Jerry Jingle, Cross Fells, & Far Eastern Fells Loop (Middlesex Fells Reservation)
Hike Type: Tracing Loop
Distance: 5.31 miles
Elevation: 715 feet
Time: 1 hour, 56 minutes
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge 2026, Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge
Hiking Challenges: 52 Hike Challenge 2026, Operation Alaska Benchmark Challenge
The Hike
The sun was out, I was spending the night in Cambridge, so back to the Fells I went! It was chilly with temperatures in the low 40's, but with a brisk pace a long sleeve and shorts is all I needed. I was hoping to finish up the area south of the Fells Reservoir and then, who knows! I started my hike near F5-3 and hiked towards the delightfully named Jerry Jingle Road, which was a classic old road in the Fells. There were some gravelly spots that I didn't care for, but overall it was smooth sailing.
I worked my way near Gate 55 and noticed a large piece of granite off in the woods (like the trailhead markers in the Blue Hills), but I don't think I was near a town line, so who knows! I was noticing many more people than I had been recently, which I guess is just another sign of the changing seasons.
I made my way over to the Cross Fells Trail, which was back to a footpath, passed a weird cage-like thing (maybe to trap a problem animal?) and climbed to the height-of-land, which had an old USGS disc and an obstructed view towards Boston. I THINK this is the last disc in the Fells I hadn't yet found (three near Wright's Tower and one here).
I crossed the Fellsway East and decided I'd start connecting the dots on this isolated section of the Reservation - I immediately was enjoying seeing the spots I'd hiked on the Rock Circuit Trail from new perspectives! I got a little turned-around at the confusing white blazes (the actual blazes and the marked trail on the map for the Rock Circuit do not fully match around Pinnacle Rock), but I made it around just fine. I found an unmapped spur to a view near Pinnacle/Ziggy's Rock which had a view towards the Back Bay and Great Blue Hill, which was fun. I was also just enjoying how rugged this area is - the glaciers really worked hard here! I could even hear the occasional Wood Frog and Peeper!
I made a little loop around East Path, where I found a couple more unmapped off-trail views toward Melrose and Boston. One view had a collapsed tent and a memorial rock to "Miss Kitty," so I did not stay there long. My nose was feeling a little stuffy, which I think was a sign of allergy season beginning.
I DID find another slab of granite that WAS marking the Melrose/Malden town line, which was fun. I worked my way over towards White Rock Path and all the way towards Fellsway East at Gate 49, which was a quiet, lovely walk. I did smell some smoke on my return trip and heard sirens, but I couldn't see anything from the viewpoints.
I eventually made it onto the yellow blazes for The Cascade, and the water was flowing beautifully! I'd never seen this area with actual flowing water, so this was a treat! I had a rough descent down the yellow-blazed trail, but the view was worth it. I followed the trail around back towards the Cross-Fells Trail, passed the only person I'd see on this side, climbed up the steep hill, and then made my way back to the car. I was HUNGRY, and happy to be finishing up! I was also just delighted to officially complete this Far Eastern section of the Fells - I didn't think I would, yay! I did leave one hanging chad south of the Fells Reservoir, but that's a problem for another day.
Step-by-Step
- Park near F5-3.
- Start hike on Cross-Fells Trails towards F5-3.
- At Gate 53, turn around onto Jerry Jingle Road.
- At F5-6, turn right.
- At F5-4, turn left
- Before F5-9, turn right.
- At F5-9, turn right onto Jerry Jingle Road.
- At Gate 55, turn around.
- At F5-9, turn left.
- At F5-1, turn right onto Cross-Fells Trail.
- At Gate 53, cross Fellsway East.
- Continue past Gate 52 onto Cross-Fells Trail.
- At F5-10, turn right.
- At jct., turn left.
- At G5-8, turn around.
- At F5-12, turn right.
- At F5-11, turn right.
- At Fellsway east, turn around.
- At F5-11, turn right onto Pinnacle Path.
- At Gate 56, turn around.
- At F5-11, turn right.
- At F5-12, turn right.
- At G5-9, hike triangle and continue north.
- At G5-6, turn left onto Cross-Fells Trail.
- At G5-4, turn around.
- At G5-7, hike triangle and hike south on East Path.
- At G5-9, turn right.
- At G5-6, turn left on Cross-Fells Trail.
- At G5-7, turn left.
- At G5-3, turn left.
- At G5-1, turn right onto Black Rock Path.
- At G4-3, continue onto White Rock Path.
- At Gate 49, turn around.
- At G4-3, turn right.
- At Gate 51, turn around.
- At G4-3, continue straight.
- At G4-4, follow yellow blazes to The Cascade.
- At Goodyear Ave., continue onto Cross-Fells Trail.
- At G5-3, turn right.
- At G5-1, turn left onto Black Rock Path.
- At G5-4, turn right.
- At Gate 52, cross Fellsway East and return to car.
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