Eliot Path, Skyline North, Brookwood, Accord Path (Blue Hills Reservation)

Eliot Path, Skyline North, Brookwood, Accord Path (Blue Hills Reservation)

Hike Type: Loop w/ Spaghetti Spur

Distance: 6.59 miles

Elevation: 1,119 feet

My Time: 2 hours, 21 minutes

Book Time: 3 hours, 51 minutes

Parking: In ski area parking lot.
Hiking Challenges: Trail Trace the Blue Hills; Great Blue Hill Summits

The Hike 

To say I had a rough day would be an understatement! It all started when I went to brush my teeth at 4:30am and saw there was heavily flowing water into my bathroom from above... It continued at 4:45am when I did my yoga and heard a "splash." My kids at school were dreadful and nothing was going right! My main goal for hiking was to hit the Brookwood Farm trails, but I knew I needed to exercise to work out some frustration, so I figured I'd go rogue and pair it with at least a partial Skyline Loop.

I had a sleepy drive that had "heavier than usual traffic," like every day, and made it to the Trailside Museum/Ski Area parking around 3:45pm. It was partly cloudy in the mid-60s, so at least the weather was wonderful!

I started my hike behind a woman hiking with a cat-carrier backpack, which was interesting to see! I was not going for speed in the slightest, so I happily took my time hiking up (and naturally sped up near the top). I found myself constantly daydreaming of my upcoming trip to the Maine high peaks!

I summited Great Blue Hill, passing more people than I was used to. I loved seeing the green baby leaves against the blue sky. I continued down the Skyline North up and over Wolcott to Hemenway, where I admired the view back towards Great Blue Hill. I did miss this trail - it's been satisfying to knock off my remainder trails for my map, but this loop is too good!

Before climbing up Hancock Hill, I heard an owl! I spent a good five minutes looking around the Skyline/Breakneck Ledge junction for it, but was unsuccessful. I'll have to return...

I passed a couple taking a break in the middle of the trail on Hancock Hill, which I get, it's beautiful, but why in the middle of the trail when there's so much space? The tent catepillars were really thriving as I descended. I turned onto Hillside Street and was greeted by the lesser periwinkle flowers as I begrudingly climbed up Houghton Hill, which had me huffing and puffing, per usual.

Descending Houghton, I passed more hikers sitting in the middle of the trail. I crossed the lower stream and then the upper, which was mostly dried out, and then continued onto Wildcat Notch Trail, which had a massive, inconvenient blowdown blocking the way. I was starting to get hungry as I turned onto Half Way Path, Accord Path, and finally Brookwood Trail.

I crossed Blue Hill River Road and turned onto the gated half of the Brookwood Farm loop road, which was super scenic. I hiked across the mowed path towards the main farm, and then over towards 1057, which was in just dreadful condition. There was hardly a footpath to the property line, and no way to bushwahck to the main loop without getting scraped up by prickers. To my dismay, the main loop was also just dreadful. It felt like no one's been back here in years!

I passed a little swampy pond at 1079 and continued left, having to hurdle over a blowdown that's been there since the last time I hiked here years ago. To even greater dismay, there was no discernable path for the outer loop around the meadow. After just going at it, making ridiculous high steps to avoid ticks, I could just barely make out a footpath. This was miserable. This was actually worst than Field Path. It got a little better back in the woods, but I was VERY excited to be done with this area, and unless I shoot myself in the foot again, I will do everything in my power to do this hike in the winter forever more!

I decided I don't need further punishment by climbing back up Big Blue, so once I got back to the main side of the reservation I followed the Accord Path all the way back to my car, which was a good move. I noticed (again) a path that looks like it could be the abandoned Cliff Trail, smelled the food from the Hillside Pub, and eventually walked out underneath the chairlift at the ski area. I also saw the rope tow they're installing that was in theory going to be live for this past winter, better late than never! It also only went up 1/2 the hill, which was interesting, but not my business...

(EDIT: I just remembered Strava's Heat Map feature - it definitely was the Cliff Trail!)

TIME TO GO HOME.

Step-by-Step

- Park at the ski area parking.

- Start hike at 1023 on Eliot Path (red dots).

- At terminus/1055, turn right onto Elito Circle.

- At road, turn left.

- At next jct., turn right.

- Summit Great Blue Hill.

- Follow road and then gravel path around Summit Observatory.

- At terminus, turn left onto Skyline Trail (blue rectangles).

- At 1063, turn right onto Skyline Trail North (blue rectangles).

- At Hillside Street, turn right.

- At jct., turn right onto Skyline Trail South (blue rectangles).

- At jct., turn left onto Wildcat Notch Path.

- At 1093, turn right onto Half Way Path.

- At 1081, turn right onto Accord Path.

- At 1062, turn left onto Brookwood Trail.

- At terminus, cross and turn right onto Blue Hill River Road.

- At jct., turn left onto gated road.

- At jct., turn right onto mowed path.

- At terminus, turn left.

- At 1057, hike spur to property boundary, turn around, and then hike loop.

- At 1079, turn left.

- At 1077, turn right.

- At 1079, turn right.

- Follow road out to Blue Hill River Road.

- At Blue Hill River Road, turn right.

- At jct., turn left onto Brookwood Trail.

- At 1062, turn left onto Accord Path.

 - Follow Accord Path to ski area and car.

Blue Hills Reservation Map

Photo Album