Ponkapoag East via Fisherman's Beach (Blue Hills Reservation)
Distance: 8.7 miles
Elevation: 413 feet
Time: 3 hours, 7 minutes
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge; Blue Hills 125-Mile Challenge
Longest hike in a while! I started hiking again post-COVID last week, and I really am starting to feel like I'm getting back to normal again. The extra liter of water I'm now carrying around tells me otherwise, but I'm choosing to ignore that. I have been dreading this hike just due to it's proximity to Randolph, where I used to work. I knew the best parking was at the Donovan School, but I did not feel comfortable parking there, so I parked at Fisherman's Beach and added the extra ~1.75ish miles round trip.
The Green dot trail around Ponkapoag was lovely as always, and when I continued on the Pipe Line towards 5395 it got a little wet and grassy, but still very scenic. A short walk in the woods led to the bridge that crosses 24, and the next thing I knew I was in uncharted territory (for me). I first did the section of Pipeline that connects 5413 to 24, and it was pretty gross. Swampy, grassy, buggy, and there was a rotting squirrel carcass. Thankfully this turned out to be the worst of the trails on this side.
From there I followed the footpath west of the Pipeline which turned out to be quite lovely, and turned left at the junction to get the short spur-path towards 24. I then realized that "short spur path" was the rest of the Smith Trail and it fully connected to 5425, so I turned around when I felt it was appropriate. I wonder why that section isn't mapped (this turned out to be a theme of my hike today)?
Back at the Pipeline I had a beautiful walk to the terminus at I-93, then hiked the Smith Trail. The Smith Trail came to an unmapped junction with one clear path and one overgrown path. The overgrown one was the Smith Path. After getting a little bloody, I turned around and checked AllTrails. This is one instance where AllTrails was excellent - it showed that the more defined path actually connected to the Middle Road, so I wouldn't have to backtrack at all! At the corner of unmapped path and Middle Street was a section of burnt trail - I imagine it's from the past few weeks since it smelled fresh.
Middle road was woodsy and easy. I returned to the PipeLine and turned at 5421 for some more easy hiking and discovering unmapped trails. I turned around at 5423 to finish out the Pipe Line. From there I turned at 5414 to hike the trails near Pasture Road. Lots of horse poop, two overgrown baseball fields, and two horses and riders that were adding sticks/limbs/logs to the trail for "cross country practice"... not sure what that meant but I hope they cleaned it up when they were done.
Back at 5414, I was feeling tired but really wanted to finish out these trails. I continued towards Meadow Road, passed the Donovan School, and tooked another unmapped trail to connect to the parallel footpath. The next footpath that leads towards Fawn Circle ended up near someone's backyard, so I cut that one short and hit up what I believe to be primarily mountain biking trails next. There were more unmapped trails here, so I did my best.
The return trip wasn't too bad, but I was sure feeling tired. My feet were starting to form blisters, but I was so happy to be almost done! I have one more hike around Houghton's Hill that I need to do, and then a few very short "clean-up" hikes to finish the challenge!
- Park at Fisherman's Beach
- At 5321, turn right onto Green-dot Acton Path.
- At 5355, continue straight onto Pipe Line (do not follow Green dot).
- At 5395, turn left onto unnamed path.
- At pavement, turn right to cross MA-24.
- At 5413, turn right to hike short, overgrown section of Pipeline, return.
- Back at 5413, head north and turn left onto unnamed path.
- At next junction, hike for a short distance, return (this path fully connects to the Smith Trail at 5425, however I only hiked a short distance to cover what is officially on the map).
- At same junction, continue onward to 5422.
- At 5422, turn left onto Pipe Line.
- At 5425, continue to terminus at I-93, return and turn onto Smith Trail.
- At next junction, turn left for short distance to continue on overgrown Smith Trail, return.
- Back at junction, continue on distinct footpath (not on map) that will connect to Middle Street/Middle Road.
- Cross Middle Street, enter Middle Road.
- Hike Middle Road until 5422.
- At 5422, turn left to Pipe Line.
- At 5421, hike path to 5423 and turn around (make sure to stay on path, there are unmarked/unmapped trails in this area).
- Back at 5421, turn left to continue on Pipe Line.
- At 5413, turn left towards 5414.
- At 5414, turn left to Pasture Road.
- Hike Trails around Pasture Road and return to 5414.
- Back at 5414, turn left onto Meadow Road.
- Hike Meadow Road to 5420.
- Just before 5420, there is an unmarked/unmapped path connecting to the parallel footpath, take this.
- Hike remaining trails around the west side of Meadow Road.
- Return back to car via MA-24 bridge, 5395, and green-dot trail.
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