AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
2010-10-23 Blue Hills 06.JPG
Gareth Wyn Jones · CC BY-SA 4.0
Blue Hills Reservation

Great Blue Hill–Houghton's Pond, 5 beaches

3.5 mi · ▲ 940 ft · 1 hr 38 min

Great Blue Hill–Houghton's Pond, 5 beaches is a 3.5-mile out-and-back in Blue Hills Reservation near Readville Manor, MA. The route passes Great Blue Hill, Houghton's Pond and Blue Hills Reservation Beach before reaching Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint at the turnaround, 1.7 miles in. It climbs 940 ft, with sections as steep as 33% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi167 – 623 ft · steepest grade: 33%4.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.21430, -71.12626
Nearest town Readville Manor, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Great Blue Hill–Houghton's Pond, 5 beaches

3.5 mi · ▲ 940 ft · 1 hr 38 min

Elevation 166–625 ft

Out & Back · Blue Hills Reservation

Trailhead: 42.21430, -71.12626

Weather Aug 4: Rain, high 78°F / low 70° · precip 96% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:40 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

Transit-accessible: Opp 1904 Canton Ave @ Trailside Museum stop 708 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
  3. 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  5. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  6. 0.1 miTurn right onto Accord Path, heading E.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Skyline Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.2 miPass Great Blue Hill.
  9. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  10. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  11. 100 ftBear left, heading NE.
  12. 150 ftTurn right onto South Skyline Trail, heading E.
  13. 0.2 miTurn right onto Coon Hollow Path, heading E.
  14. 0.6 miPass Houghton's Pond.
  15. 50 ftPass Blue Hills Reservation Beach.
  16. 200 ftBear right, heading S.
  17. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  18. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  19. 50 ftPass Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint.
  20. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  21. 100 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  22. 50 ftReach Great Blue Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  24. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  25. 200 ftBear left, heading SE.
  26. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  27. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  28. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
  29. 250 ftContinue straight onto South Skyline Trail, heading NW.
  30. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  31. 100 ftBear right, heading W.
  32. 100 ftTurn left onto Summit Road, heading W.
  33. 400 ftTurn right, heading W.
  34. 50 ftContinue straight onto Skyline Trail, heading W.
  35. 0.2 miTurn right onto Accord Path, heading W.
  36. 50 ftTurn left onto Skyline Trail, heading W.
  37. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  38. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  39. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  40. 200 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  41. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/blue-hills-reservation-viewpoint-blue-hills-reservation-beach-out-back-3-beaches-6-km-9a1c

Trail surface

68% dirt3% paved29% unspecified

Weather

RainTemperature 78°F70°
Precip96%Wind7 mphUV2Humidity77%
Rained 0.6″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65° 12 AM: 3% rain2 AM: 2% rain3 AM: 14% rain4 AM: 46% rain5 AM: 52% rain6 AM: 52% rain7 AM: 42% rain8 AM: 42% rain9 AM: 35% rain10 AM: 69% rain11 AM: 73% rain12 PM: 77% rain1 PM: 96% rain2 PM: 80% rain3 PM: 62% rain4 PM: 50% rain5 PM: 37% rain6 PM: 29% rain7 PM: 36% rain8 PM: 28% rain9 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 5:40 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:03 PM
Tue 84°63°
Wed 84°64°
Thu 88°70° 18%
Fri 97°73° 26%
Sat 94°72° 43%
Sun 97°72°

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Opp 1904 Canton Ave @ Trailside Museum stop 708 m from the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Readville Manor, Massachusetts