Eliot, Accord, Houghton, Houghton Hill, Raccoon Hollow Paths (Blue Hills Reservation)
Hike Type: Figure 8-ish Loop?
Distance: 5.27 miles
Elevation: 1142 feet
Time: 1 hour, 52 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Great Blue Hill Summits; Trail Trace the Blue Hills
Hiking Challenges: Great Blue Hill Summits; Trail Trace the Blue Hills
The Hike
Happy first day of Spring! I had a slow drive down to the Blue Hills after school, I was sleepy, but it was a lovely 56 degree day with rolling overcast. I forgot my shorts, which was a bummer, but in classic "me" fashion I already had sweatpants on, so I was still good to go! Now that I put my winter tracing map away, I was officially working on my "Trail Trace the Blue Hills" map. This led me to doing basically the same hike as yesterday, just with a few alterations after the climb up Houghton Hill. I accidentally smashed my nose on my car, and I was off!
The climb up Eliot Path was dreadfully warm in sweatpants and a long-sleeve baselayer, but I dug my grave by forgetting shorts and a t-shirt, so I had to live in it. Up top, I confirmed with myself that the observatory was definitely getting a new fence, and then I made my way down the gravel path to Eliot Circle and continued onto the Skyline Trail South. I saw my first people of the day at the scramble on Skyline South and heard my beloved Wood Frogs again. From there, I continued onto Brookwood Trail, where my legs were feeling jiggly and my knee was a little upset (which was ironic considering the podcast I was just listening to was talking about knee health and hiking).
The sun began to poke out once I was on the Accord Path, and the next bit of hiking was all a repeat of yesterday. It took another thousand photos of the same burned area, and eventually found myself climbing back up Houghton Hill! I'm still considering getting a Strava subscription just to make segments for this stretch, the Eliot Path, and maybe a few of the Chickatawbut Hill area climbs. TBD on that.
Once on Houghton Hill, I took the clockwise side of the loop and hiked to Wolcott, and then down Houghton Path, criss-crossing with the Accord Path. I noticed some unearthed old, rusted cans and bottles around 1143 in the burnt soil which was neat. From Hillside Street, I scooted over to Raccoon Hollow Path from the bottom, and worked my way almost all the way up to the top, which was a solid, easy to moderate climb and a great alternate way to get up Great Blue Hill. I didn't opt for the second summit though, as I continued onto Cliff Trail and Trailside Path (I was HUNGRY). This was by far my sweatiest hike of 2025. Soon enough though I was back at the car and ready for some chicken at home!
Step-by-Step
- Park at Trailside Museum south parking.
- Start hike at Trailside Museum Gate and follow 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, follow gravel path southwest to Eliot Circle.
- At jct., turn left onto Skyline Trail/Eliot Circle.
- At 1066, turn right onto Skyline Trail South.
- At 1083, turn right onto Skyline Trail South/Wildcat Notch Path.
- At next jct., turn right onto Brookwood Trail.
- At Blue Hill River Road, turn around.
- At 1062, turn right onto Accord Path.
- Follow Accord Path to terminus on Hillside St., hiking spurs too.
- At Hillside St., turn right onto Hillside St.
- At jct., turn right onto Houghton Trail.
- At 1156, turn left onto Skyline Trail.
- At next jct., turn right onto Houghton Hill Path.
- At terminus, turn left onto Wolcott Path.
- At 1147, turn left onto Houghton Path.
- At terminus, turn around and hike spur to Raccoon Hollow Path.
- At jct., turn left onto Raccoon Hollow Path.
- At Hillside St., turn around and hike Raccoon Hollow Path.
- At 1082, continue right onto Cliff Trail.
- Cross Summit Road, continue onto Trailside Path.
- Follow red blazes back to car.
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