Not sure if I picked the wrong day or the wrong trail but my "hiking" experience in the Blue Hills…read morefell short. In general, there's not great hiking around Boston unless you keep doing the same trails in Milddlesex but I had heard a lot of good things about Blue Hills so off I went. 1. The Skyline trail, for being the most popular one, was extremely poorly marked. I'm glad I downloaded the AllTrails map ahead of time for the route because even with the map, I got turned around several times and had to scurry forward and back to try to find the markings. At one point, the markings disappeared completely, i.e., I was definitely off-trail, and I couldn't find my way back without committing to another rock scramble back down, so I just consulted the map, did another trail, and cut back to the same route a few minutes later. 2. So very, very buggy. Most of the time that I was walking, I was swatting a bug, trying not to eat a bug, or actually eating a bug. Not the most pleasant of hiking conditions but something avoidable by just coming later in the season when all the bugs are dead. Passed by some lakes that looked very scenic from a distance but then, when you get close, you see it's all pretty much stagnant water/pond scum and millions of mating bugs. 3. This may be relatively minor but if you're coming from Boston, the traffic to get over here is dreadful and, again depending on which starting point you use, there aren't bathrooms available. Plan accordingly. 4. Parking was free and easy - I went with the Shea Memorial Rink in Quincy and hopped right onto the trailhead from there. 5. Hiking shoes are fine but I think this hike is doable in sneakers. Aside from a scramble here or there, the elevation was pretty gradual. Do be careful of the various roots and whatnot. I guess the lesson is: bug spray and download the trail map. Unless you're fine making a day of it and trying different trails, but even so, download the map.

Very well maintained trails, great views, good woods scenery for all seasons. Highly recommended;…read moremap boards at trailheads are clear, and most trails are clearly marked.

Gorgeous trail, will need to be a bit more experienced to navigate steeper rocks. Great views at…read moretop. Can connect to other trails as well.

Beautiful, well maintained trails that are easy to get to from Boston. Climbing to the top of the…read moreskyline trail requires a bit of scrambling up rocks. However, they do have a nice set of trails by the reservoir/ ski area of the park that has little elevation and some of the best foliage in the fall. Parking can be a bit tricky on that side when it is busy though. I don't like the trails over by the pond and skating rink as much as I do the other side. It can get a bit muddy and buggy over there and the pond views are meh. Parking is shared by the ice rink and there is plenty of it.

Great place to walk anytime of year. Plenty of parking, restrooms, picnic tables. Lots of trails…read moreand something new to explore on each trip. Part of the blue hills on the canton line.

I miss the Blue Hills "Peek-a-blue" hikes that happened pre pandemic for kids preschool aged and…read moreyounger. We would meet in the Houghton's Pond parking area to start that hike. We visited today though to enjoy the playground. There's 2 sides - one for preschool and younger, other for older kids. Both have swings, slides, and climbing areas. There's also a wooden boardwalk that leads to trails to the pond.

This is another terrific property owned by the always terrific Trustees of Reservations which…read morepreserves land throughout Massachusetts for all to enjoy. This is a huge wooded space hundreds of acres large. Whitney and Thayer is a great place to come to walk, bike, horseback ride and you're welcome to bring your dog if you have one. Leash please. The property here spans both towns of Hingham and Cohasset and unlike some other Trustees properties, is free to all who enter. As an added bonus, you can readily access Turkey Hill from here and gain sight of the South Shore and Cohasset harbor. There are trail markers but it's wise to download a map and bring it with you. Bring water to drink for you and any animal companions you might have with you. As well, make sure you've got your bug spray applied. Ticks abound everywhere in these parts so you want to make sure you're as protected as can be. Having done all those things like a good boy or girl Scout, you'll be certain to enjoy a spectacular day in the outdoors admiring all manner of trees, bushes, flowers, birds and if you're lucky an occasional animal sighting. This is a beautiful tract of land in which to get some exercise and revel in the solitude and grandeur. Well worth a visit any time of year. Get your exercise on, and get out there!

Located right off Rt 3A in Cohasset, it's that forgotten tract of land right between Wompatuck…read moreState Park & Turkey Hill. After a short while on the trails you can see why the Wampanoag Indians called the area Cohasset or the "Long Rocky Place", at 600 acres it is three times the size of nearby World's End and unlike W.E. it's FREE! The trails are well maintained cart and footpaths suitable for walking, jogging, horseback, mountain biking, etc. Spliting the woods right down the middle was an old railroad track used by the USN to move munitions to the old ammo depot (now Wompatuck State Park) during WWII & the Cold War, it was recently converted to a bike path (crushed stone) for all to use. It's now possible to take the Greebush Commuter Rail Line down to the Cohasset Station and go directly across Rt 3A and jump on you bike for hours of bike riding in Whitney & (mainly) Wompatuck's 20 + miles of paved & dirt bike trails. After a day of fun cap it off with a ice cream cone at JJ's Dairy located about 500' south of Cohasset Station. Quiet. 600 acres. Ten miles of rustic trails. Dog friendly. Owned & operated by the Trustees of Reservations - consider a donation and becoming a trustee.

Very unique landscape with being the tallest esker in the country! Really enjoyed the walk here…read more Saw trash that was left which was disappointing but the landscape is beautiful! Will definately go back!

Beautiful Island, plenty of beautiful places and nice people. It's very clean with a few places to…read moreeat.

Don't go here unless you have small children or love the noise of screaming kids. Not much to do on…read morethe "island" besides walking around or going to the small glass covered beach. 2 hours here felt like eternity. Editing to mention the asbestos signs at the beach. If you're asbestos sensitive, this might not be a place for you. They at least provide some images of what asbestos looks like.

It is a very beautiful, well-maintained park I only walked a mile so far, on a pleasant summer…read moreday, but will go back.

Noanet Woodlands is another favorite woodsy area to add to my list (another recent favorite is…read moreanother Trustees property in Andover, the Ward Reservation). The two are somewhat similar with different color coded trails and a trail to reach a summit for the skyline of Boston (I didn't check that out here at Noanet Woodlands for this trip). I enjoyed coming here on the weekend: it was moderately trafficked (which I like so it's not *too* isolated), and easy/moderate trails (I prefer long, ambling hikes). The only thing is that the orange trail I took was a bit confusing/not super clear. The overall system does a good job, but I would be sure to download a map/have AllTrails active to ensure you don't end up in the wrong spot. I fortunately ran into some folks who helped me get back on track, but a heads up that it could get confusing as it did for me. Otherwise, a wonderful shady (important to know on hotter days) set of trails that I would recommend!