Skyline Loop via Trailside Musuem (w/ Summit Road) (Blue Hills Reservation)
Hike Type: Lollipop-ish Loop
Distance: 4.40 miles
Elevation: 1181 feet
Time: 1 hour, 49 minutes
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge; Blue Hills Winter Trace (2x); Great Blue Hill Summits
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge; Blue Hills Winter Trace (2x); Great Blue Hill Summits
The Hike
Monday afternoon hike at the Blue Hills! I had a delightfully easy drive, it was 33 degrees and sunny! The plan was to hit the Skyline Loop for the first time in 2025. I had my rock spikes on deck and was hoping for somewhat reasonable trail conditions. Time well tell!
The Eliot Path was in good shape with some avoidable ice up until the first plateau and sag before the Summit Road, which required spikes. The second stretch after the road had more avoidable ice, but required spikes again for the upper plateau again (this was going to be a theme). Once at the Eliot Circle, spikes stayed on until the Summit Road, and then I bare-booted up for my first summit of the day!
It felt like the warmest 32 degrees I had ever felt at the summit, especially after the heat in my classroom had been broken all day and my body was CHILLED. I meandered over to the Eliot Tower, where I had a lovely view with no humans.
Descending on Skyline North, I had to rock hop a bit, but made it down no problem, and cautiously put my spikes away for the Wolcott Hill climb. My body could definitely tell that it had been a minute since I had done this climb, because getting up Wolcott had me within an inch of my life (that might be a bit dramatic...). The burned area on Wolcott was definitely burnt, and then it got icy again on the descent. I put my spikes back on up until after the first climb up Hemenway, which was frozen/wet as always.
Spikes stayed off for the rest of Hemenway and Hancock, and the sun felt absolutely incredible on Hancock. It was super muddy on the descent, and I naturally had my only slip on this stretch, but not on snow or ice, just some pebbles (*facepalm*). I did the road walk on Hillside Street and heard some woodpeckers cheering me on as I started my climb up Houghton Hill, which was slow, but I did make it in one tank of gas! The burned area was pretty much only on the left side of the Skyline Trail, and it even exposed an old section of steep trail down low that has been rerouted, which was neat.
Continuing on, I descended without a problem past the burn zone and got spooked when I found a guy talking to himself while climbing a boulder? I did not stop to ask questions. The trail turned back into an ice rink at 1123, but I stubbornly refused to put spikes back on at this point. Both streams were running beautifully and their crossings were easy, and then I made it to the headwall!
Turns out I am super dramatic and made it around this loop completely fine and only a little slower than usual. I was soon back at the top of big blue, baithing in the warm sunlight. I totally could have made it for sunset, which was about 20 minutes away, but I didn't want to get cold and I wanted my chicken! I followed the Summit Road down to avoid some ice, and noticed the ski area was closed! I guess they're on the their "preserve the snowpack" schedule now. I followed some paths in the woods at 1051, and then followed the Eliot Path back to the car. What a lovely hike!
Step-by-Step
- Start hike from Trailside Museum parking on Eliot Path (red dots).
- At terminus, turn right onto Eliot Circle.
- At next jct., turn left onto Summit Road.
- At next jct., turn right onto spur trail to Summit.
- Descend summit towards Skyline Trail South.
- Turn left onto Skyline Trail, and then right onto Skyline Trail North.
- Follow Skyline Trail North to Hillside St.
- At Hillside St., turn right onto Hillside St.
- After stables, turn right onto Skyline Trail South.
- Follow Skyline Trail South to Eliot Circle.
- At jct., turn right to summit Great Blue Hill.
- At summit, follow summit road down.
- At 1051, turn left onto Eliot Path.
- Return to car.
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