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Appalachian Mountain Club
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The AMC Boston Chapter Local Walks/Hikes 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/Hikes unless explicitly stated in the hike description. Proper footwear required incl. traction gear for snow/ice. To see the kinds of activities we do, go to the listing of recent walks/hikes (2010) or check out the other pages linked above. 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/Hikes Authors page is about the Weston conservation lands guidebook written by AMC Local Walks/Hikes leader Elmer Jones and the guidebook to plants commonly seen on walks written by AMC Local Walks/Hikes 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/Hikes chairman listed in AMC Outdoors magazine at the beginning of the Boston chapter activities. Website contributions: send corrections, additions, and photos to hike2010@rwinters.com. You can also direct any questions to this address. - Robert Winters, Local Walks/Hikes webmaster |
Upcoming Local Walks ($1 for non-members...but, please, become a member!):
Sun, Sept 5. Mount Misery, Farrar Pond, and Adjacent Conservation Areas. 8-9 miles. Meet at Lincoln RR commuter parking lot at 9:30am. From I-95/Route 128 in Waltham, take Trapelo Road west for 2.5 miles then left on Lincoln Road. Turn right just before the tracks into the RR parking lot. L Jim Loughlin. Sun, Sept 5. Maudsley State Park, Newburyport, MA. 10am. Steady paced river walk. After lunch sightseeing. Points of Interest in the park. Bring water/lunch/proper shoes. Rte. 95 Exit 57 to Rte. 113W, 0.7 mi., R (Hoyt's/Gypsy Ln) to lot at end on R. Pkg. fee. L Charles Annesi. Mon, Sept 6. World's End Reservation, Hingham, MA. 5 mi. walk, 8:30-11:30am. Bring snack/water. From Rte. 3 exit 14, take Rte. 228N 6.5 mi., L on Rte. 3A 1.0 mi. to rotary, R on Summer St. 0.5 mi. to light, L on Martin's Lane to entr. Pkg. fee. Storm cancels. No e-mail after 9/3. L Beth Mosias. Thurs, Sept 9. Castle Island, South Boston, MA. Leisurely 4 mi. harbor walk, 6:15-7:45pm. SE Expressway-JFK Exit, follow beach along Day Boulevard to end. Meet in front of Sullivan's. Bus: Red Line to Broadway Station, then City Point buses #9 or #11. Walk E toward water, L on Day Boulevard. L Marc Hurwitz. Sat, Sept 11. Middlesex Fells, Medford, MA. 6 mi. hike, rocky terrain. 9:30am. Bring lunch/water/boots. Meet DCR Flynn Rink, Woodland Rd. From Rte. 93, Exit 33 (Medford), take Fellsway West (Rte. 28) N 0.5 mi. R on Elm St. 0.5mi., L at rotary; rink on L. Heavy rain cancels. L Nick Palky. Sat, Sept 11. Acton Arboretum, Acton, MA. Slow paced nature walk through woods, fields and over bog boardwalk. Focusing on plant ID and fun natural history. 9:00am-12noon. From Concord Rotary, take Rte. 2 West 2.2 mi., R on Taylor Rd., 0.7 mi. to Arboretum parking lot on right. Parking limited, arrive early. Steady rain cancels. L Boot Boutwell. Sun, Sept 12. Great Brook Farm State Park, Carlisle, MA. Mod. 5 mi. walk past farmland/ponds/streams, 10:00am-1:00pm. Bring lunch/water. Opt. ice cream afterward. Rte. 95/128 exit 31 (Lexington), take Rte. 225W 6.8 mi. to Carlisle Ctr. rotary, R on Lowell Rd. 1.8 mi., cross North Rd., R into ski ctr. Pkg. fee. Storm cancels. L Marc Hurwitz. Sun, Sept 12. Wollaston Beach & Marina Bay, Squantum, MA. Fast-paced scenic 7 mi. walk along Wollaston Beach/Marina Bay/Squantum, 9am-noon. Bring snack & water. From SE Expwy, exit 8 (Quincy), take Furnace Brook Pkwy. 2.8mi, L at light onto Quincy Shore Dr. L at first light into pkg. lot. Storm cancels. L Beth Mosias. Sun, Sept 12. Weir Hill, North Andover, MA. 9:00am-11:00am. Bring water/snacks/boots. Rte. 93, Rte. 125N (7.3 mi.), L on Rte. 114W, R on Rte. 125 (0.2 mi.), R at lights (0.6 mi.) Fork R (0.2 mi.). At Center go straight (0.1 mi.), L on Stevens St. 0.8mi. Entrance on R. Storm cancels. L Richard Soo Hoo. Sat, Sept 18. Emerald Necklace, Boston, MA. 12:15-3:15pm. 6 mi. walk incl. Arnold Arboretum, Jamaica Pond, Olmsted Park, SW Corridor Park, ending at Copley Sq. Bring snack. Meet at Forest Hills T by exit turnstiles. Heavy rain cancels. L Bill McDonald. Sun, Sept 19. Paths and Steps of Brookline, MA. 2:30pm. Fast-paced 2-5 mi. 13 Brookline paths/steps. NO stroll/history. Rain cancels. Ltd. 15. Reg e-mail only. L Debbie Kee. Sun, Sept 19. Harold Parker State Forest, North Andover, MA. 10:00am-2:00pm. 6 mi., mostly flat w/some rocky areas. Bring water, lunch and hiking shoes. No dogs. I-93 Exit 41, Rte. 125N, 2.8mi. R at State Police Sta. (Harold Parker Rd.) 1.4mi, to end. Lot directly in front. Heavy rain cancels. L Charles Annesi. DCR Blue Hills Hikes & Happenings - Summer 2010 (PDF) DCR Blue Hills Hikes & Happenings - Fall 2010 (PDF) DCR Blue Hills Adult Walking Club - Fall 2010 (PDF) Want more listings? Interested in listings for other AMC chapters and committees? You can do a complete search at http://trips.outdoors.org. |
| Site Contents: | |
Local Walks/Hikes Home - this page. Recent Local Walks/Hikes (2010) Local Walks/Hikes, 2009 - brief descriptions Local Walks/Hikes, 2008 - brief descriptions Local Walks/Hikes, 2007 - brief descriptions Local Walks/Hikes, 2003 (partial) Hiking Areas - list of hiking areas and map info Middlesex Canal - canal walk details Hunting Seasons - hunting seasons to be aware of |
Conditioning Hikes - nearby trails with elevation gain Easy Walks - walks that are level and easy to follow Nature Walks - nature and bird walk info Photo Gallery - photos of the hiking areas and hikes Local Walks/Hikes Authors - books by Local Walks leaders Cat Rock and 80 Acres - sample chapter from Elmer Jones' book Common Plants index - index from Hilary Hopkins' book Common Plants sample pages - sample pages from Hilary Hopkins' book
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