Join Family Outings for an easy two-plus mile walk around Boston's Castle Island. The terrain is baby-carriage friendly. Enjoy stunning views of the water and the Boston Harbor, and discover Fort Independence, the oldest continually fortified granite site on British North America,
There will be much to enjoy during our walk: the Harborwalk, watching planes to and from Logan apparently disappear and then reappear on the runway, great views of the Harbor Islands, ships and birds.
9:30am-12:00pm. Registration Required via email; call only if you have questions. Limit 12 participants. Join glaciologist/geophysicist Bruce Porter for a walk through Gray Reservation/Haynes Meadow Reservation/Water District protection zone to explore the many features formed by the glacier that blanketed New England 10,000 yrs. ago. Kettles pit the plane and kame terraces rise abruptly to create beautiful vistas of the wetlands below. Be able to identify eskers, erratics, kames, and more on your next hike. Flat with one steep 50 foot section. Bring water.
Mostly level 5+ mi. walk on a new BCT segment from Wayland to Weston on the MCRT-W then thru conservation lands in Weston (new BCT cooperating town) and Lincoln. Meet at 9:00am to leave some cars at the entrance to the Van Leer Conservation Land on Old Sudbury Rd., Lincoln, just west of the rocking horse herd at 47 Old Sudbury Rd. Carpool to Wayland Town Center shopping center. Hike part of the existing MCRT-W to the opening ceremonies for the new MCRT-W in Wayland.
Moderate pace 4 mile walk, on former estate carriage roads, with scenic views across the Merrimack River. Trail wanders through open grass meadows, then enters primeval stands of white pine. Stroll over stone built bridges, visit rhododendron and azalea gardens. Walk followed by dinner/social hour at Starboard Galley Restaurant, on the Newburyport boardwalk, at around 2:00pm. Meet 11:00am, at Maudslay State Park, parking lot. From Route 95, exit 57, in Newburyport, take Route 113 West for 0.7 mile. Turn right on Hoyts Lane, follow to end, see parking lot on right. L Brian Connolly
Moderate pace 5 mile walk, across grassy meadows and through hemlock forest, to scenic Walden Pond. Visit a cove, once inhabited by Henry Thoreau. Enjoy sit-down break, on the shore of Walden. Walk followed by dinner/social hour at China Ruby Restaurant, in nearby Maynard, at around 2:00pm. Meet 11:00am, at Lincoln Train Station commuter parking lot. From Route 2, take Route 126 South for 2 miles. Turn left on Codman Road, follow to end. Turn left, see Train Station on left. L Brian Connolly
Enjoy a leisurely afternoon walk along wooded trails with scenic views of Foster Pond. Meet at 1:30pm at the AVIS Goldsmith Reservation trailhead, 491 South Main Street (Rte. 28) just south of the intersection with Gould Road. Take I-93 to exit 41. Go north on Route 125, exit at Route 28N. Goldsmith Reservation is on the left before the first intersection. Heavy rain cancels.
Moderate pace 4-mi. hike/snowshoe around pond, 10:00am-12:15pm. Bring snack & water. From Rte. 93/128 exit 2A, take Rte. 138 S 0.7 mi. to Ponkapoag Golf Course lot on L. No dogs. If no snow, bring traction device for boots. Storm cancels. L Beth Mosias
5 mi. mod.-paced hike, 10:30am-1:30pm. Bring lunch+water. I-93/Rte. 128 exit 2A to Rte. 138S for 0.7 mi. to Ponkapoag Golf Course pkg lot on L. Storm cancels. No dogs. Leader: Beth Mosias
Fast-paced seven-mile scenic walk along ocean to Castle Island, 10:00am-1:30pm. Bring lunch and water. Meet inside JFK/UMass Red Line T station, upper level gates (no nearby parking). Storm cancels. No dogs. Leader: Beth Mosias
Join Boston Family Outings and Outdoors RX from 1-2:30 PM to visit the caves where Sarah Clayes and others escaped prosecution as Salem witches. This short relatively gentle 1.5 mile walk is on what was the plantation of former governor Thomas Danforth. Sarah Clayes was one of the five women who lived in one of these caves for the winter of 1692, until the hysteria over witches passed. The accused and their families were a significant portion of the initial population of Framingham. Bring your witches broom along with sun screen and please wear sturdy shoes. Walk cancels for rain.
Christopher Stix stixc2001@yahoo.com (781-894-2924; before 8 PM)
Chris has an environmental studies degree from the University of Wisconsin. He leads Outdoorsrx trips for families in the Western suburbs of Boston. He also leads nature awareness trips, called Appreciating Nature. In 2014, Chris offered trained volunteer and crew naturalists in how to run nature awareness programs for families. He loves to hike and bike.
