Blue Hills Reservation

Headquarters Path

7.9 mi · ▲ 971 ft · 3 hr 7 min

Headquarters Path is a 7.9-mile out-and-back in Blue Hills Reservation near Milton, MA. It climbs 971 ft. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi75 – 440 ft8.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.23994, -71.05026
Nearest town Milton, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Headquarters Path

7.9 mi · ▲ 971 ft · 3 hr 7 min

Elevation 76–440 ft

Out & Back · Blue Hills Reservation

Trailhead: 42.23994, -71.05026

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:30 AM · sunset 6:47 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  4. 200 ftBear right, heading N.
  5. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  6. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  8. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  9. 250 ftBear right, heading W.
  10. 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  12. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  13. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  14. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  15. 0.3 miSharp right onto Headquarters Path, heading SE.
  16. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  17. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  18. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  19. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  20. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  21. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  22. 0.4 miTurn right onto Bouncing Brook Path, heading S.
  23. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  24. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  25. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  26. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  27. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  28. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  29. 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  30. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  31. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  32. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  33. 250 ftBear left, heading N.
  34. 250 ftBear right onto Headquarters Path, heading N.
  35. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
  36. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  37. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  38. 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
  39. 0.5 miBear left, heading NW.
  40. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  41. 0.4 miBear left, heading NW.
  42. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  43. 0.3 miBear right, heading E.
  44. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  45. 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
  46. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  47. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  48. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  49. 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

28% dirt23% paved14% gravel35% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:30 AMSunset 6:47 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:27 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:47 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:15 PM.

More sunset hikes nearby

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