Ward Reservation is definitely recommended for spectacular views. We went on the Yellow and Blue trails before sunset. The trail was well maintained and easy for walking although it was called as "moderate" in some other mobile apps. All the trail signs are clear and easy to follow. When getting to the top of Holt hill, you will be amazed by the Boston skyline without occlusion. Compared to the breathtaking view at Holt hill, the one at the top of Boston hill slightly disappoints me. It is still an enjoyable walk surrounded by the view of the sunset, but the skyline is missing. You may not get too much out of the elephant rock. Again, overall it is a fantastic place for walking, jogging, and biking. read more

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Went here with my mother for a thanksgiving break hike! It is a not too strenuous hike (but there are some hills) that can be fun for the family. Depending on the path you choose you can alter the distance to your liking. There is a parking lot at the reservation with a $5 fee that goes into maintaining the beautiful park. Things you can do: - see the sun stones! this is an easy route but it is up a hill - elephant rock! honestly it's just a rock, it isn't anything amazing but it is along one of the longer routes. - scenic overlooks of boston skyline! see attached pic I really commend those who marked the trails. It's really easy to follow and not get lost! Highly suggest checking it out :) read more

Ward Reservation - It's better in person, but you can see boston skyline! - Parks Near Me - Andover, Massachusetts

A great escape in Andover! Ward Reservation has 14 miles of well-maintained trails which allow you to experience a variety of landscapes and vistas. We started on the Yellow trail to Pine Hole Bog. This elevated wood trail is so pretty and ends right at the bog where we saw tiny turtles and frogs. We then took the Yellow trail up to Holt Hill (the stairs are currently closed due to wood rot, so we took a detour). On top of Holt Hill are the Solstice Stones, which align with the cardinal directions as well as the sunrise and sunset. It was a clear day, so we could see the Boston skyline pretty well from here. Then we got onto the Blue trail to Boston Hill and Elephant Rock. This was a nice, longer route but buggier than the other trail. Elephant Rock is... a medium-big rock? I think most elephants are probably bigger than this. And we could see Boston from there as well, though from Holt Hill it was a better view. This wasn't much of a destination, but it nicely rounded out our hike, which ended up being around 3.5 miles. Parking is $5 per car (free from Trustees members) and well worth it! We spent 2 hours on the trails, and you could easily spend an entire day exploring. read more

I love how vast the trails are here. You have the bog, marsh and elephant rock to make your way to. I tend to get lost, but the journey along the way is refreshing. As I made my way to elephant rock, we arrived just late enough to see the sun set and it was just spectacular! The first time I came and got lost along the marsh. This time, I ended on the opposite of the parking lot. The parking here is $5 or $10 for the day, but you have to leave before 7pm. The trail is marked with colored dots marked on trees, but harder to see at night, so bring a flashlight! read more

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A little peace of heaven that I never knew existed! Extremely peaceful open air space for my girls to get some energy out and for me to take a breather. Highly recommend read more

Ward Reservation - Parks Near Me - Andover, Massachusetts

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The Ward Reservation is absolutely fantastic. I actually think this may be my new favorite place to go hiking in all of greater Boston/the Merrimack Valley. The trails are very well marked, and add just enough difficulty to where the hike is somewhere between easy/moderate (some areas, pretty moderate, haha) and it was super enjoyable. I did the yellow and blue trails which made for a little over 3 miles, and took me through beautiful woods, gorgeous scenic views of the Boston skyline and Merrimack Valley, and a handful of fellow hikers on the trail, which made for a mostly solitude-filled hike. I went during a sunny spring weekday afternoon which is probably the best time to go (ample parking, not too many folks). I can't wait to return and try the red trail. Very glad to know about Ward Reservation! read more

A beautiful place for a nice walk regardless of the season, but particularly spectacular in summer! read more

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Absolutely fantastic place to hike. Great for kids as well. You must visit the 420-foot Holt Hill (highest point in Essex County), as on a clear day you can see the Boston city skyline! There are a total of 13 miles of trails, so you can make the day as long or as short as you want. This also is a popular place to cross country ski in the winter. Check it out, you won't be disappointed! read more

Ward Reservation - Parks Near Me - Andover, Massachusetts

beautiful trails and hill overlooking boston. good for all ages. parking fee unless you are a trustees member is $6. definitely recommend checking it out! read more

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I would never have found this treasure of a park without some help from my fellow Yelpers... what a fantastic find, though! We were staying in North Andover for a friend's wedding and spent a lovely hour or two stretching our legs on the Ward Reservation trails. The hike up to Ward Hill takes just a few minutes from the parking lot (make it a bit longer - and more scenic - by following Rachel's trail, which skirts around the right side of the hill and ambles through an orchard on the way up) and offers a sweeping view of the Merrimack Valley and the Boston skyline in the distance. There are something like 10 miles of trails meandering through the 700 acre park. On our way down the hill, we continued past the parking lot to the Bog, where we picked up a laminated guide sheet at the beginning of a boardwalk which extends through the marsh to a little pond. The guide gave some interesting information about the flora and fauna of the bog habitat. There were a number of families out on a Sunday morning, many with dogs, and even a few mountain bikers. I would be a regular visitor if I lived in the area and was very fortunate to stumble across it as an out-of-towner (thanks, Yelp!). read more

Ward Reservation - Parks Near Me - Andover, Massachusetts

If you hit all of the trails (yellow, blue, red) in a very large loop-like manner, then this is a very good hike considering a mountain is not involved. It is well maintained and has a good amount of signs so you never feel lost. Can get very buggy, even on windy days since there are plenty of swamps nearby. The parking does not appear to be free, but the meter was off the two times I have come here: September and May; so we went for free. May be active between Memorial and Labor Day. Don't quote me on it. A sign did say $5 parking costs for non-members and free for members of some club that nobody probably is aware of until you try to park here. read more

Ward Reservation - Solstice rock. Best view and spot to picnic. - Parks Near Me - Andover, Massachusetts

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We took the red and blue dot trail to go see the elephant rock and the hill. It was a very easy walk. I wouldn't call it a hike. It only took us about 40mins(with stops taking pictures along the way). My friend and I saw a snake and screamed our heads off while running 100mph away from it. My husband thought the snake was harmless and it was tiny. IT WAS NOT TO US! haha It was a very nice day for a walk (we went Sat around noon time). There were a lot of hikers and bikers. The bikes looked fun. I want to try that next time. It was a nice walk and scenery if you're looking for something easy to do outside. But not for a HIKE. That's just my opinion since I am pretty active and always looking for a challenge. And I just hiked Mt. Monadnock a couple of weeks ago. So I am comparing Holt Hill to that. Sorry. read more

Ward Reservation - blue dot trail - Parks Near Me - Andover, Massachusetts

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I discovered Ward Reservation by using this app. I love hiking and nature and usually go to great brook park in Carlisle or to Harold Parker, but neither of those offer what this place does. I went with a friend of mine for the first time and I have to say, it's the most beautiful place I've ever been to. The views are stunning, the landscape is unforgettable, mostly the view of Boston from the top of the hills. I will be returning here as often as I can and I'll be bringing my whole family to see it. You don't find a whole lot of places in Massachusetts that are like this. read more

The Ward Reservation is well marked set of hiking trails with a moderate incline. There are 3 main trails and several single track trails interconnecting the 3 main trails (red, yellow, blue). I hike with my wife and 2 year old at this hiking spot. It's a good family hike and recommend using a kid pack if you're hiking with a child. The summit is an area where the kids can play. It's flat and has great views of Boston skyline. read more

Ward Reservation - The Ward Reservation Trail Map - Parks Near Me - Andover, Massachusetts

These are very easygoing trails that are good for families, for dog-walkers, for bikers and for cross-country skiers...as well as your average visitor. There's neat stuff to see along the way - the highlights being the Solstice Stones on Holt Hill, Holt Hill's great view of Boston, the Pine Hole Bog and the stone fences that run near all the paths and demarcate old property lines. There are several trails, and it gets a little confusing when they all run into each other but the sign posts are pretty good about orienting you. The Pine Hole Bog is particularly neat - there is a wooden pathway that takes you deep into the bog with laminated self-guides available at the beginning to take you through the concentric rings of vegetation. It's a very pleasant day out - nothing spectacular but pretty and relaxing. Also - please note that there are a lot of Deer Ticks in this area. We found two in our car on the way home. It's actually noted in the Ward's website as well - if you go here, wear bug repellent with DEET. read more

Great place to go and walk and experience a wide variety of environments (swamp, quaking bog, forest, meadow). There are a couple of cool features associated with this reservation that make it more special than others. 1) Holt Hill is the highest point in Essex County and provides a lovely view of Boston. The story goes that when the fighting started in the Boston area for the American Revolution, Andoverites went to the top of this hill and were able to see some of the fighting. 2) There is a fire tower up here. Totally caught me off guard the first time I went. 3) The solstice stones at the top of Holt Hill are awesome! They are inlaid into the ground and have the points of a compass and also the positions of the solstices and equinoxes Just be careful as there are a crapload of mosquitos here and Andover has had triple-E recordings in the not so distant past (Like, last year) read more

I've been here twice and enjoyed the trail/hike both times. My friend and I's hike started off with Holt Hill (should be the start for all if I'm not mistaken). There are maps around and the trails are dotted with a color (red, yellow, baby blue, etc) to prevent you from getting lost. I got lost because I'm not that good with directions HAHA. However, never panic, stay calm, if you happen to get off track, you'll find your way back, somehow. Favorite trails: I'd say Holt Hill and Boston Hill because of the tremendous view of the Boston Skyline. Boston looks really small from a distance, but still beautiful nonetheless. Other thoughts: On my latest hike there with my friend, it was pretty hot, early Sunday morning on Labor Day Weekend, and it was quite the workout. The trails are not challenging, but you will sweat. If you need a little get-away from civilization from the city or town or wherever you're from, do stop by here and enjoy the wilderness. read more

With varying trails the ward reservation is an easy to medium hike that offers something different for most hikers. If you're very experienced and looking for a challenge, this is not the place but nice views and with it not being too crowded I recommend this hike. The red trail that we took can reach a total of several miles and if you wanted to make a couple of hours out of it you definitely could. We only took about one hour though having some hiking experience. read more

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It's a nice park, lots of woods and trails to discover... but 3 stars for super confusing parking and it was very difficult to find your way around the park.. no maps around and everything is spread apart between different sections/parking lots. There's constant loud gunshots too, there must be a shooting range or hunting close by... which is uncomfortable to listen to and ruins any opportunity for a quiet relaxing trail walk. read more

I work nearby for 8 years and never heard of the Ward Reservation. None of my co-workers heard of it either. One day I went there wanting clear my head after a sucky day at work. I can't believe this absolute natural gem is located so close to civilization. There are 2 separate gorgeous vistas of Boston and the surrounding area. I hiked to Boston Hill and loved every minute of the natural beauty, peace and quiet on the well marked trails. I can't wait to go back and visit many more times. read more

A walk through this reservation makes you really appreciate living in Massachusetts. Walking through this trail in November probably wasn't the best decision since the ground is covered in leaves and it makes it a bit harder to see the rocks and tree roots, but that's partly what makes hiking so exciting... Am I right or am I right? We started on the yellow trail and jumped onto the blue trail to see what Elephant rock was all about - the entire trail took us about 2 hours. I'm sad the sun is setting so early these days, but I managed to get a beautiful view of the sunset through the trees and it was truly breathtaking. My Sunday spent here felt like a treat for my lungs and a great way to exercise without feeling like I was exercising, if you know what I mean. The fellow hikers here are so friendly; everyone greeted us and it reminded me to stop being a city snob and to actually make eye contact and do the same. I highly recommend Ward Reservation for anyone who wants to spend a couple hours with nature and get in some quality time with friends/family. read more

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A really excellent place to walk. Ward is a lot bigger than it may seem. Take a look at the map! Elephant rock is a popular destination hike with two trail options of different levels of intensity. In the Spring , make sure to take a walk along the boardwalks on the Western edge abutting rte 125 and you may see nesting Egrets, Great Blue Heron as well as a variety of warblers on other migratory birds. Remember to give a little to the Trustees of the Reservation if you have it to give as they take care of the entire Reservation. read more

A wonderful place to visit. Lots of trails, great for hiking or cross country skiing. Most of the dog owners are responsible and keep their dogs under control. Just a tip: I recommend becoming a member of the Trustees of Reservations, as they have begun charging $5 a day to park unless you are a member. It's a great organization and membership also gets free parking at their other properties and discounted parking at Crane Beach. read more

We visited here for the first time a couple of weeks ago and just loved it. There is such a variety of terrain and views and it is easy to hike for everyone. We climbed to the top of Holt hill and had a very nice view of the city of Boston. There is also a fun stone circle there. I am so glad that places like this exist for the public to get out and be in nature. There are great new signs so you always know where you are going. read more

Awesome place for a variety of hiking trails. Be sure to go up the hill to the solstice stones and see the view of the Boston skyline. Great for dogs as well. read more

Also a spectacular walk when fall colors are at their peak! Don't forget the Pine Hole Bog. read more

The best moderate hiking trail in this area, the view is worth the hike! Multiple trails ranging in length all cross paths at the top of Holt hill. The shorter trail is more highly trafficked than the other two so be careful if alone, I ended up turning back when doing the red trail because it was getting dark. read more

Took my dogs, they loved it. Very enjoyable leisurely hiking. Absolutely infested with ticks, however... So much so that I will likely not bring the dogs back. Will probably return with just the humans next time, been pulling ticks off the dogs all day. Kind of a nightmare for a dog owner. read more

What a lovely place to ramble. It reminds me of the English countryside. Quite away from everything, with meandering, pleasant trails, low stone walls, and wide open meadows. Never crowded, and it always seems like there is more to discover each time I come. read more

Ward is the best for a good little 3.5 mile hike or even a mile hike.. it's beautiful here all year round... it's the best coming here in the winter after it snow and everything is coated in snow... read more