Hidden Gem: The Desert

Marlborough is not the first place you you would expect to find a desert, but just about halfway up Concord Road, you'll find one nonetheless.

This conservation land in Marlborough, set on 615 acres, "has been known historically as 'The Desert' due to well-drained sandy soil in parts of the land and several old sand pits," says the city's website. "Here is abundant wildlife to witness, the trees are full of birds to listen to and watch and the beavers on the property have made a dam that has blocked the area between trail B and trail C and flooded trail K on the Sudbury side (see map). If you have never seen what a beaver dam can do to a property, this is the place to see it."

Marlborough conservation lands are open from dawn until dusk each day.