Snowshoeing near Boston

[Mohamed Ellozy]

I may be in the Boston area for a couple of days before Xmas. Would appreciate info about snow conditions in the Blue Hills, Middlesex Fells or any other interesting area.

Thanks!

 

[audrey]

Mohamed, they're excellent, though you'll have to bushwhack the Fells to get powder. Those trails get tracked out fast. Yesterday we skied at Lexington Great Meadows: just enough snow to cover most of the rocks.

 

[loanshark]

snowshoe hikes near Boston

Just north of Boston there are some opportunities. In North Andover you have Weir Hill, Ward Hill, and the Harold Parker Reservations. We received about 10 inches of snow Saturday. All those locations have info online.

 

[DougPaul]

Yesterday we skied at Lexington Great Meadows: just enough snow to cover most of the rocks.

Do you perhaps mean Arlington Great Meadows (located in Lexington)?

A friend and I skied a bit of the Minuteman Bike path (Bedford), Elm Brook Conservation Area (Bedford), and the Reformatory Bike path well into Concord for a total of 9 mi. The snow was a bit thin for snowshoeing (6-8 in), but it was great for skiing. The snow conditions were great--fresh loose powder, extra blue wax.

If you want deeper snow, head south and perhaps toward the coast. My guess is that Blue Hills might be better than the Fells. Or you could go to the Cape...

Doug

 

[Jasper]

Mt. Pisgah on the Northborough/Berlin Line

Hiked Mt Pisgah this morning. About 8 inches of new powder on the ground. Hardly worth bringing the snowshoes. Great sunrise though.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

In North Andover you have Weir Hill, Ward Hill, and the Harold Parker Reservations. We received about 10 inches of snow Saturday.

Brilliant suggestion!!!!

On Wednesday I will be driving down early from NH, and will stop at Moor and Mountain in Andover to have my snowshoes fixed. It is very close to all three of the areas you suggested. I know both Weir Hill and Holt Hill (Ward Reservation), have never hiked in Harold Parker State Forest, so that is likely to be where I will go.

If you want deeper snow, head south and perhaps toward the coast. My guess is that Blue Hills might be better than the Fells. Or you could go to the Cape...

I am staying with friends on the Cape Thursday night, will go snowshoeing with them either on Thursday or on Friday (Xmas day).

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Moor & Mountain

Say, "Hi!" to Bert, and Alan if he's there for me! If you're interested in Harold Parker area there is a neat AVIS Reservation that borders it as well called Skug River Reservation. There is an old soapstone quarry beside the brook and also a huge, (grafitti covered) glacial erratic worth seeing. Probably the largest I know of in the area besides Pawtuckaway.

http://www.avisandover.org/skug.html

Map:

http://www.avisandover.org/maps/SkugHammond.pdf

There is also the Mary French Reservation (named for Alan's wife) and the Hammond Reservation right nearby.

Not much elevation here but beautiful woods.

KDT

 

[loanshark]

Harold Parker State Forest

Make sure to wear an orange hat as there are still a few days of deer season open.

 

[marty]

Make sure to wear an orange hat as there are still a few days of deer season open.

Yes, but it is primitive firearms only, which goes until December 31. There are far fewer hunters of this type than during the shotgun deer hunting season. I did see a single hunter last Saturday in the Georgetown-Rowley State Forest. I was wearing an orange hat and vest and felt safe.

Here is a brief hunting/fishing regulation document for MA:http://www.jfgriffin.com/2010MA/2010MA_SeasonReferenceListing.pdf

Marty

 

[Amicus]

If you're interested in Harold Parker area there is a neat AVIS Reservation that borders it as well called Skug River Reservation. There is an old soapstone quarry beside the brook and also a huge, (grafitti covered) glacial erratic worth seeing. Probably the largest I know of in the area besides Pawtuckaway. . . .There is also the Mary French Reservation (named for Alan's wife) and the Hammond Reservation right nearby.

You could put together a pretty decent hike just by following the Bay Circuit Trail through the section of Map 3 that links Harold Parker SF, the AVIS Hammond, Skug and Mary French Reservations and the TTOR's Ward Reservation (Holt Hill), with just a short road-walk between Mary French and Ward, as you can read about in the Trail Description for Map 3. As Kevin notes, the AVIS trio are excellent - a little more interesting than H. Parker, I'd have to say.

I never met Mary French, but understand she was quite a woman. Al French is a guy I greatly admire - not only co-prop. of Moor and Mountain, but the animating spirit of the BCT since 1990. If he's in, he'd be happy to recommend a route, I'm sure. I liked the Mary F. Reservation so much, I made a snapshot I took there my avatar.

 

[roadtripper]

The best place for snowshoeing near Boston right now is Lynn Woods (in my biased opinion). They got 12 inches of snow yesterday and there are so many trails in there that you can have your pick from broken/unbroken ones. PM me for more info.

Here's a map:
http://www.dieselbikes.com/images/Lynn_Woods_Official_City_Map.pdf

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Many thanks, and please keep the suggestions coming!

I only have one day north of Boston on this trip, but if we have a snowy winter there may be other opportunities!

 

[Amicus]

The best place for snowshoeing near Boston right now is Lynn Woods (in my biased opinion). They got 12 inches of snow yesterday and there are so many trails in there that you can have your pick from broken/unbroken ones.

That wouldn't surprise me. I had fun red-lining the trails on that excellent map, with a fair amount of off-trail meandering included, in a half-dozen or so hikes a couple of years ago. There are a few popular walks near the bigger parking lot by Breeds Pond on the SW, but once you get away from there, you are likely to find solitude, especially in Winter. There are some good Boston skyline views from ledges on the NE side of Walden Pond.

 

[marty]

Many thanks, and please keep the suggestions coming!

OK, here's a couple of others, basically across the street from each other:

Manchester-Essex Woods: http://www.teamgloucester.com/trails-manchester.htm - click on map link for the map.

Agassiz Rock: http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/northeast-ma/agassiz-rock.html

Manchester-Essex Woods' parking lot is on the left coming off Rte 128. There is a large, plowed parking area. I strongly recommend Millstone Hill for the views and the Prospect Ledge Trail. There is some nice pond/estuary area on a boardwalk hike en route to Millstone Hill.

Agassiz Rock is across the street and up the road about .1 miles. It is a short, steep and fun loop. Big Agassiz Rock is a huge glacial erratic. Little Agassiz Rock is a jumble of boulders with some nice views.

Both are strongly recommended and should have about 10 inches or more of snow.

Have a great time Mohamed!

Marty

 

[HockeyPuck]

Two words - Blue Hills

 

[Vermonster]

More Metrowest than north..

Broadmoor in Natick/Sherborn: http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Broadmoor/index.php

Snowshoes and skis both OK.

About 10" on the ground right now.

 

[jniehof]

Not sure if Olmsted Woods counts as "interesting," but I crossed Route 9 to check it out. (Median cut is cleared! Either they're plowing it, or Doug Mink brought a shovel to work.)

The actual trails back in the woods are completely booted out. The snow out by the bike path isn't really deep enough to be worth snowshoeing, but there are some nice ski tracks.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Not much snow in Andover (observed by me and confirmed by Burt of Moor and Mountain), so after my snowshoe was fixed I drove to the Middlesex fells, where there seemed to be enough snow for snowshoeing.

Parked at Long Pond lot, found that the carriage roads were packed to concrete solidity, useless for snowshoeing. The Skyline Trail was adequate (I did not say good ), and since the woods are very open I often got off trail, snowshoeing parallel to the trail.

Tomorrow I try my luck with the Blue Hills, and on Xmas day will try Sandwich, which got a lot of snow.

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

Great snowshoeing in Blue Hills!

Two words - Blue Hills

Good call!

On Wednesday I snowshoed in the Middlesex Fells, somewhat disappointing. Not much snow in Brookline either. Today as I drove to the Blue Hills I was rather sceptical, did not see much snow along the way. Parked at the big lot on Blue Hill River Street, and saw a high snowbank guarding the nice field.

The yellow dot trail around the pond was pretty well packed, but the woods are so open that I ignored the trail and wandered aimlessly through the woods for a couple of hours. Nice warm temps mean sticky snow, but I was not about to complain. One of my best Boston-based snowshoe trips!

I am now on the Cape (Sandwich) and there is deep snow everywhere. Not sure about snowshoeing tomorrow, the little girl wants to go skating, and her uncle does what she wants