Eliot, Accord, Houghton, Breakneck Ledge, Border Paths (Blue Hills Reservation)

Eliot, Accord, Houghton, Breakneck Ledge, Border Paths (Blue Hills Reservation)

Hike Type: Loop w/ Spurs

Distance: 5.41 miles

Elevation: 1001 feet

Time: 1 hour, 55 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Great Blue Hill Summits; Blue Hills Winter Trace (2x)

The Hike

Last hike of winter! I wasn't sure what my plan was going to be, but I ended up doing some more tracing in the Great Blue Hill area, to hopefully complete next winter. The parking lot had many more cars than yesterday, but at least it was 52 degrees and sunny! I climbed up Eliot Path, passing and crossing paths with MANY people. My lungs were hurting from 1) being sick, 2) hiking yesterday, and 3) hiking while already having sick lungs. Oh well! I made it to the top and celebrated my 50th summit of Great Blue Hill!... or so I thought. Apparently, I had already hit #50, and had accidentally counted two #7s... so happy #51! Maybe someday I'll make a patch for it... now onto making it to 100!

It seemd like the observatory was getting a new fence as I continued down to the Skyline Trail South. The skies were so blue above, but there were DARK clouds off the coast and to the south. I could hear wood frogs with a few peepers on my descent and worked my way all the way down to Accord Path, which became my main goal. My legs were wiggly after hiking yesterday and my climb (and the general exhaustion that is March). 

The Accord Path has a lot of PUDs but is pretty fun to meander. I hiked the spur to the Hillside Street/Blue Hill River Road stop sign, which was in better shape than usual, and crossed two streams. The first was easy, the second involved some off-trail rock-hopping. I continued into the burned area around Houghton Hill, which was severely impacted. The damage did open up an old stone wall and highlighted a MASSIVE erratic, which was fun to see. I eventually made it to Hillside Street and did the uncomfortable road walk to Houghton Trail.

First traversed a low, swampy area that was borderline disgusting, and then began to climb on a burnt, eroded pathway. The fire damage was eerie, kind of like when Scar was in charge of the Pridelands in The Lion King. There were lots of dead, orange needles on the black ground. I gassed my way up Houghton Hill, which was equally as exhausting as going up Skyline (I should make this a segement on Strava...), and then continued onto Houghton Hill Path, past the mysterious gravel pit, and onto Breakneck Ledge Path.

Breakneck Ledge Path is a lovely walk and only had a few wet spots. It was chilly in the shade, but lovely in the sun. I did find a granite block in the woods with a drill-hole on the top near the junction with Hemenway Hill Path. I thought it could be a town marker, but it seemed like we were firmly in Milton. A mystery!

Base Path was one long stream and at some point in the past 20 minutes, the clouds had arrived, which made things a bit chillier. I had my long-sleeve base layer on, shorts, and I did add my gloves for the past bit. I made my grand return via Border and Wolcott Paths and noticed a mystery. At 1135, a sign says that the Trailside Museum is 0.25 miles away, but at 1085 it says 0.5 miles away. I was at 4.46 miles at 1135, and 4.90 miles at 1085, and 5.25 when actually at the museum. This means that 1085 and 1135 are 0.44 miles apart, 1135 and the musem are 0.35 miles apart, and 1085 and the museum are 0.79 apart. CRAZY. My guess is the sign at 1135 should be 0.75.

Anyway, I made it back to the car eventually, changed into a dry shirt, and drove home. It was 42 degrees out now and slightly misting, and winter is officially over! I never hit my goal of hiking a 4000-footer in the winter, but that's okay, becuase I've skied an insane amount of days to make up for it.

Step-by-Step

- Park at Trailside Museum south parking.

- Start hike on Eliot Path.

- At terminus, turn right onto Eliot Circle.

- At Summit Road, turn left onto Summit Road.

- At next jct., follow spur to summit.

- From summit, hike east to Skyline Trail.

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

- At 1066, turn right onto Skyline Trail South.

- At 1083, turn right onto Wildcat Notch Trail.

- At 1093, turn right onto Half Way Path.

- At 1081, turn right onto Accord Path.

- At 1062, turn around.

- Follow Accord Path (and spurs) to Hillside St., after 1151.

- At Hillside St., turn right onto Hillside St. 

- At next jct., turn right onto Houghton Trail.

- At 1156, turn right onto Houghton Hill Path.

- At terminus, turn right onto Wolcott Path.

- At 1160, turn left onto Breakneck Ledge Path.

- At 1185, turn left onto Base Path.

- At terminus, turn left onto Chestnut Run Path.

- At 1175, turn left onto Border Path.

- At 1100, turn right onto Wolcott Path.

- At terminus, continue on sidewalk to car.

Blue Hills Reservation Map

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