Quarries Pipe Line, Crags, Southern Quarries (Blue Hills Reservation)
Distance: 0.71 miles // 5.61 miles
Elevation: 29 feet // 531 feet
Elevation: 29 feet // 531 feet
Time: 15 minutes // 2 hours, 5 minutes
Hike Type: Redlining Loop
Hiking Challenges: 125 Mile Challenge (2x)
Hike Type: Redlining Loop
Hiking Challenges: 125 Mile Challenge (2x)
The Hike (Part 1)
My first mental health day of the year, and BOY did I need it! Temperatures were in the mid-30s and I went to the Blue Hills with a relatively open plan to hit the St. Moritz Ponds the remaining Quincy trails, and the wild quarries area. The sun was shining, and off I went!
I started by hitting the bit of trail that terminates north of the rink, which was drier than expected and passed an abandoned ballfield (which is the second abandoned ballfield in this reservation). The junction between the two ponds was WET WET and basically impassible, which was a bummer, but made sense after all the rain. I hike the other area trails heading toward 4205, until I saw that the footbridge there was also flooded out. Instead of suffer through, I decided I'd finish this side of St. Moritz, then drive over to Wampatuck Road and continue my journey with a comical game of connect-the-dots.
The Hike (Part 2)
After a quick drive, I was back in action! I continued where the Skyline Trail enters the St. Moritz area, hiking the network of trails there. The skies were still beautiful and I realized if I needed to take off my fleece (I would) that I would look like a blueberry... whoops! I've never had to pay attention to a map so closely now that my original plan had flopped and I was truly winging it (happy to report from the future that I did not accidentally orphan any trails!). There was a nice footbridge along the Firepit path, then a spooky cage (which I believe is for the water pipeline), and then a firepit - how appropriate!
I continued my wiggling and landed up at the top of the hill above 4205 where there were some concrete foundations - I wonder if this is where the old ski jump used to be? [EDIT: According to the Friends of Blue Hills website, I am right!]. It was getting too warm for a fleece but too cold for a t-shirt, so I made a note to always use a long-sleeve this time of year just to cover the elbows.
With my sweaty back in fully glory, I continued across Wampatuck Road to get the sections of trail I still needed over there. I love how stick season shows how rugged the terrain is over here. Trails were generally dry... except for when they weren't. I missed a turn on the Pipe Line and hiked up a well-cascading stream at 4153, which also reminds me I really need to get waterproof, uninsulated boots for wet seasons.
The trail was short and steep up to the crags, and then I meandered my way over to the map-less Babel Rock, which provided a surprisingly nice view of the ponds. I made my way to the official Quarries Foot Path and whispered a hail mary to myself... I've only had rough luck over here before. I did remember reading that DCR planned to blaze the foot path, but it appears that has not happened yet.
The area where the DCR map says "Quarries Foot" was blazed with orange flagging tape, which was a godsend, and the trail on the northern side of it was only recognizable for the first half. I saw a few people in the distance and fought to avoid them - I was not emotionally ready to say hellos to strangers who were likely struggling to find the trail too, and eventually threw in the towel once I made it to a the boulder wall the leads down to Bunker Hill Lane. I was happy that I began to connect some more dots of the area, but I was getting frustrated, and a mental health day is no time to feel frustration. I will also add that the litter in the area is TRULY impressive... how often do how many people party out here?
I made my way out via Bunker Hill Lane and then followed the sidewalk along Wampatuck Road on the St. Moritz side and noticed that the ponds were flowing over the spillway, which also made sense. I made my way back to my car, and now really only have 2-4 hikes left on my 125-mile club 2nd time patch! The rest of the quarries, Brookwood, the Braintree Triangle, and of course, the Ponkapoag Boardwalk.
Step-By-Step (Part 1)
- Park at Shea Rink.
- Start hike by turning left onto Willard St.
- After the rink, turn left into the woods onto trail (concrete marker: St. Moritz Ponds).
- At Skyline Trial, hike a few feet toward 4220, but turn around since its flooded.
- Follow Skyline Trail to Minichiello Path, then turn around.
- Turn left onto Winter Carnival Path.
- At terminus, turn right onto Minichiello Path (green dot).
- At flooded trail, turn around.
- At terminus, continue right onto Skyline Trail to return to car.
Step-By-Step (Part 2)
- Park at 4214 on Wampatuck Road.
- Cross road to hike western side of St. Moritz Ponds.
- At 4220, turn left onto trail.
- At road, turn around.
- At 4220, continue straight-ish to continue on Water Pipe Line.
- At next jct., turn sharply right onto Murphy Path.
- At 4220, turn right onto Skyline Trail.
- Connect to the flooded section, turn around.
- Before 4220, turn left onto Firepit Path.
- At terminus, turn left onto Water Pipe Line.
- At 4205, turn left onto Minichiello Path (green dot).
- At flooded section, turn around.
- At 4205, turn right onto Water Pipe Line (green dot).
- At next jct., turn sharply left onto Murphy Path.
- At next jct., turn left onto Ski Jump Path.
- At 4205, turn right onto Water Pipe Line (green dot).
- At 4202, turn right onto Murphy Path.
- At jct. with Ski Jump Path, turn around.
- At next jct., turn left onto Obbatinewat Path.
- At terminus, turn right onto Water Pipe Line (green dot).
- Follow Water Pipe Line (green dot) to Wampatuck Road.
- Cross Wampatuck Road.
- Continue hike on Indian Camp Path (green dot).
- Just before 4135, turn sharply right onto Crag Trail.
- At 4153, turn right onto trail (labeled as Crags Foot Path on FBH, but not DCR Map).
- Just before 4155, turn left onto Skyline Trail.
- In col between Crags and Rattlesnake Hill, turn left onto trail.
- At terminus, turn right onto Green-Dot (labeled as either Crags Footpath or Quarry Trail).
- Before 4151, turn left onto small spur.
- At terminus, turn right onto trail.
- At 4151, turn right onto Green-Dot.
- At 4174, turn right onto Skyline Trail.
- At next jct., turn left onto trail.
- At terminus, turn right onto Shawmut Trail.
- At Wampatauck Road, turn around.
- At terminus, turn right onto Quarries Trail (green dot).
- Cross Wampatuck Road.
- Continue on Quarries Trail (green dot).
- At terminus, turn left onto Skyline Trail.
- Cross Wampatuck Road again, say hello to car, reenter woods, and turn right onto unmapped trail over Babel Rock.
- At 4223, turn left onto Quarries Foot Path.
- Do your absolute best to hike as many trails as possible in the quarries area before giving up, scrambling down some granite blocks, and landing at 4235.
- At 4235, exit woods and walk along Bunker Hill Lane.
- Turn right onto Wampatuck Road.
- Follow sidewalk back to car.
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