Sunrise Skyline Loop via Trailside Museum (Blue Hills Reservation)
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop
Distance: 4.83 miles
Elevation: 1,214 feet
Time: 2 hours, 10 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes moving)
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge 2026; Great Blue Hill Summits
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge 2026; Great Blue Hill Summits
The Hike
The original this weekend was to go up to Jay Peak where my roommate would take his first two ski lessons on his Indy: Learn to Turn pass, but due to a comically cold forecast (-40 windchills up at Jay), we opted to postpone, freeing up my weekend (we made the right call, as the mountain actually closed for the cold). I checked the forecast for the Boston area and it was going to be less riculously cold (low single digits) and clear skies, so I ended up decided to get a sunrise Skyline Loop in before the snow storm tomorrow. It was 5 degrees out without wind and I started hiking at 6:45am with only ski area workers in the parking lot.
My spikes were on and my puffy came off once at the Summit Road, where I could hear the groomers at the ski area. There was just enough snow and ice to warrant the spikes. I made it to the tower just as the sun broke over the clouds and horizon, which was truly perfect timing, as I couldn't stay for long due to the cold. I made my way over to the summit once the intense orange faded to a bright yellow, passed two people who were running(?!) the road and realized I forgot my Nalgene... bummer! There was naturally more snow up high than down low, but nothing too intense.
I made my way down Great Blue Hill, put my puffy back on, took it off after climbing Wolcott, and took my hat off after climbing Hemenway. It was breezier and colder on Hancock and my poor spikes took quite a beating on it, and I almost slide right down Hancock!
I crawled up Houghton trying not to sweat and I realized it might just be time to retire my spikes... It was breezier, colder, and shadier between Houghton and Great Blue Hill, the streams were still running, and the trees were making some scary sounds in the wind. I worked my way carefully up the headwall and back to the summit, arriving at the same time as another runner who said "son of a b****" once he landed which made me giggle.
I made my way back over to the Eliot Path for my descent, and the breeze was now head-on, making for a COLD descent. Thankfully, this was the coldest I'd been for the whole hike, so I would be warm soon. This was overall a great hike, and the only real issue I had was that my cold-weather exercise-enduced asthma started to act up, but thankfully I found my inhaler!
Step-by-Step
- Start hike from Trailside Museum parking on Eliot Path (red dots).
- At terminus, climb tower for sunrise, and then turn right onto Eliot Circle.
- At trail jct. after crossing the Summit Road, turn left to summit.
- Hike around observatory building clockwise.
- Follow gravel path to Skyline Trail.
- At terminus, turn left onto Skyline Trail.
- 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 Eliot Circle, turn left.
- At gravel path (same as before), turn right to summit Great Blue Hill.
- From summit, retrace steps to Eliot Path and to car.
Photo Album
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