Just a 30-minute drive from the crowded waterfront attractions of downtown Boston is one of the best-kept secrets of this city – Blue Hills Reservation.

The park consists of 22 hills and 125 miles of trails covering an area of 7,000 acres.

Blue Hills Reservation is open year round from dawn to dusk, and offers the following activities: non-motorized boating, camping, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, ice skating, mountain biking, picnicking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, softball, and swimming at Houghton Pond.

The Blue Hills were named by early European explorers who, while sailing along the coastline, noticed the bluish hue on the slopes when viewed from a distance. More than ten thousand years before those Europeans arrived, Native Americans made their home in the hills. The Natives referred to themselves as Massachusett, or “people of the great hills”. Eventually the Europeans began settling in this region. The colonists built houses and barns, cleared fields for crops and livestock and logged the hillsides for lumber.

The living treasures of the Blue Hills include flora, fauna and natural phenomena – from coyotes to copperheads, dogwoods to lady’s slippers, and turkey vultures to dragonflies. Trails traverse upland and bottomland forests, marsh, swamp and pond edges, meadows and an Atlantic white cedar bog. A great variety of plant and animal life thrive in the diverse habitats, including several rare and endangered species in Massachusetts, such as the timber rattlesnake.

The summit of Great Blue Hill is the reservation’s high point at 635 feet, and has an observation tower offering views of the Boston Skyline in the distance and on a clear day, Mt. Monadnock in New Hampshire is visible close to 70 miles away. The summit Observatory offers educational science and weather information.

Popular hikes with fantastic views include the Skyline Loop Blue Blazes and Great Blue Hill.

The Skyline Trail is 3 miles and rated challenging, taking 1.5 to 2.5 hrs. This popular loop trail crosses several summits offering panoramic views. The highlight of the hike is Great Blue Hill, the highest peak on the Atlantic coast south of Maine. The North Skyline Trail begins at Reservation Headquarters. Follow the blue blazes up the woodland lane across from the front porch. Turn right on the footpath 50 yards away from the headquarters. An alternative is starting from the South Skyline which begins on Hillside St., 200 yards south of Reservation Headquarters in the direction of Houghtons Pond.

The Great Blue Hill Trail is 1 mile and rated moderate, taking anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hrs. The trail begins from the Trailside Museum and is marked by red dots. The paved access road to the summit is an easier alternative route. This road is reached at the parking area just north of Trailside Museum. Follow the green dot trail starting at the bulletin board and turn right at the paved road.

Trail maps can be picked up from the reservation headquarters or at the trail museum and it’s recommended you always take plenty of water.

The reservation headquarters can be reached from I-93 exit 3, turn right onto Hillside St. and park at reservation headquarters. Information at (617) 698-1802; http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/blue.htm

For information on other attractions in the area check out my special Boston destinations section by clicking here.

Have a great weekend and an amazing hike.

Cliff Calderwood
Executive Director
New England Destinations Guide