Blue Hills Reservation
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Reservation Headquarters
695 Hillside Street, Milton, MA 02186
617-698-1802
Located only minutes from the bustle of downtown Boston,
the DCR Blue Hills Reservation stretches over 7,000 acres from Quincy
to Dedham, Milton to Randolph, providing a green oasis in an urban environment.
Rising above the horizon, Great Blue Hill reaches a height of 635 feet,
the highest of the 22 hills in the Blue Hills chain. From the rocky summit
visitors can see over the entire metropolitan area. With its scenic views,
varied terrain and 125 miles of trails, the Blue Hills Reservation offers
year-round enjoyment for the outdoor enthusiast.
The Blue Hills
The Blue Hills were so named by early European
explorers who, while sailing along the coastline, noticed the bluish
hue on the slopes when viewed
from a distance. More than ten thousand years before those Europeans
arrived, Native Americans made their home in the hills. The Natives referred
to themselves as Massachusett, or "people of the great hills". Eventually
the Europeans began settling in this region. The colonists built houses
and barns, cleared fields for crops and livestock and logged the hillsides
for lumber.
In 1893, the Metropolitan Parks Commission purchased the lands of Blue
Hills Reservation as one of the first areas set aside for public recreation.
Today, the reservation is rich in both archaeological and historic resources.
Sixteen historic structures listed on the National Register tell the
fascinating tales of Native Americans, explorers, farmers, quarry workers
and inventors. Additionally the Blue Hills Weather Observatory, a National
Historic Landmark, sits atop Great Blue Hill, as a crowning feature.
The living treasures of the Blue Hills include flora,
fauna and natural phenomena – from coyotes to copperheads, dogwoods to
lady's slippers,
and turkey vultures to dragonflies. Trails traverse upland and bottomland
forests, marsh, swamp and pond edges, meadows and an Atlantic white cedar
bog. A great variety of plant and animal life thrive in the diverse habitats,
including several rare and endangered species in Massachusetts, such
as the timber rattlesnake.
Trail Map
View on screen | Download printable version (pdf)
Things to know before you go
The reservation is open dawn to dusk. Swimming only at Houghton's Pond
in designated areas. Permits required for groups of 25 or more.
Blue Hills Reservation Headquarters
Is located at 695 Hillside St. in Milton, 1/4 mile north of Houghton's
Pond, beside the State Police Station. Please stop by or call (617) 698-1802
for park information.
Blue Hills Trailside Museum,
Managed by the Massachusetts Audubon Society, features cultural and
natural history exhibits including a display of live animals of the
Blue Hills.
For more information, call (617) 333-0690.
Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center
Offers weather related educational programs for school groups and
weather enthusiasts. The Observatory is located at the summit of
Great Blue Hill.
Call 617-696-0389 for access information.
Boat
on Ponkapoag Pond and on the Neponset River. Non-motorized boats only.
Camp
at the Appalachian Mountain Club cabins on Ponkapoag Pond. Call (781) 961-7007
for reservations.
Educational Programs
are offered by DCR Rangers on weekends throughout the year. Look for program
schedules posted on park bulletin boards or call (617) 698-1802 for program
details.
Fish
in the reservation's ponds. A state fishing license is required. Houghton's
Pond and Pine Tree Brook are stocked with trout.
Golf
at the 36-hole DCR Ponkapoag Golf Course located in Canton on Route 138,
1/2 mile south of Route 93. Call (781) 828-4242.
Hike
on 125 miles of scenic trails. Purchase a trail map at the Reservation
Headquarters or the Blue Hills Trailside Museum.
Horseback Ride
from a number of privately owned stables. For more information, call the
Reservation Headquarters at (617) 698-1802.
Ice Skate
at an DCR skating rink in the Blue Hills. For the William Shea Rink in
Quincy, call (617) 472-9325. For the Max Ulin Rink in Milton, call (617)
696-9869.
Mountain Bike
in designated areas of the reservation. Stop by park headquarters to
pick up a mountain bike map. Please respect "No Mountain Bicycling" signs
in restricted areas.
Mt. Bike Trail Map
View on Screen | Download Printable Version (pdf)
Picnic
tables and charcoal grills are available at Houghton's Pond. Call (617)
698-1802 to reserve a site. Groups of 25 or more must have a permit.
Rock Climb
at the Quincy Quarries Historic Site in Quincy and in the Rattlesnake Hill
area in the eastern section of the Reservation.
Ski, cross-country
on trails throughout the reservation with sufficient snow cover. A free
Cross-Country Ski Routes brochure is available at the Reservation Headquarters.
Ski, downhill
at the William F. Rogers Ski Slopes on Great Blue Hill. Call (781) 828-5070
for information.
Softball
fields are available at Houghton's Pond. Reservations are required, call
(617) 698-1802.
Swim
at Houghton's Pond beach with DCR lifeguard supervision. Seasonal restrooms
provided.
Blue Hills TrailWatch is an all-volunteer organization of concerned
recreational trail users whose goal is to promote safe and cooperative
trail use. For more information, call (617) 698-1802.
FOR EMERGENCIES:
Dial 911 or telephone the State Police at 1-800-525-5555
For 24-hour contact/response call the DCR Park Ranger dispatch at 617-722-1188
Directions
MBTA:
The Great Blue Hill and Houghton's Pond sections are accessible
from the Red Line to Ashmont Station. From Ashmont, take the high
speed line to Mattapan. The Canton and Blue Hills bus services the
Trailside Museum and Great Blue Hill on Route 138. For the Houghton's
Pond area, exit the bus at Blue Hill River Road. Cross the road
and walk one mile east on Hillside Street.
By Car:
Take Route 93 to Exit 3, Houghton's Pond. Turn right at the stop sign
onto Hillside Street. Houghton's Pond is located approximately 1/4
miles on the right; Continue 1/4 miles to the reservation headquarters
on the left. |
