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.

Stunning place to visit no matter what season. Just a tip: do not wear flip flops especially in the…read moresummer. You'll burn your feet on the sand.

Could Dune Shacks Trail be the 8th wonder of the world? I don't know man...but I feel like it is…read more When hubs located these dunes as part of our nature escape in Ptown, I was like...."ok" and shrugged my shoulders. But once we started ascending on a narrow sand path leading to the tallest peak, all we saw was a stretch of pure gold and imagined some desperate soul running frantically looking for water. Even with the frigid late December visit here, make sure you bundle. Hiking on sand was difficult especially since we wore denims- but definitely wear leggings or joggers to get the most mobility as you hike up. We didn't prep ourselves mentally- so once we got to that tallest peak, we came back down and never saw past the end of the dune and into the ocean. Dune Shacks could well be that place that combines the dune+beach beautifully together. What a dramatic and lovely place to visit. If you're into the breeze rustling your hair and really sinking your boots in the sand, this spot's for you.

What's not to like here? I suppose some may complain about…read morehaving to pay to park. Personally I'd like to see an option for those of us living in the Blackstone Valley (and others) to purchase an annual sticker. Similar to the way you might support a local zoo, for example. They would likely get higher donation amounts voluntarily, vs. the extortion-like pay-to-park each visit. Beyond the parking... For those seeking heat relief, on a hot summer day the low parts of the chasm are considerably cooler. Of course this does generally bring the crowds. Remember to bring bug spray. Children will be in awe of the rock formations and most will absolutely love climbing over, under and through the rocks, crevices and small caves. The rocks are normally slippery, more so after a rain or during the humid summer months - decent footwear is a must. Grandparents beware: not the best place to try to follow an 8 year old! However, across the street by the visitor center there's a nice playground for the kids to tire-out. If you want a longer/safer/less slippery hike you can follow Charlie's Loop trail in it's entirety (start by the covered picnic tables). Then maybe veer off onto the northwest side fire road. From there you can find a couple of trails that head back toward the parking lot. This is a great place to walk the dog(s) - leashed. Please pick up after your pet. Also a wonderful spot for snowshoeing - assuming we still get snow. re: parking - if you are local you might find a place over on Mendon Road, from which you can enter the park via the fire road (47CF+628).

Had been wanting to check this out all summer, but being a bit of a cheapo, I didn't want to pay…read morethe $20 non-resident parking fee. Now that its off-season and parking is free I checked it out. Wasn't disappointed. Some nice views, and a challenging, but not overwhelming hike. Will definitely have to come back sometime.

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.

The whole place is amazing, especially the "castle". The trails are very well maintained, and VERY…read morewell marked. And the lake is beautiful. The best part is how amazing it is for dogs! Highly recommend!!

Borderland is a wonderful place. I usually only stay on the main trail for walking and running…read more Plenty of grass areas to play catch or picnic, plus benches and picnic tables throughout. Relaxing, quiet, and so many nice spots to enjoy the ponds, waterfall, spring noises of frogs, and foliage in the fall. I ride my bike or run or walk through regularly and enjoy it. I have also taken the kids to some of the mansion tours and the presentations about nature in the park building. Enjoyed those too.

This park is THE #1 place to play Community Day in Pokemon Go for most players. There's been…read moremultiple articles written about it for a years now. The spawn rates for Pokemon are very high, lots of PokeStops, and some PokeGymes. You could also play other AR games like Ingress & Harry Potter Wizards Unite. If you are a photographer this is a also a great spot. There's a path, and several benches.

I have passed by this place at least a few dozen times. Each time I only see a small spot for a few…read morecars and didn't bother to go in any further. Today my boyfriend and I decided to go for a walk and since the last time we passed by there were several Pokéstops and lures going on we thought we could make this a nice fun Friday evening adventure as we have been talking about coming here for some time now but just never made it. The turn into the bigger lot is pretty sharp on the right as you're headed north on Bridge St. There are also a few spots right up front but it's usually occupied, and so was today. We went all the way in and had to come back out because there was no place to park, except a couple of handicap spots. There is also a Yacht club on the far right of the park. The park isn't very big but it's very nicely done. The drought however, along with people walking on the grass, has really damaged the greens turning them tan and dried out. We parked in the side and sat and watched the sunset as I played PokémonGo until a spot opened up. We grabbed it and headed to the park for the walk and the play. It was really beautiful seeing so many people out. We walked alongside the bank of the water and it was low tide so saw the bottoms of the land. The houses across the way was nice too. There were a couple of trails you can walk over to just off the "Kibby's Property" sign but since ITT was getting dark we decided not to go in. And at nighfall, a truck came about starting rounding up the people and lead them out of the park because although it's open year round, it closes at dusk and it was beyond dusk at that point. Best park about this small park is that it had at least about 13 Pokéstops and the lures were going on all of them. Had a great time here and will definitely come back again soon!

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!

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.

Easy 1 hour out and back hike. Some spots slippery with ice on ground. Hiking boots recommended…read moreduring the winter. Fantastic scenery. Easy to see the gorge with more views if you go off trail a bit.

Great spot, great views. Fun to explore, family had a blast here. Looking forward to see it in…read moreevery season.

This is a beautiful and easy hike. Impressive water flow in April. Went on a Saturday and it wasn't…read morecrowded at all.

Not a business but a walking trail. No real elevation gains but a good walk along the river and…read moreyou can log in anywhere from two to 4 miles. Parking lot is small and parking is not allowed on the street for visitors. But cars are leaving the lot fairly often.