Blue Hills Reservation is a green oasis just 30 minutes south of Downtown Boston. This 7,000-acre playground offers over 100 miles of biking and hiking trails, making it a perfect quick escape from the city. If you’re looking for a moderately challenging adventure close to Boston, we recommend hiking Great Blue Hill along Skyline Trail.
Kicking-off your day with a hike is always a win. But a day that starts with a hike and ends with a beer? Now that’s hard to beat. After exploring Blue Hills, add a little hop to your hike with a Post Hike Brew at Widowmaker Brewery in Braintree.
The Best Brewery Near Blue Hills Reservation
With award-winning hazy IPAs like Blue Comet, Widowmaker has quickly become a favorite in the New England craft beer scene. Thanks to their partnership with Friends of the Blue Hills — a non-profit devoted to preserving and protecting the Blue Hills Reservation’s natural beauty — they’re also quickly becoming a favorite amongst Blue Hill hikers.
“Together, Widowmaker and Friends of the Blue Hills began a monthly hiking series,” Keith Piesco, General Manager at Widowmaker Brewing, told us. The event starts in the taproom. Once folks arrive, they head down together about 100 yards to the trailhead. They take the hike, come back, then have a beer.
If you’re interested, sign-ups are done through the Friends of Blue Hills’s website. Registration costs $10 and includes a free beer and a donation to the Friends of the Blue Hills.
“We’re seeing an awesome community come out for this,” Keith told us. “We’re seeing success across the board and membership for the Friends of the Blue Hills has picked up.”
The brewery’s spacious taproom is the perfect place to unwind after a hike, with industrial-chic decor, communal tables, and a number of yard games (and great beer) to choose from. If you want to take the party home with you, they fill growlers of beer to go.
For your post-hike brew, we recommend trying the Blue Comet IPA, especially if it’s your first time at Widowmaker. “It’s a nice hazy New England-style IPA with citrusy notes and a very light body for being 7 percent,” Keith said. “Blue Comet is our house IPA and everything else on tap rotates.”
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves: A post-hike beer is earned, not given. There’s a hill to conquer before you can kick back and relax with that well-deserved brew.
About the Blue Hills Reservation
Blue Hills Reservation is a state park managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation that extends from Quincy to Dedham, Milton to Randolph. Great Blue Hill is the tallest of the 22 hills in the Blue Hills Reservation and offers great views of the Boston skyline and the harbor’s many islands.
Great Blue Hill via Skyline Trail is a rugged 3-mile loop that takes you straight there, but doesn’t give you much warm-up, as it throws you right into a heart-pounding, rocky ascent. Once the climb levels out, the trail leads you through woodlands, where you’ll find the rare moments of quiet that you’ve been needing. These moments of stillness make it easy to forget that you’re in the heart of one the most densely urbanized metropolitan areas on the east coast.
You can thank the Metropolitan Parks Commission for those moments of quiet. Amidst the rapid expansion of Boston’s metro area in the late 19th century, they purchased the lands of Blue Hills Reservation in 1893, making it one of the first public areas to be set aside for outdoor recreation. When the Metropolitan Parks Commission purchased the land, they wanted more than just an urban park. They wanted to intentionally counter the manicure-ification of parks such as Boston’s Emerald Necklace — a historic greenway that creates a continuous ribbon of nature in the middle of the city.
“There will be no attempt made to beautify them,” wrote one Park Commissioner in reference to the trails within the Blue Hills. Thankfully, the Blue Hills Reservation has stayed true to its founding charter. The trails are still rocky and untamed to this day, which help make this park feel that much more immersive and “wild.”
But trails don’t maintain themselves. You have the Friends of the Blue Hills to thank for that. Throughout the year, they offer group hikes and other outdoor events throughout the Blue Hills. If you live in the Boston area and are looking to join an amazing community of hikers and nature-lovers, look no further.
Everything You Need to Know About Hiking Great Blue Hill via Skyline Trail
If you can’t find parking when you arrive at the Skyline Trail Parking Lot (located across the street from the Police Station), drive south on Hillside Street to get to the larger parking area at the Houghton’s Pond Visitor Center. From there, follow the trail that runs parallel alongside Hillside St to reach the trailhead. We recommend doing the loop counter-clockwise.
The blue-blazed Skyline Trail immediately climbs up to Hancock Hill, after which the trail somewhat levels-out. Continue along Skyline Trail to reach Eliot Observation Tower, a stone structure that offers a sweeping view of the surrounding landscape. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash.
After reaching the summit, the trail descends, giving your legs a break while still providing additional scenic vistas. Cross over the stone bridge to intersection #1066, and turn left to return via Skyline Trail South.You’ll finish the hike by coming down Houghton Hill on Skyline Trail South and will connect back with Hillside Street.
Great Blue Hill via Skyline Trail
- Difficulty: Moderate (813 ft elevation gain)
- Route Type: Loop
- Duration: 2hr 30min
- Distance: 3.2 miles
During the fall, the Skyline Trail offers breathtaking views of New England’s otherworldly foliage. Spring and summer hikers can expect to see wildflowers in bloom along the sides of the trail.
Download the Blue Hills trail map before you go. Blue Hills Reservation offers a number of other hiking trails that crisscross with this loop trail, but we think Great Blue Hill via Skyline Trail strikes the best balance between panoramic views and a workout that won’t take you all day.
A day that starts with a hike and ends with a good beer is tough to top. For more Post Hike Brew adventures like this one, explore our Interactive Brew Map to discover the perfect brew to pair with your next hike. Cheers to the trails!
