Blue Hills Reservation

Headquarters Path

7.4 mi · ▲ 943 ft · 2 hr 56 min

Headquarters Path is a 7.4-mile out-and-back in Blue Hills Reservation near East Milton, MA. It climbs 943 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 8/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi75 – 440 ft · steepest grade: 16%8.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.24363, -71.05038
Nearest town East Milton, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Headquarters Path

7.4 mi · ▲ 943 ft · 2 hr 56 min

Elevation 76–440 ft

Out & Back · Blue Hills Reservation

Trailhead: 42.24363, -71.05038

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:31 AM · sunset 6:45 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  3. 200 ftTurn right, heading W.
  4. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  5. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
  6. 250 ftBear right, heading NW.
  7. 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  8. 100 ftBear right, heading W.
  9. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  10. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  12. 0.3 miSharp right onto Headquarters Path, heading E.
  13. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  14. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  15. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  16. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  17. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  19. 0.4 miTurn right onto Bouncing Brook Path, heading S.
  20. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  21. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  22. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  23. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  24. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  25. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  26. 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  28. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  29. 0.1 miBear left, heading NE.
  30. 250 ftBear left, heading N.
  31. 250 ftBear right onto Headquarters Path, heading N.
  32. 0.3 miSharp left, heading N.
  33. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  34. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  35. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  36. 0.5 miBear left, heading N.
  37. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  38. 0.4 miBear left, heading NE.
  39. 250 ftTurn left, heading E.
  40. 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
  41. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  42. 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  43. 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 surface

30% dirt20% paved15% gravel35% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:31 AMSunset 6:45 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:25 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:45 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:13 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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