AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Blue Hills Reservation

Headquarters Path

8.2 mi · ▲ 1,028 ft · 3 hr 15 min

Headquarters Path is an 8.2-mile out-and-back in Blue Hills Reservation near West Quincy, MA. It climbs 1,028 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi75 – 440 ft · steepest grade: 16%9.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.23947, -71.04397
Nearest town West Quincy, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Headquarters Path

8.2 mi · ▲ 1,028 ft · 3 hr 15 min

Elevation 76–440 ft

Out & Back · Blue Hills Reservation

Trailhead: 42.23947, -71.04397

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 85°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:41 AM · sunset 8:01 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  3. 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
  4. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  5. 500 ftTurn left, heading N.
  6. 200 ftBear right, heading W.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  8. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  9. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  10. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
  11. 250 ftBear right, heading W.
  12. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  13. 100 ftBear right, heading SW.
  14. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  15. 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  17. 0.3 miSharp right onto Headquarters Path, heading SE.
  18. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  19. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  20. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  21. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  22. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  23. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  24. 0.4 miTurn right onto Bouncing Brook Path, heading S.
  25. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  26. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  27. 0.3 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  28. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  29. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  30. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  31. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  32. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  33. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  34. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  35. 250 ftBear left, heading NW.
  36. 250 ftBear right onto Headquarters Path, heading NE.
  37. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
  38. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  39. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  40. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  41. 0.5 miBear left, heading N.
  42. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  43. 0.4 miBear left, heading NW.
  44. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  45. 0.3 miBear right, heading E.
  46. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  47. 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  48. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  49. 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  50. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  51. 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
  52. 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
  53. 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/headquarters-path-out-back-13-km-6907

Trail surface

27% dirt26% paved13% gravel34% 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 5:41 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:01 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 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 7:34 PM for the 8:01 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:23 PM — 10 min before dark.

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