New State Park in Dighton will be part of the Taunton River Trail

The Taunton River watershed has a new state park. Sweets Knoll State Park is a new 56 acre park located on the Taunton River in Dighton. It includes about two miles of old railroad bed that will be converted into a walking and bike path and connected to the Taunton River Trail system, which is still in development.

The state park was established in 2010 with the purchase of the land at 1387 Somerset Ave. The land was purchased by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation with the assistance of the Wildlands Trust of Southeastern Massachusetts and the Sheehan Family Fund. The landowner donated his former residence which will remain on the property. The park is open to the public and will soon have a public access site for launching small boats, and for fishing access to the Taunton River.

The acquisition of this state park has provided a major boost to the Taunton River Trail committee which has been developing a trail network from Raynham through Somerset and connecting with trails in Fall River and Rhode Island. The trail will one day connect with the East Bay Bike Path in Rhode Island and the planned Aquidneck Island Bike Path. See the Taunton River Trail website for more information about this exciting project.