Chickatawbut Skyline Trail to 3174 Loop (Blue Hills Reservation)

Chickatawbut Skyline Trail to 3174 Loop (Blue Hills Reservation)

Hike Type: Spaghetti Figure-8 Loop

Distance: 6.62  miles

Elevation: 942 feet
Time: 2 hours, 39 minutes

Hiking Challenges: Blue Hills Winter Trace, Blue Hill Grid

The Hike

It’s Sunday and… actually spring now? The temperature was almost exclusively in the 50s during this hike which was equal parts lovely and unsettling to the brain. Hearing the songbirds chipping was lovely, though. I parked at the Chickatawbut Overlook, hiked to the tower, and then headed to the Sassaman Notch Path toward Chickatawbut Road, which was an easy, little traveled out-and-back. Now headed in the opposite direction, I took the barely visible Thayer Path steeply up old stone steps, followed it to the left down its other branch, then went up the stone steps once more before hitting the road up Chickatawbut. I had my usual crankiness that the actual summit of Chickatawbut Hill is inaccessible to hikers, and then continued past the road along the Thayer Path. There are nice partial views heading down Thayer before diving into the woods, and I had a brief moment of sentimentality where I was just so grateful to live near such a great series of hills and trails.

Continuing down Thayer Path, I startled a family of deer and then followed a herd path into a power cut and then around the perimeter of the water tower to hike out-and-back the water tower road. I retraced my steps, and then continued down the Thayer Path to 3042, which is comically difficult to find at first. It was a breezy day, and the fire-charred trees were sawing LOUDLY in the wind, which was spooky for sure. I walked past a group (guided?) hike, followed the Braintree Pass Path for a short while before turning left onto an unnamed path (Stokes Foot Path! Finally found its name on the FBH website on an old map) that eventually connects with the Skyline Trail. I loved this trail! It gets a little steep at times, but never anything silly. The upper stretch is along a rocky ridge which reminded me of the Kittatinny Ridge in NJ. You could tell there used to be a good amount of views from this trail a few decades ago, but the trees have grown in. This trail terminates at the Skyline Trail a little past halfway up Chickatawbut Hill, and slightly down the hill is an excellent view of Hawk Hill, Buck Hill, and Great Blue Hill (I saw this outcropping from Buck Hill yesterday and wondered about it!). My Sunday hungover legs were surely feeling the burn by this point, but thankfully the views made up for the pain. A passerby reminded me that this 50-degree weather is not to be trusted.

Finally heading up to the top (or as close to the top as I can get) of Chickatawbut Hill, where I passed the group again as they were exploring small spurs to views. The next few hills were fun to go over, but also eerie, as this area was severely burned last spring/summer. There are stairs going up Fenno, up and down Kitchamakin, and again up Nahanton. Fenno was the most burnt, and it was spooky. An eerie sense of beauty, but also upsetting knowing that they were set with mal intent. There is a great view coming down Nahanton, one that I barely remembered from my Skyline Traverse 1.5 years ago - I need to do one again.

The next section of the trail was through the Broken Hill - I counted four plus a small knob. The first broken hill was the biggest and most burnt, and it descended to a small pond, before immediately rising to a small knob. Just after the knob there is an old sign post, and then the rest of the trail had old fence posts remnants. I assume this has to do with the old Blue Hills Reservoir, which I learned was decommissioned in the late 90’s and filled in the 2000’s and replaced with the current water tanks and pond. Not sure though! Broken Hills 2 and 3 were gentler, with a nice view coming down #2. #3’s height-of-land is a big rock slab, and then there is a steeper climb up to #4 with a big, open summit area. I finally descended off the Skyline Trail to Chickatawbut Road, and instead of road walking, I found an unmapped path (later learned it used to be called Pocapawmet Path) that went where I needed to go.

I followed Pocapawmet Path to Wampatuck Path, quickly hiked to the road, and got side tracked by a lost family trying to find their hike. The woman asked me where “Great Blue Hill via Skyline Trail” was, and I showed her on the map. I asked if she meant to take Skyline since it is comically steep, and she said her mom is in the car and in her 70s and they do not want steep. I told them to take the outer red-dot loop from the Trailside Museum - I hope they had a good time!

I hiked over to do the loop near 3174 which was my least favorite part of the hike. 3163 to 3174 is along industrial property, and there was one section that was very polluted and very stinky - it kind of brought me back to reality. Thankfully, the Wood Path was beautiful, and even the Curve Path, which was completely flooded, was still very scenic. My final challenge for the day was climbing back up Sassaman Notch Path, which was a beautiful trail, through Sassaman Notch, back to the tower, and then back to my car. I was only chafing a little, and so happy I got to enjoy this lovely, yet disheartening weather. When I got home to check my stats, I found that I’m officially ahead of last January except for 68 feet of vertical gain that I still need - two more days of January to do it!

Step-By-Step

• Park at Chickatawbut Overlook, start hike on yellow-dot trail to Chickatawbut Tower.
• At Chickatawbut Tower, turn right to follow yellow-dot Tower Path.
• At 3075, hike out and back on Sassaman Notch Path to Chickatawbut Rd.
• Back at 3075, hike on Sassaman Notch Path in other direction.
• At unmarked intersection, turn right and hike Thayer Path branches, and then follow Thayer Patch all the way to Braintree Pass Path near 3022, hiking the dirt road from and to the water tower..
• At 3022, follow Braintree Pass Path toward Skyline Trail.
• Soon after 3022, turn left at unmarked intersection onto unnamed path.
• At terminus, turn right onto Skyline Trail to see a great view of Hawk and Buck Hills.
• Retrace steps to last junction, continue on Skyline Trail to Chickatawbut Hill, Fenno Hill, Kitchamakin Hill, Nahanton Hill, and the four Broken Hills.
• At Chickatawbut Road, turn onto Pocapawmet Path (not on 2020 map).
• At terminus, turn left onto Wampatuck Path, hike to road, retrace steps, and continue on Wampatuck Path.
• At 3160, turn left onto Squamaug Notch Path.
• At 3163, turn left onto Romari Path.
• At 3174, turn right on Wood Path to Wood Rd., retrace steps.
• Back at 3174, hike on Wood Path to 3153.
• At 3153, continue left onto Curve Path.
• At 3135, turn right onto Sassaman Notch Path.
• Follow sign for yellow-dot path, and then follow yellow dots back to car.

Map of Blue Hills Reservation

Photo Album