Fowl Meadow - Burma Road and Neponset River
Hike Type: Lollipop
Distance: 5.1 miles
Elevation: 26 feet
Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Blue Hills 125-Mile Challenge; Toilet Paper Trio
Distance: 5.1 miles
Elevation: 26 feet
Time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Blue Hills 125-Mile Challenge; Toilet Paper Trio
The Hike
This was a hike that I was wrongfully dreading. I've heard stories about how overgrown the trail along the Neponset River gets and how wet it always is. I put on my big boy shorts and went at it and was happily surprised! Burma Road was really a loveley walk. Always something to look at while walking on this wide path. There was a really cute bridge over a drainage that was something out of a children's book. At 6005 I turned right onto the Fowl Meadow Path that headed towards the Neponset River. I noticed a bunch of elevated sewers - I guess they were put in as infastructure when they planned to send I-95 through Boston? Not sure though. There was a very short spur path that went into the woods, formerly labaled 6009 as recently as the 2014 map, and the 1996 map shows a former trail that I assume is overgrown/flooded out. I followed the 6009 path until it became overgrown and then turned around.
This was a hike that I was wrongfully dreading. I've heard stories about how overgrown the trail along the Neponset River gets and how wet it always is. I put on my big boy shorts and went at it and was happily surprised! Burma Road was really a loveley walk. Always something to look at while walking on this wide path. There was a really cute bridge over a drainage that was something out of a children's book. At 6005 I turned right onto the Fowl Meadow Path that headed towards the Neponset River. I noticed a bunch of elevated sewers - I guess they were put in as infastructure when they planned to send I-95 through Boston? Not sure though. There was a very short spur path that went into the woods, formerly labaled 6009 as recently as the 2014 map, and the 1996 map shows a former trail that I assume is overgrown/flooded out. I followed the 6009 path until it became overgrown and then turned around.
From the 1996 map.
Then I landed at the Neponset River at a nice viewpoint. Across the river are the train tracks which reminded me that even though there was nobody around me, I was never alone. I was nervous starting this trek from everything that I've heard, and finding the trail took a second, and the first water crossing took a few more, but after that truly it was fine! Reports on Facebook say that I got it on a very dry day which I cannot be happier about. There were a few sections that were sketchy and I hit a few prickers, but truly it was fine. At the end of the path I even stumbled upon my first snake of the season!
Once getting back on Burma Road, I finished out that last portion towards I-95 and turned back around. I loved this section, even though it began to feel long. Lots of still water on the sides of the trail with plenty of ducks living their best lives. I had a good amount of energy left when I made it back to 6005, so I decided I would see how the trails on the Eastern side of Burma Road are. I followed the Fowl Meadow Path to the Swamp Trail, dodging some wet spots, and untimately turned around at the Swamp Trail beause it was flooded over. There were a few wide unmapped trails that stemmed out of this area but I decided not to explore as my after school hunger hit. I turned back and headed back to the car. I would definitely come back, but not in the summer and not in a wet season.
Posted on April 8th, 2022 at 10:19 AM.
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