[BACKLOG] Fowl Meadow - Burma Road East (Blue Hills Reservation)

Fowl Meadow - Burma Road East (Blue Hills Reservation)

Hike Type: Spaghetti
Distance: 3.3 miles
Elevation: 194 feet
Time: 1 hour, 11 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Blue Hills 125-Mile Challenge; Toilet Paper Trio

The Hike

I was equally anxious and excited to cross this bunch of trails off of my list. I made a weak attempt to hike them when I hiked Burma Road and the trail along the Neponset River, but the Swamp Trail was flooded out so I went home. I parked at the end of Royall Street, which didn't seem the most legal but it's where I parked for a Skyline Trail traverse two falls ago so I risked it again to no issue!

There's an unmarked access trail to the Skyline Trail, and the Skyline Trail leads to abandoned pavement that was laid when I-95 was intended to go straight through Boston. The Skyline Trail over here is a bit messy with a lot of garbage, and the old pavement gives post-apocolyptic vibes. The pavement leads to an old rusted gate, and that's where this network of trails begins. 

I went straight at 6102 onto the Green Hill Path which was quite loveley. At 6103 I turned onto the Field Path which was anything but a field. The footpath was vauge but follow-able with baby thorns sticking out of the ground. The second half of the trail was dreadful. Someone on Facebook said if they ever returned he'd bring a machete and I firmly agree. I ended up getting spat back out at 6101, which does not line up with the trail on the map, but I'm pretty confident there was literally no other way to go as there were piles of thorns on all sides.

Anyway, once I survived I turked back onto the Green Hill Path and went back to the Swamp Trail, which was actually really cool. I hit the flooded section and did my best to rock-log-stick-mud hop to the other side, and I'll say I was definiteyl close enough! I then meandered to 6106 and hit up both spur trails. The sput that is an extension of the Green Hill Path was wide and easy and continued onto an unmarked network of trails (I believe it links up with extension of the Fowl Meadow Path that continues after the Swamp Trail, but not sure). I tured around at the border of the Blue Hills Reservation. It was hard to tell when the other spur trail stopped, but once I could clearly see into strangers' back yard I turned around, followed the Orchard Trail back, and made it back to the car!

Overall it was a nice afternoon. No desire to ever go back to the Field Path, but definitely curious about those other unmarked trails. 

Photo Album

Posted April 5th, 2022 at 6:35am.