Boston - South Shore

Blue Hills Reservation

Just south of Boston, Blue Hills Reservation is 7,000 acres of preserved land, incorporating 5 towns. There are 125 miles of trails — some of them wide and flat, others more appropriate for hiking. In summer, combine with a post-run dip in Houghton’s Pond!

Late October brings peak color to this area. Enjoy some of the roads in the reservation — most have wide shoulders — or one of the trails more suitable for running. We’ve linked to this page which has details on some of the hikes that are more appropriate for running, listed as ‘easy walks’. See the guide map as well, which has details on the different trails. Some of the best trails for running include:

  • Wolcott Path. 2.5 miles through majestic stands of pine and hemlock.
  • Braintree Pass Loop. 3 miles. Passes by stands of majestic hemlocks, mountain laurel-covered slopes, and an Atlantic cedar swamp.
  • Houghton’s Pond. The perimeter path is only 0.75 flat miles, but combine it with a run on Blue Hill River Rd./Hillside St., which has a wide shoulder and a runnable gravel path on the pond side.
  • Blue Triangle Trail. A ~ 6 mile loop that combines forest, hilly scrambles, nice easy pine needle surfaces, and technical bits. Starts at the Houghton’s Pond lot on HIllside Street. Head east into the woods on the opposite side of the street from the State Police Barracks. Follow the white triangles around the loop. It is pretty well marked, but take care to see the base vs legs of each triangle so you can see where it is pointing at intersections. ROUTE MAP
  • For a real challenge, run(!) the 1 mile Summit Path, which is closed to cars and runs from the parking lot off Rt. 138. In only 1 mile, climb 350 feet, with average grades of 10%. Reward: great views from the summit.
  • The run from Houghton’s to Buck Hill gives you amazing views of Boston, the Harbor and points north
Essentials
  • Depends on trail chosen
  • Depends on trail chosen
  • Depends on trail chosen
  • Numerous parking areas in park

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Boston Dave
2 years ago

The run from Houghton’s to Buck Hill gives you amazing views of Boston, the Harbor and points north.

Essentials
  • Depends on trail chosen
  • Depends on trail chosen
  • Depends on trail chosen
  • Numerous parking areas in park