AMC Boston Chapter - Local Walks

Local Walks/Hikes Home	Hiking Areas	Conditioning Hikes	Easy Walks	Nature Walks	Local Walks/Hikes Authors
Recent Walks/Hikes (2010)	2009 Local Walks/Hikes	2008 Local Walks/Hikes	Photo Gallery	AMC Join	AMC Boston

Appalachian Mountain Club
Boston Chapter Local Walks/Hikes Committee

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!):
[Most AMC Local Walks/Hikes are "show and go" without registration. If registration is required, it will say so explicitly in the hike description. Proper footwear required incl. traction gear for snow/ice.]

Notice: July 28, 2010 - Parts of southeastern Massachusetts are currently at high risk for Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), an especially lethal viral disease spread by mosquitoes, according to state health officials. Affected areas include: Acushnet, Berkley, Bridgewater, Carver, Duxbury, Fairhaven, Freetown, Halifax, Kingston, Lakeville, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, New Bedford, Plympton, Raynham, Rochester, and Taunton. Surrounding towns are believed to be at moderate risk. Mosquitoes infected with EEE have been found as far south as Fairhaven, near New Bedford, and as far north as Duxbury. So far, 10 collections of mosquitoes have tested positive for the disease, and a horse has succumbed to it.
Aug 5 - A second horse (in the town of Warren, west of Worcester) has died as a result of EEE.
Aug 15 - A Rhode Island man has contracted EEE in SE Massachusetts - the first human case of the disease diagnosed in the state since 2008. From 2004 through 2006, there were 13 cases, resulting in six deaths. Aerial spraying has now reportedly killed 80% of the mosquitos in the affected area.
Aug 20 - A third horse infected with EEE died of the disease last week. The 3-year-old horse from Lancaster (near Devins, north of Worcester) developed symptoms Aug 12 and died the next day. Only one human case of the virus has been reported this summer, a Rhode Island man in his 20s who had been golfing in Southeastern Massachusetts. He remains in critical condition at a Rhode Island hospital.

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)

Local Walks/Hikes, 2002