Explore the Outdoors with the DCR Park Passport Challenge
Accessible, free, and fun. The DCR Park Passport Challenge encourages outdoor discovery across the state, including a featured stop near Blackstone.
A brand-new season of outdoor adventure is here—and it comes with stamps, trails, and family fun. The DCR Park Passport Challenge is a statewide initiative launched by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. It kicked off on Saturday, June 21 and runs through Sunday, November 30.
The challenge invites participants to visit 12 designated DCR parks and watersheds across Massachusetts. Participants will collect stamps at each stop in a statewide outdoor adventure. Complete your passport by the deadline and you’ll earn a special keepsake—and a chance at even more rewards along the way.
A Passport Stop Just Next Door
One of the featured parks is the Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park, which spans the towns of Uxbridge and Blackstone. While the official DCR visitor center (River Bend Farm Visitor Center) and stamp station is located in Uxbridge, the park’s trails, waterways, and landscapes also stretch into Blackstone, giving residents and visitors direct access to a piece of the state park experience.
Blackstone’s inclusion in the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor offers real benefits: it boosts the town’s appeal as an outdoor destination, supports regional tourism, and provides public access to well-maintained natural spaces—without the town shouldering the cost. Trail upkeep, infrastructure improvements, and environmental maintenance are all managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), not the town, allowing Blackstone to enjoy the rewards of preservation and recreation with minimal local expense.
As challenges like the DCR Park Passport Challenge bring new explorers to the region, Blackstone’s position along this historic and scenic corridor helps build a reputation for outdoor adventure, history, and community pride.
How the DCR Park Passport Challenge Works
To take part in the DCR Park Passport Challenge, start by picking up a Passport booklet—available at any of the 12 featured park locations, or downloadable from the official DCR website.
Then, head out to explore! Each of the 12 parks has a bright yellow stamp box. They’re placed in visible, easy-to-reach spots. This makes the challenge is accessible for participants of all ages and abilities.
Each stamp box is locked. The code to open it is printed on your Park Passport sheet. You can also find box locations and access info on the DCR website. Open the box and stamp your passport. Then close the box. Be sure to lock it again for the next visitor!
We confirmed that the stamp for Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park is located inside the River Bend Farm Visitor Center in Uxbridge, where friendly staff are available to help.
Participants who collect all 12 stamps by November 30, 2025, will receive a Park Passport water bottle sticker and be entered into a raffle for grand prizes including:
- Free Boston Harbor Islands ferry tickets
- A complimentary DCR ParksPass
- A free reservation to the DCR Learn to Camp program
There’s no sign-up or app required—just your passport, a sense of adventure, and a willingness to explore.
No sign-up or registration is required—just grab your passport, plan your visits, and enjoy the journey.
Get Ready for Your Adventure
Before hitting the trails, pack these essentials recommended by DCR:
- Water bottle
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunscreen and insect repellent
- Hat and sunglasses
- Weather-appropriate layers
- Trail snacks
- Your DCR Passport
Don’t forget your sense of adventure, too!
Discover What’s in Your Own Backyard
Even though the official check-in point is located just over the town line in Uxbridge, Blackstone shares in the story and scenery of the park. Locals and visitors alike can enjoy nearby trails, explore historic canal routes, and immerse themselves in the natural beauty that defines this region.
So whether you’re collecting stamps, taking a family stroll, or simply discovering someplace new, the DCR Park Passport Challenge offers a fun and free way to reconnect with nature—and with the communities that thrive around it.
Small Town Post shares stories that highlight outdoor recreation and community pride in Blackstone. If you have a story to share or know of a program we should feature, get in touch with us—we’d love to hear from you!
