Appalachian Mountain Club Boston Chapter Local Walks Committee Easy Walks

These are walks that are physically easy and are easy to navigate. They are level, not too long, scenic, safe, and are in places where it is hard to get lost, such as around the shore of a large pond. In winter, of course, they can be more challenging. Except for the beaches and where noted, all are loop walks.

• Acton Arboretum, Taylor Rd., Acton, MA, up to 3-mi. walk through woods, meadows, orchard, and around ponds
• Bare Cove Park, Beal St., Hingham, MA, walk through woods and along the Back River estuary.
• Blackstone River Heritage State Park, Uxbridge, MA, walk along the Blackstone River and the historic Blackstone Canal.
• Borderland State Park, Easton, MA, 3-mi. walk on bridle trails around Leach Pond and Upper Leach Pond.
• Boston Harbor Islands, Long Wharf, Boston, MA, ferry to George's Island then water shuttle to 5 other islands.
• Breakheart Reservation, 177 Forest St., Saugus, MA, 2- and 3-mile loops on paved trails with small hills (closed to cars) through beautiful forest and past 2 lakes. Also, a smooth 0.9-mi. trail around Silver Lake can be added to either loop. Additional entrance and parking at the Northeast Vocational High School, Farm St., Wakefield. Map in box at the Forest St. entrance and online at www.saugus.org/FOBR.
• Case Estates, Wellesley St., Weston, 1 mi. north of Rte. 30 (a nursery for Arnold Arboretum with thousands of flowers, shrubs, and trees plus adjacent woods), 1-mi. trail.
• Charles River Greenway (MDC), Watertown/Newton, MA, MDC lot on Pleasant St. near Watertown Sq., walk along the Charles River.
• Cold Spring Park, Beaconwood Rd., Newton, MA, 1-mi. walk through woods.
• Crane Beach, Argilla Rd., Ipswich, MA, 3.5-mile barrier beach
• Cutler Park Reservation (MDC), Kendrick St., Needham, MA, 1.5-mi. walk around a large pond and to the Charles River, longer walks possible.
• Devereux Beach, Ocean Ave., Marblehead, MA, 1-mi. walk on the beach or 4-mi. walk including adjacent Marblehead Neck.
• Duxbury Beach, Duxbury, MA, 4.5-mile barrier beach.
• Elm Bank Reservation (MDC), 900 Washington St. (Rte. 16), Wellesley, MA, surrounded on three sides by the Charles River, contains the Mass. Horticultural Society horticultural center, 2-mi. riverside trail. Map: www.state.ma.us/mdc/maps/elmbank.gif
• Fawn Lake (Bedford conservation land), Sweetwater Ave., Bedford, MA, 0.8 mi. walk around pretty lake, plus walk on the adjacent level dirt bikeway through woods on former RR grade which extends 1 mi. north of Fawn Lake and 2 mi. south. The Buehler Conservation Area with two small ponds and a nature guide is 0.3 mi. north on the bikeway on the left side. www.town.bedford.ma.us/conservation/cons_areas.html and www.bedforddepot.org
• Fresh Pond Reservoir, 250 Fresh Pond Pkwy, Cambridge, MA, 2-mi. walk around the pond.
• Gates Pond, end of Taylor Rd. off Rte. 62, Berlin, MA, 2.5-mi. walk around scenic quiet reservoir.
• Great Brook Farm State Park, North Rd., Carlisle, MA, 2-mi. walk around Meadow Pond then visit the dairy farm with ice cream stand.
• Great Esker Park, Elva Rd., Weymouth, MA, up to 3-mi. walk through woods and along Back River estuary.
• Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Concord Unit, Monsen Rd., Concord, MA, 2-mi. walk around pond and along Concord River, longer walks possible.
• Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Sudbury Unit, Weir Hill Rd., Sudbury, MA, 1-mi. nature trail to Sudbury River.
• Habitat Education Center and Wildlife Sanctuary (Mass. Audubon), 10 Juniper Rd. and Somerset St., Belmont, MA, former estate with gardens, woods, meadows, pond, up to 3-mi. walk.
• Hale Reservation, 80 Carby St., Westwood, MA. Large private reservation open to the public. Walk on dirt and paved roads through woods and to ponds.
• Halibut Point State Park, Gott Ave., Rockport, MA, walk around large water-filled quarry and along ocean ledges.
• Horn Pond, Lake Ave. at Arlington Rd., Woburn, MA, 2-mi. walk around the pond.
• Lake Quannapowitt, Main St., Wakefield, MA, 3-mi. walk around the lake.
• Lake Waban, Wellesley College campus, Washington St., Wellesley, MA, walk around the pond and visit the Wellesley College greenhouses.
• Lynn Shores and Nahant Beach Reservation (MDC), Nahant Beach Blvd, Nahant, MA, 2 mi. of beach including Nahant Beach, Lynn Beach along Lynn Shore Drive, and King's Beach in Swampscott. Map: www.state.ma.us/mdc/maps/lynn_sh.gif
• Minute Man National Historic Park, Battle Road Unit, Lexington/Lincoln/Concord, MA, 5-mi. linear trail. Visitor center: Rte. 2A, Lexington. www.nps.gov/mima
• Minute Man National Historic Park, North Bridge Unit, Monument St., Concord, MA, 1-mi. trail, Concord River, visitor center. Adjacent to the Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge Concord Unit. www.nps.gov/mima
• Mount Auburn Cemetery, 580 Mount Auburn St., Cambridge, MA, park-like cemetery containing many historic figures, 10 mi. of paths.
• Nashua River Rail Trail, 11-mile multi-use paved trail along a former rail corridor now owned by DEM extends from Main St. in downtown Ayer through Groton, Pepperell, and Dunstable to the New Hampshire state line and passes the Harry Rich State Forest in Groton. The northen sections have dirt beside the asphalt for equestrian use.
• Norris Reservation (Trustees of Reservations), Dover St. at West St., Norwell, MA, 2-mi. loop trail to and along North River and salt marsh.
• Peters Reservation (Trustees of Reservations), Farm St., Dover, 2-mi. walk through woods and rhododendrons and along the Charles River.
• Philips Academy Wildlife Sanctuary, end of Chapel Ave. off Main St. (Rte. 28), Andover, 2-mi. loop trail.
• Plum Island, Newburyport, MA, 6.5-mile beach (beach closed during piping plover nesting season), 2-mi. Hellcat Swamp nature trail.
• Rock Meadow (Belmont conservation land), Mill St., Belmont, MA, up to 2-mi. walk around large meadow and through woods.
• Stow Town Forest, Bradley Lane, Stow, MA, 2- to 4-mi. walks through woods and along Assabet River shore.
• Walden Pond, 915 Walden St. (Rte. 126), Concord, MA, 1.8-mi. walk around the pond.
• Weld Woods, W. Roxbury Pkwy at Weld St., W. Roxbury, MA, former estate w/woods & ponds.
• Weston Reservoir, Ash St., Weston, MA, 2-mi. walk around the reservoir.
• World's End Reservation, Martin's Lane, Hingham, MA, up to 4-mi. walk around shore of peninsula park designed by Olmsted with views of Boston harbor and islands.
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