The AMC Boston Chapter Local Walks Committee leads day hikes and nature walks year-round in eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. They range in length from 3 to 20 miles over terrain which ranges from smooth and flat to rocky and hilly. A typical hike is 5 to 8 miles in length along woodland trails over rolling terrain with some hills and takes 4 to 5 hours, including lunch. The pace is usually moderate, allowing participants to socialize as they walk. Some of our hikes are hilly enough to be useful as conditioning hikes for the more rugged trails in the White Mountains or elsewhere. Dogs are not permitted on AMC Local Walks unless explicitly stated in the hike description.

To see the kinds of activities we do, go to the listing of recent walks (2008). Our hikes are announced in the Backcountry section of the monthly members' magazine, AMC Outdoors. To find out how to join the AMC, go to www.outdoors.org/join.

The Hiking Areas page is a compilation of over one hundred of the larger areas for day hikes out of Boston plus information on obtaining trail maps. The Photo Gallery pages contain a growing collection of photos of trail scenes from those areas and from recent walks. The Easy Walks page has a list of nearby places where there is a scenic, level walk that is easy to follow. The Nature Walks page is about what to expect from an AMC nature walk, what to bring, and where to go on your own nature and bird walks.

The Local Walks Authors page is about the Weston conservation lands guidebook written by AMC Local Walks leader Elmer Jones and the guidebook to plants commonly seen on walks written by AMC Local Walks leader Hilary Hopkins.

Leadership opportunities: AMC members with an aptitude for leading group hikes and knowledge of a local hiking area are encouraged to contact the Local Walks chairman listed in AMC Outdoors magazine at the beginning of the Boston chapter activities.

Website contributions: send corrections, additions, and photos to hike2008@rwinters.com. You can also direct any questions to this address. - Robert Winters, Local Walks webmaster

Upcoming Local Walks ($1 for non-members...but, please, become a member!):
[Most AMC Local Walks are "show and go" without registration. If registration is required, it will say so explicitly in the hike description.]

Sat, Jan 10. Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Plain. Brisk guided walk on & off path but stopping to look at trees 10am-12:30pm. Bring snack for hilltop. Meet at Admin. Bldg. Park on Arborway or take T to Forest Hills, walk 0.6 mi. Rides offered back to Forest Hills and Green line. Call if raining or icy. L Chris McArdle. [MAP]

Thurs, Jan 15. Slide Program. "A trip to West Africa, Mali, Senegal and Gambia" as experienced by Hilary Hopkins. 12:30pm. Cabot Auditorium, 5 Joy St., Boston. Brown bag lunch: 11:30am-12:15pm. Info: Local Walks Committee (617-266-7136). [MAP]

Sat, Jan 17. Charlestown to Charlesgate. 7-mi. brisk paced city walk through Charlestown, North End, Downtown, Beacon Hill and Back Bay. 9:45am to 2pm. Lunch at Corner Mall Food Court at Downtown Crossing. Meet outside Bunker Hill Community College T station (Orange line). Cancels for storm or bad footing conditions. Call leader if in doubt. L Bill McDonald (508-746-9237 by 8pm or wamcd41@yahoo.com). [MAP]

Sat, Jan 17. Emerald Necklace, Boston. 6-mi. walk incl. Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Pond, Olmsted Park, SW Corridor Park, ending at Copley Sq., 12:15-3:15pm. Bring snack. Meet at Forest Hills T by exit turnstiles. Call if severe weather. L Mike Stadelmaier. [MAP]

Sun, Jan 18. Middlesex Fells, Winchester. Approx. 7-mi. hike. 9am-3pm. Mod. to strenuous. Dress for the elements; some winter gear required. Stabilicer/Yak Track suggested for ice/snow. Bring snack, lunch; if very cold bring hot water. Meet at Sheepfold lot. From Rte. 93 exit 33 in Medford, take Fellsway West (Rte. 28) N 1.7 mi. to entr. on L. Rain cancels. L Nelson Caraballo. [MAP]

Sun, Jan 18. Beaver Brook Assoc., Hollis, NH. 6-mi. over varied terrain w/pond & brook views, beaver lodges, waterfowl & "French meadow," 9:45am-3pm. Minor rock scramble & mystery cave home to a common animal. Bring lunch, boots. Be prepared for snow cover or ice. From Rte. 3 exit 6 in Nashua , take Rte. 130 W 5.8 mi. to light in Hollis ctr., 1.8 mi. SW to dirt pkg. area on N side of Rte. 130. Heavy rain cancels. L Mark Levine. [MAP]

Mon, Jan 19. Mystic Lakes. Easy walk along the shore of the Mystic Lakes. Meet at Wedgmere RR Sta. at 10am. Bring boots, appropriate clothing, water & lunch. From Rte. 3, take Church St. E 0.3 mi., R on Bacon St. 0.4 mi. to pkg. lot on Mystic Valley Pkwy. From Rte. 93 exit 33 in Medford, take S. Border Rd. W 2.2 mi., then Mystic Valley Pkwy. 0.9 mi., R on Bacon St., under tracks to pkg. lot on L. Storm cancels. L Betsy Goeke. [MAP]

Mon, Jan 19. Blue Hills Ponkapoag Pond, Canton. Moderate pace 5-mi. hike/snowshoe around pond, 10:30am-2pm. Bring lunch & water. From Rte. 93/128 exit 2A, take Rte. 138 S 0.7 mi. to Ponkapoag Golf Course lot on L. L Beth Mosias (amclocalwalks@yahoo.com). [MAP]

Sat, Jan 24. Historic Charlestown & North End. Moderately paced walking & talking 6-mi. hike. 10am to 3pm. Meet outside North Station T-Stop. Walk ends at Sullivan Station. Bring water, lunch and appropriate clothes/foot gear. Storm Cancels. L George Hovorka. [MAP] http://groups.csail.mit.edu/mac/users/rauch/charlestown/

Sat, Jan 24. Middlesex Fells, Malden. Hike to cliff-top views & frozen waterfall, 10am-2:15pm. Bring lunch & water. Meet on Washington St. side of Oak Grove T sta. From Rte. 93 exit 32 in Medford, go E on Rte. 60 1.2 mi., L on Highland Ave. 0.5 mi., R on Glenwood St. 0.6 mi., L on Wash. St. 0.1 mi., R into T sta. lot or park on street. Call if severe weather. L Mike Stadelmaier. [MAP]

Sun, Jan 25. Lynn Woods, Lynn. Approx. 6-mi. hike 10am-3pm. Some winter gear/footwear req'd. Bring lunch & water. From Rte. 1 in Saugus 2 mi. S of Rte. 95/128, take Walnut St. SE 2 mi., L onto Pennybrook Rd. to Western Gate lot. L Jerry Yos. [MAP]

Sun, Jan 25. Blue Hills, Quincy. X-C ski 6 mi. over mod. terrain or hike in hilly areas if no snow, 10am-3pm. Meet at Shea Ice Rink, Willard St., Quincy. From SE Expwy exit 8 in Quincy, go S 0.6 mi. on Willard St. Or from Rte. 93/128 exit 6 in Braintree, go N 0.7 mi. Bus 238 from Quincy Ctr. T sta. Call if weather questionable. Joint w/Friends of the Blue Hills. L Steve Olanoff. [MAP]

Want more listings? Interested in listings for other AMC chapters and committees? You can do a complete search at http://trips.outdoors.org.