Skyline Loop via Trailside Museum (w/ Sonya) (Blue Hills Reservation)
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop
Distance: 4.23 miles
Elevation: 1,181 feet
Time: 1 hours, 45 minutes
Hiking Challenges: Great Blue Hill Summits
Hiking Challenges: Great Blue Hill Summits
The Hike
Same thing, different direction! I was feeling CRAZY and decided to hike my usual loop in the opposite direction! I had a sleepy drive and it was another hot, hazy, humid day at 85 degrees. To really make things exciting, I knocked my Nalgene off the top of my car and it EXPLODED. I swear, I am truly the only person capable of shattering Nalgenes. I decided I'd still go for the hike and bail if I got too hot/dehydrated, knowing that there is a water fountain at the halfway point.
I made it one minute into my hike before I was pouring sweat. I crossed paths with a trail runner who I had seen dozens of times before and soon enough I was up top at the summit. There was a guy working on the big antenna, which was fun to see. Descending Skyline South, I saw another one of those large spiders I saw yesterday! I could just make out the top of Buck Hill from a standing view before the steepest descent. It was kind of fun to be going in reverse - it felt like a whole new route!
The intermittent breeze truly saved my life throughout this hike. The water crossing near the cool rocks was basically dry and the other one was down to a trickle. Climbing up Houghton Hill, I noticed a really pretty red hue on many of the trees that isn't as noticeable from the other direction. There was an unfortunate amount of dog poo bags on Houghton, but also a pile of what I believe to be coyote poop, so that was exciting?
While descending Houghton, one of those big spiders LANDED on my arm, I smacked it, and it POPPED. Made a complete mess. It was horrible. I made my way down to Hillside Street and awkwardly walked past the line cars, ready to fully camel up at the water fountain. I also got to enjoy watching a groundhog investigate the stables!
I climbed up Hancock Hill, up and over Hemenway, and found myself missing the owl on Wolcott. The final climb up Big Blue was buggy and slow, but overall much easier than climbing up the other side. I think overall this was a much easier loop on the muscles, heart, and lungs, but the steeper descents killed my knees!
An EXCELLENT gust of wind hit me on Eliot Circle as I worked my way back to the top, again wishing they had a water fountain up top! My descent was wonderfully windy and I decided this would be my last Sonya until the fall when the grass begins to die - it has officially gotten too long for my liking (and for my phobia of ticks).
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.
- 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.
- From summit, descend to ski area.
- Follow Patriots and Sonya down.
- Near bottom turn on Sonya, turn right back onto Eliot Path.
- Retrace steps to car.
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