Duck Pond Foot Path, Ponkapoag Path, AMC Cabins (Blue Hills Reservation)
Distance: 4.15 miles
Elevation: 344 feet
Time: 1 hour, 27 minutes
Elevation: 344 feet
Time: 1 hour, 27 minutes
Hike Type: Tracing Loop
Hiking Challenges: 125-Mile Club (2x); 52 Hike Challenge 2023
The Hike
Emotionally, I really needed my most recent hike. I'm starting to feel inspired to really dig back into the Blue Hills and finish my second round of the 125-mile club, which is a fun feeling! I ususally struggle in October/November due to how overwhelming life is in the fall - seeing the dust settle in on the school year, noticing the days getting shorter, and of course, marching band! It should also be noted that I am still not fully recovered from my Baldfaces Cold (my new name for it). My goal for this hike was to clean up my tracing of the northeast-ish corner of the Ponkapoag area. I had my long, trafficky drive from school, nearly peed myself getting suited up while for some reason every other car at the trailhead had a human in it, left my printed map at school, and got the party started!
The woods are in a beautiful state of autumn now, and I am BIG fan! The sun on the yellow trees casted a warm glow on the forest floor, and it was raining orange pine needles on the No Name Path, covering up the freshly-deposited horse poop. I passed an impressive erratic around 3580, and then went searching for the unnamed tral that criss-crosses the Ponkapoag Path (it starts just after the AMC kiosk).
I did some wiggling on the far-east side, and then made my way back to the cabins, that had a beautiful scent of campfire - it looked like one cabin was occupied. The view from the dock was absolutely stunning, and so shockingly different from just a few days ago! The sun was brilliantly illuminating the foliage as the water gently rippled in a slight breeze - aboslutely stunning.
In the cabin area, what is and isn't a mapped trail is generally confusing, but I think I found all of them?? There were a few orange paint spots with green flagging tape, but I have no idea if that's realated to hiking or anything. If anything, the woods were absolutely beautiful, and I think I would like to stay in the cabins some day!
I slowly made my way back, and only about 100ft from the parking area, I ran into the hungriest deer! He popped up from the log he was snacking on to lick his lips and stare at me, and then would get right back to work. Thinking ahead, I have two more hikes in this area (minus the boardwalk which will happen when it happens....): Ponkapoag East and a hike I've mentally dubbed "Ponkapoag Extremities" (the YMCA paths, golf course paths, and a few in the southeast corner). Really feeling the momentum and I hope it keeps up!
Step-By-Step
- Park at Ponkapoag Trail (Exit 3 off of I-93)
- Start hike on Ponkapoag Trail.
- At 5322, turn left onto Prescott Foot Path
- At 5330, turn left onto No Name Path.
- At 5344, turn left onto Ponkapoag Trail.
- At 5371, turn right onto Swamp Path.
- At 5380, turn left onto Duck Pond Foot Path.
- At 5383, turn right onto Three Pines Path.
- At 5385, turn right onto Hemlock Road.
- At 5384, turn right onto Fire Trail.
- At 5363, turn left onto Acton Path.
- At AMC Kiosk, turn left onto unnammed trail.
- Continue straight past Ponkapoag Path.
- At terminus, veer left onto Randolph Path.
- At 5401, turn left onto Hemlock Road.
- At 5362, turn left onto Ponkapoag Path.
- At 5361, hike the network of trails around the AMC Cabins.
- After completing the AMC Trails, find yourself back on the Acton Path.
- At 5370, continue straight/right onto Swamp Path.
- At 5371, turn left onto Ponkapoag Trail.
- At 5344, turn right onto No Name Path.
- At 5311, turn right onto Ponkapoag Trail.
- Follow Ponkapoag Trail back to car.
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