Ward Well Conservation Area

Ward Well Conservation Area is a 141 acre property located off Gunning Fields on Windsor Woods Lane. The property is named Ward Well, after Michael F. Ward (1861 - 1939) who was the Water Commissioner for the town of Canton from 1891 to 1939. The Canton water system first began in 1888 and the "Ward well" was dug on this site in 1927 to help meet increasing water needs. In 1949 the town started using the well for emergencies only because of growing concerns over the quality of the water and eventually this well was not productive enough to be maintained.  The old haul roads that used to carry materials to and from the Ward well remain some of the larger trails today. Sixty-eight (68) acres lie within the town of Canton and 73.8 acres lie within the border of neighboring Stoughton.  Today the property is set aside for conservation and managed by the Conservation Commission.  

Open from dawn to dusk, there are several miles of hiking trails accessible from a parking lot at Gunning Recreation Fields or on foot at the end of Ward Well Lane off Pleasant Street. Please read the Commission's Rules and Regulations for Conservation Land found on our website prior to visiting.