Wildcat Notch & Five Corner Paths (Blue Hills Reservation)
Hike Type: Loop
Distance: 3.93 miles
Elevation: 551 feet
Time: 1 hours, 25 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Trail Trace the Blue Hills, 52 Hike Challenge
Hiking Challenges: Trail Trace the Blue Hills, 52 Hike Challenge
The Hike
Back to the Blue Hills with slightly sore legs after Mts. Adams and Madison last weekend! The after school drive wasn't horrible. I was hiking my 4:00pm. It was 68 degrees, mostly sunny, and just beautiful outside. My hips were still chafing from the last hike so I opted to bring back my smaller 24L pack (which I would use for the Blue Hills always, but I'm usually too lazy to move my camera clip between packs). I didn't have much of a plan - I flirted with doing the Skyline Loop accessed from Wildcat Notch? Let's see how that goes!
The Wildcat Notch Path starts in a weird area with unmapped trails, but soon becomes straightfoward (they all lead to the correct trail). The gnats were out and about down low, but quickly faded away. There were light autumn yellows in the birch trees which was lovely! The trail was delightfully quiet, and when I came up to the Skyline Trail up to Great Blue Hill, I decided I would avoid the hills on this hike and just meander, so I continued on the Wildcat Notch Trail for the rest of its length. At the height-of-land in the notch, the birch trees were really showing their fall colors!
The swamps near the notch were fully dry, which was interesting to see, I wonder if we're in a drought? [EDIT FROM THE FUTURE: We are not!]. I was delighted to not have to deal with the usual muddy spots!
I continued to the Border Path, which was also delightfully dry, including the stream that is ususally running at 1114. There were lots of birds flying around as I gently ascended on the Fiver Corners Path toward Downtown Crossing, which has very tall trees (I guess I've never looked up here?). I turned onto Skyline Trail towards Hemenway and confirmed that I made the right move taking it easy today, my legs were on FIRE. I mentally made a rule that I was not allowed to double back at all during this hike, but I did briefly break that rule to get the triangle at the Jeffries/Hemenway Hill Paths junction.
I quickly got off of the Skyline Trail and onto the Hemenway Hill Path and continued to appreciate how alone I was. It was a super stressful day at school so it was nice to both release some steam but also do it without anyone nearby.
The little pool of water that I love near the Hemenway Hill/Breakneck Ledge Paths was also dried up, staying on theme. I did eventually see a human on the Breakneck Ledge Path, 56 minutes into my hike, but she was far ahead and I accepted that as "okay." There was some more beautiful birch yellows at the height of land on the Breakneck Ledge Path, and then I continued back to Downtown Crossing, greeted by a stunning breeze, to begin my return path along the Five Corners Path.
I saw my second person 15 minutes later and then made my way down the steep final descent back to the car. Overall a lovely day in the Blue Hills, and afterwards I got my favorite food - a Costco Rotisserie Chicken!
Step-by-Step
- Park at Wildcat Notch/Five Corners Path parking area.
- Start hike on left side of parking lot, hiking the access path to Wildcat Notch Path.
- Turn onto Wildcat Notch Path.
- At 1086, turn right onto Accord Path.
- At 1081, turn left onto Half Way Path.
- At 1093, turn left onto Wildcat Notch Path.
- At 1115, turn left onto Wolcott Path.
- At 1100, turn right onto Border Path.
- At 1135, turn right onto Five Corners Path.
- At 1141 (Downtown Crossing), turn left onto Skyline Trail.
- At 1150, turn left onto Jeffries Trail.
- At 1154, hike triangle, and then continue right onto Hemenway Hill Path.
- At 1178, turn right onto Breakneck Ledge Path.
- At 1160, turn right onto Wolcott Path.
- At 1141, take the second left onto Five Corners Path.
- Follow Five Corners Path back to car.
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