Eliot Path, Skyline to Hancock, Jeffries, Dalton, Raccoon Hollow (Blue Hills Reservation)
Hike Type: Criss-crossing Loop
Distance: 5.79 miles
Elevation: 1,145 feet
My Time: 2 hours
Book Time: 3 hours, 28 minutes
Parking: Ample parking at Trailside Museum
Hiking Challenges: Great Blue Hill Summits, Trail Trace the Blue Hills 2
Hiking Challenges: Great Blue Hill Summits, Trail Trace the Blue Hills 2
The Hike
I was feeling absolutely desperate for a redemption after yesterday's unpleasant hike. I decided to head down to the Blue Hills after my second to last Monday of the school year to hopefully get what I needed! The drive, naturally, had "heavier than usual traffic," and I was at the trailhead just before 3:40pm. I wasn't feeling like doing a Skyline Loop, so I figured I'd start on the Eliot Path and see where the wind took me. It was 81 and partly cloudy with an intermittent breeze, but the humidity was low and it was NICE. I guess summer can be okay?
The rocks on Eliot Path had a solid dusting of pollen on them, which made them slippery. I made my way up, visiting the ski spur before crossing the Summit Road. The ski trails were grown-in, so I cut through the woods to get both forks of the spur, hiking over many, MANY deer prints all around! I crossed the road and heard the first cicada of summer!
Just before Eliot Circle, I passed a woman in floral skinny jeans with a vastly different floral blouse on. She was actually super friendly, and told me about a family of deer she saw up here a few days ago, implying this floral-on-floral hiking fit was 100% on purpose - spectaular!
I played a little bit of Pokemon Go on Eliot Circle, and followed it all the way to the gravel path to the summit (counter clockwise). The area closest to the ski area was growing in, but by no means overgrown (yet). I worked my way up to the summit, potentially seeing a new gray bird (Update Pending)?
From the summit, I crossed the road and noticed a little path to a parking area, and then another path with a "no bike" plackard by DCR, so I decided to follow it! It was actually a wide, well-beaten path to the backside of the Eliot Tower pavillion - fun! I decided I'd hike the Skyline North to Hancock Hill, hit the Circle Trail, and then see what would happen after that. It was a beautiful day, and I was feeling good!
I made my way down to Wildcat Notch and found a DCR officer in an ATV looking lost or stuck on Puddle Path? She was on the phone with someone holding a map, and then slowly backed out... I wonder where she was heading? I crossed paths with a a family on Wolcott Hill that looked dressed for Houghton's Pond.
The berries of all sorts were starting to grow in on Wolcott and there was more of that wonderful breeze. I was sweaty for sure, but I did NOT want to die, which was huge! As I descended into Downtown Crossing, I heard the ATV driving away again...
I worked my way up Hemenway, passing a cool snake shed on some of the rocks. I continued along, climbing up after Breakneck Ledge Path and then snaking my way through another family that was coming down towards Circle Trail.
Up on Hancock's ridge, I noticed some of the blueberriers were starting to turn purple, and some even blue!! I hit the circle of the Circle Trail, which was a little grown-in, but I had my first handful of ripe blueberries of the season! Maybe summer isn't as awful after all...
I continued back into the woods on Circle Trail, enjoying more of a breeze as I made my way down towrads JeffriesTrail. I noticed some horse poop, which must have been a mistake becuase Circle Trail is a horse dead-end. The stream to Jeffries was absolutely bone dry, and higher up, the blueberries were still green. Good to know - Hancock's will be ripe by next week, but Jeffries' are probbaly another week behind.
I made my way back up Hemenway Hill, and then I descended again on Hemenway Hill Path before hiking on the absolutely delightful Five Corners Path back to Downtown Crossing. I think I traditionally hike this stretch in spring during the melting season, so I've only ever been miserable on this stretch, so this was a win!
I hiked on the Skyline Trail back up Wolcott, trying to pick up the pace because the family was right behind me, and then I went down Dalton Path to get some more new trails. There are some bore holes on rocks near a swamp on Dalton, I wonder what that's all about? I guess either science or an old settlement, but this just feels like a strange place for it.
I hiked up Raccon Hollow, swatting away the only relentless bugs of the day, and then hiked the rest of Eliot Circle to finish out my second summit! I followed the road for a bit to play a little more pokemon, and then made my final descend on Eliot Path back to the car. This was the hike I absolutely needed!
Step-by-Step
- Park at Trailside Museum.
- Start hike on Eliot Path.
- Before road, turn right to ski area spurs.
- Return to Eliot Path at 1051.
- At 1055, turn right onto Eliot Circle.
- After 1030, turn left onto gravel path to summit.
- From summit, continue onto Summit Road.
- At path, turn right.
- Walk across parking lot, continuing onto unmapped path in woods (marked by a no-bike DCR plackard).
- At terminus, walk through Eliot Tower towards 1063.
- At 1063, turn left onto Skyline Trail North.
- After summiting Hancock Hill, hike the circle of Circle Trail clockwise, then continue on Cirlce Trail towards 1180.
- At 1180, continue onto Breakneck Ledge Path.
- At 1185, turn left onto Base Path.
- At 1182, turn left onto Jeffries trail.
- At 1150, turn around.
- At 1154, turn left onto Hemenway Hill Path.
- At 1140, turn left onto Five Corners Path (green).
- At 1141, turn right onot Skyline Trail.
- At 1117, turn right onto Dalton Path.
- At terminus, turn left onto Wildcat Notch Path.
- At 1092, turn right onto Raccoon Hollow Path.
- At terminus, turn left onto Eliot Circle.
- Before 1030, turn right onto gravel path to summit.
- From summit, continue onto Summit Road.
- Follow Summit Road.
- At 1051, turn left onto Eliot Path.
- Return to car.
Photo Album
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