AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Quincy Quarries Reservation June 2009 1.jpg
Sswonk · CC BY-SA 3.0
Blue Hills Reservation

Hancock Hill–Hillside Pond, 6 sights

11.2 mi · ▲ 1,035 ft · 4 hr 15 min

Hancock Hill–Hillside Pond, 6 sights is an 11.2-mile out-and-back in Blue Hills Reservation near West Quincy, MA. The route passes Hillside Pond and Hancock Hill before reaching ice pond at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It climbs 1,035 ft, with sections as steep as 30% grade. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi121 – 505 ft · steepest grade: 30%13.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.24431, -71.03871
Nearest town West Quincy, MA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Hancock Hill–Hillside Pond, 6 sights

11.2 mi · ▲ 1,035 ft · 4 hr 15 min

Elevation 120–507 ft

Out & Back · Blue Hills Reservation

Trailhead: 42.24431, -71.03871

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 85°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:40 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

Transit-accessible: Bryant Ave @ Upton St stop 673 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  4. 200 ftBear right, heading SE.
  5. 450 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  6. 100 ftTurn right, heading E.
  7. 100 ftTurn left, heading E.
  8. 300 ftSharp right, heading S.
  9. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  10. 50 ftTurn right onto Quarries Foot Path, heading SW.
  11. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  12. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  13. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  14. 0.1 miTurn right onto Sawcut Notch Path, heading W.
  15. 0.2 miTurn left onto Old Furnace Brook Path, heading SE.
  16. 0.3 miTurn right onto Crags Foot Path, heading W.
  17. 0.6 miBear left, heading W.
  18. 250 ftTurn right, heading W.
  19. 0.3 miTurn left onto Headquarters Path, heading SW.
  20. 250 ftBear left, heading SW.
  21. 0.6 miTurn left onto Red Dot Loop, heading S.
  22. 350 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  23. 0.4 miBear right, heading S.
  24. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  25. 400 ftBear right, heading SW.
  26. 0.1 miPass Hillside Pond.
  27. 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
  28. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  29. 0.1 miBear right onto Dark Hollow Path, heading W.
  30. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  31. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  32. 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
  33. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  34. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  35. 400 ftBear right, heading W.
  36. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  37. 50 ftContinue straight onto North Skyline Trail, heading NW.
  38. 400 ftPass Hancock Hill.
  39. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  40. 0.2 miBear right onto Base Path, heading SW.
  41. 0.3 miBear left, heading N.
  42. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  43. 450 ftPass ice pond.
  44. 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
  45. 450 ftReach Hancock Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  46. 450 ftBear right, heading NW.
  47. 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
  48. 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
  49. 0.3 miBear left, heading SE.
  50. 0.2 miTurn left onto North Skyline Trail, heading S.
  51. 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  52. 100 ftBear left, heading E.
  53. 350 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  54. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  55. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  56. 0.3 miBear right, heading SE.
  57. 0.2 miTurn left onto Dark Hollow Path, heading S.
  58. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  59. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  60. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  61. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  62. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  63. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  64. 0.4 miTurn left onto Red Dot Loop, heading NE.
  65. 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
  66. 0.6 miBear left, heading NE.
  67. 50 ftBear right onto Headquarters Path, heading N.
  68. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  69. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  70. 250 ftBear right onto Crags Foot Path, heading E.
  71. 0.6 miTurn left onto Old Furnace Brook Path, heading NE.
  72. 0.3 miTurn right onto Sawcut Notch Path, heading NE.
  73. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  74. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  75. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  76. 0.2 miTurn left onto Quarries Foot Path, heading E.
  77. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  78. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  79. 100 ftSharp left, heading E.
  80. 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
  81. 100 ftTurn left, heading E.
  82. 100 ftTurn left, heading E.
  83. 450 ftBear left, heading E.
  84. 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
  85. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  86. 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/hancock-hill-hillside-pond-out-back-5-lakes-17-km-beec

Trail surface

58% dirt42% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 85°F63°
Precip0%Wind8 mphUV8Humidity78%
Rained 0.4″ yesterday (0.6″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 5:40 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:03 PM
Wed 86°63°
Thu 87°71° 26%
Fri 95°73° 29%
Sat 89°73° 37%
Sun 95°72°
Mon 96°77° 15%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~72 min). Leave by 6:31 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:28 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Bryant Ave @ Upton St stop 673 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near West Quincy, Massachusetts