Houghton's Pond, Bunt Hill, Boyce Hill Trail, Tucker Hill Path (Blue Hills Reservation)

Houghton's Pond, Bunt Hill, Boyce Hill Trail, Tucker Hill Path (Blue Hills Reservation)

Hike Type: Loop

Distance: 4.35 miles

Elevation: 341 feet

Time: 1 hours, 39 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Blue Hills Grid, Trail Trace the Blue Hills, 52 Hike Challenge

The Hike

Time for the first after-school hike of the school year! I planned to go yesterday, but ended up almost falling asleep on I-95, so I decided home was the right move (it was). I didn't have much of a plan besides galavant around the Houghton's Pond Area, mostly hitting trails I haven't hiked for my "Trail Trace the Blue Hills" map. Temperatures were in the upper 70s with bright, warm sunshine, but feeling cool in the shade. 

I meandered around the pond, hitting some segments I ususally don't get to until I'm finishing a map. There was a BEAUTIFUL fall breeze coming over the pond, which was just lovely. My legs were VERY sore from leg day - the first one in a WHILE (I always giggle when I write things like that, implying I'm some hard core "gym rat" - I'm really just lazy and desperately trying to adhere to a morning routing!). 

I got both trails that connect to Old Route 128 and realized I don't think I've ever walked the western stretch of Old Route 128 outside of winter before, which was fun! My legs continued to feel stiff as boards, and I was a bit nervous thinking forward to the upcoming weekend - Gen's "Bachelorette Party" is actually just an Airbnb in Bartlett and a hike up Adams/Madison (god willing) - hopefully my legs will be in decent shape before then!

I continued my wander into the woods towards the Andover/Burnt Hill Paths. The woods were a bit buggy - mostly just gnats, and SUPER dry. It was peacefully quiet back here, but I did start suffering when heading up Burnt Hill on my stone legs. I ended up wiggling to the "true" "summit" of Burnt Hill, truly covering myself in spider webs.

I crossed the "Peeper Swamp" on the Winthrop Path, which was also full dried up. Continuing onto the Boyce Hill Trail, I decided I simply did not want to go to the tops of either Boyces, so I didn't! There was some horse poop on trail, and more excitingly, some early fall colors! The birch trees were beginning to slowly turn yellow!

I hiked past the swamps on the Quincy Trail, which were also dried up. I wonder how the Ponkapoag Boardwalk is? I've never seen this area so dry before, maybe it's passable? Anyway, I continued on, now on the Tucker Hill Path, and almost got MURDERED by a mountain biker (they flew around a corner and nearly hit me), and then hiked the rest of the Tucker Hill Path, which did land me feeling a bit bored after a bit.

I continued onto the red-dotted path back to the pond and then followed the boardwalk behind the visitor center back to the car. That swamp was also mostly dried up, with many ducks feasting on it! I definitely need to do some reconaissance work on the boardwalk, maybe that'll be a project for next week?

Back at the car, I noticed the stop-sign line was still super slow and long. I hoped to go to Cotsco afterwards, and parked in the Houghton lot to avoid traffic, but that did not work as planned. I ended up going straight home to eat some food I had and to watch more of The Circle on Netflix!

Step-By-Step

- Start hike Houghton's Pond playground.

- Follow path to porta potties at Houghton's Pond visitor center.

- Follow path to circle, take counter-clockwise.

- Turn right onto yellow-dotted path.

- Follow yellow dots to south side of Houghton's Pond.

- Take first trail on right to Old Route 128.

- Turn left onto Old Route 128.

- Turn left onto next trail.

- Turn right onto yellow-dotted path.

- At big view of Houghton's Pond/Great Blue Hill, turn around and follow trails to the middle jct. with  Andover Path.

- At jct., turn right onto Andover Path.

- At terminus, turn left onto Burnt Hill Path.

- At 2111, turn left onto Bugbee Path.

- At next jct., turn right onto Winthrop Path.

- At terminus, turn right onto red-dotted path.

- At next jct., turn left onto Boyce Hill Trail.

- At 2130, turn left onto Barre Trail.

- At next jct. before road, turn left onto Quincy Path.

- At terminus, continue left onto Headquarters Path.

- At jct., turn left onto White Pine Path.

- At terminus, continue straight/left onto Tucker Hill Path.

- At 2071, turn right onto red-dotted path. 

- Follow red dots to the boardwalk behind Houghton's Pond Visitor Center.

- Follow boardwalk behind Houghton's Pond Visitor Center.

- Return to car.

Blue Hills Reservation Map

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