Suggestions for an easy hike in Northeast MA

[Mohamed Ellozy]

On Saturday I will be driving from Brookline, MA to Rye, NH, planning to arrive there around 5 PM (so lots of time). On Sunday I plan a big (by my geriatric standards ) hike in the Whites.

So for Saturday I would like a nice hike (3-4 hours at a leisurely pace) not too far off my route (I95, basically, but would be happy to do something along I93). I have spend many happy hours in the Middlesex Fells, so would like to explore something else.

I have been to Breakheart Reservation once or twice, and enjoyed it. Never been to Lynn Woods or the many hiking areas north of that.

 

[brianW]

How about walking the shores of Plum Island? bring bino's and do some birding while you are out there.

 

[marty]

Hey Mohamed,

As I stated in a thread last December, you might want to try Manchester-Essex Woods and Agassiz Rock. They are just off Route 128. Here are a couple of URL's:

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 - Exit 15 (School Street). There is a large 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 of 1/2 hour or so. Big Agassiz Rock is a huge glacial erratic. Little Agassiz Rock is a jumble of boulders with some nice views.

I would recommend hitting both.

Warning: there could be lots of deer ticks around on any trail in northeastern MA. Please be sure to take proper precautions and do a post hike tick check.

Regards,
Marty

 

[Stan]

There are lots of interesting trails at Mass. Audubon's Ipswich River Sanctuary. Some of the lower trails near the river are flooded and closed ... even in dry weather there's a trail that is somewhat wet due to intrepid beaver activity.

Here's a link to the Sanctuary website: http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Ipswich_River/index.php

A link to a printable map is on the left. The Rockery Loop is one of my favorites but that may be under water, too ... oh well ... at least maybe the aquifer is getting a sorely needed recharge.

 

[Amicus]

All good suggestions. Overlapping some of them, let me put in a plug for the Bay Circuit Trail (not for the first time). For your route, I recommend that you take a look at Map 2, and skim its accompanying Trail Description, especially the listing of "jewels" on the last page. Ipswich does have a lot of good trails, although some will be very wet now, but I am partial also to Hamilton, especially Appleton Farms and Grass Rides, which may be dryer.

 

[BobC]

A few years ago I did a hike with my kids to Odiorne Point, which is right in Rye. It's also a state park. Nice ocean views, and you can make a loop around Odiorne Point. I can't find much detailed info online regarding the hike itself, but I learned about this in the book "Hiking New Hampshire" by Larry Pletcher.

There's a link to a map here:
http://nhparks.state.nh.us/state-parks/alphabetical-order/odiorne-point-state-park/map.aspx

Edit: through the magic of the internet, I've found a link to the very book I mentioned above:http://books.google.com/books?id=l9...resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false
Moderators: I assume this is ok to post, although I don't know how legal it is for Google Books to have this info online. Seems a bit fishy to me.

 

[Amicus]

A few years ago I did a hike with my kids to Odiorne Point, which is right in Rye. It's also a state park. Nice ocean views, and you can make a loop around Odiorne Point. I can't find much detailed info online regarding the hike itself, but I learned about this in the book "Hiking New Hampshire" by Larry Pletcher.

Thanks for posting - I had wondered about Odiorne, as one of the destinations listed in the 1st Ed. of the AMC So. NH Trail Guide but dropped (as I recall) from the 2nd and 3d Eds. (which shows that it isn't always landowner issues that cause that). [Correction: it is in the 3d Ed. after all - don't have the 2d at hand.] Their description is less than a page with no map, so the Pletcher book is enlightening.

As for Google and the Pletcher book, Google often posts extensive excerpts from books in copyright, but (1) a minority of the total pages (here, 70 out of 350) and (2) copying is blocked. I assume that is how they get permission.

 

[gram]

Maudsley State Park

Pretty much flat - views of the Merrimac River, carriage roads, lawns, old gardens, etc. Very close to I95 in Newburyport. This is a large property so you could easily spend 3 hours there.

Would suggest printing online map, as the kiosk is sometimes empty. We enjoy looping around the Merrimac River Trail.

http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/maud.htm

Let us know what you choose, we are always looking for local places to go!

 

[roadtripper]

LYNN WOODS! LYNN WOODS! It is EASILY the most underrated system of hiking trails on the North Shore. You can easily create a 4-6 mile loop hike, and up to 10 miles if you really get creative.

The best parts = the carriage roads NEVER get muddy and I have never seen a tick in there.

I'll join you Saturday morning if you are looking for company.

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

 

[Amicus]

LYNN WOODS! LYNN WOODS! It is EASILY the most underrated system of hiking trails on the North Shore. ...
Here's a great map: http://www.dieselbikes.com/images/Lynn_Woods_Official_City_Map.pdf

There are quite a few underrated systems of hiking trails on the North Share, but Lynn Woods is probably the most extensive single system. I believe it is second in aggregate trail length only to Middlesex Fells, which is much better known. That map is great and gave me hours of innocent enjoyment when I decided to red-line it a few years ago. That took me six hikes, with considerable duplication and some bushwhacking. If Mohamed is looking for 3-4 hours at a leisurely pace, he'll scratch the surface. I too picked up no ticks, but I'm usually fully covered.

In the same vein but somewhat smaller is Breakheart Reservation in Saugus. Its trails could keep anyone busy for more than 3-4 hours and there is an interesting variety of terrain. They have a good map too.