Skyline Loop via Trailside Museum

Skyline Loop via Trailside Museum (Blue Hills Reservation)

Hike Type: Lollipop Loop

Distance: 4.45 miles

Elevation: 1,204 feet

Time: 1 hours, 49 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Trail Trace the Blue Hills, Great Blue Summits

The Hike

After-school fitness hike! It was a WARM 60 degrees and humid - tragically I did not bring pants so I quickly sweat through my sweatpants. I was delighted to see a mostly empty parking lot, too! I didn't take many notes or have many thoughts during this hike, just enjoying the adventure. I did notice that it's really gotten relatively easy for me to climb up the Eliot Path, which is vastly different than where I was at a couple years ago. I hit the summit of Great Blue Hill and later noticed a new granite marker for the Skyline Trail North exit off of Eliot Circle.

Descending, I could hear the peepers! Spring is here! A few budding trees also sounded that alarm, just a bit quieter. I went up and over Wolcott, Hemenway, and Hancock, and then made my way down to Hillside Street. There were small, purple flowers at the base of the Skyline Trail South, and I happily hiked up Houghton Hill past my old break spot. It's been fun noticing that I am in better shape than I used to be - the whole "blah blah progress is slow and nonlinear" thing. I've also found importance and value in not basing fitness on how I look, but how my body reacts. I've been mentally unpacking this a lot recently with how much and how often I've been skiing, and I'm just grateful to be able to do these silly things. Anyway, there was a new inspirational quote sign at the top of the Houghton climb?

I continued into the wet area and then did my final climb, again passing my old break spots. I summit Great Blue Hill again and realized I completed this hike with zero breathing breaks! That's pretty monumental for me. I also only passed a few people, which is monumental in it's own merit.

Step-By-Step

- Start hike on Eliot Path (red dots).

- At terminus, turn right onto Eliot Circle.

- After crossing Summit Road, turn left onto spur trail to summit. 

- Summit Great Blue Hill, descend toward Skyline South.

- Turn left onto Eliot Circle/Skyline Trail (blue rectangles).

- At 1063, turn right onto Skyline Trail North.

- Follow Skyline Trail North to Hancock Street.

- Turn right onto Hancock Street.

- After stables, turn right onto Skyline Trail South.

- Follow Skyline Trail South to 1066.

- At 106, turn left onto Eliot Circle/Skyline Trail.

- At next junction, veer right to summit Great Blue Hill.

- Descend via spur path, retrace steps along Eliot Circle/Eliot Path to car.

Blue Hills Reservation Map

Photo Album