover) and Chapman's Landing.