Houghton Hill–Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint, 6 sights
6 mi · ▲ 715 ft · 2 hr 21 min
Houghton Hill–Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint, 6 sights is a 6-mile out-and-back in Blue Hills Reservation near Milton, MA. The route passes Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint, Hillside Pond and Houghton Hill. It climbs 715 ft, with sections as steep as 34% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Houghton Hill–Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint, 6 sights
6 mi · ▲ 715 ft · 2 hr 21 min
Elevation 171–420 ft
Out & Back · Blue Hills Reservation
Trailhead: 42.22640, -71.06131
Weather Aug 4: Heavy rain, high 78°F / low 68° · precip 98% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:40 AM · sunset 8:03 PM
Transit-accessible: 1248 Randolph Ave stop 778 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint.
- 450 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Headquarters Path, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Red Dot Loop, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
- 400 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 250 ftPass Hillside Pond.
- 300 ftBear right onto Dark Hollow Path, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 400 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Headquarters Path, heading SW.
- 400 ftTurn right onto Skyline Trail South, heading SW.
- 450 ftPass Houghton Hill.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading W.
- 400 ftTurn right onto Half Way Path, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Wildcat Notch Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miReach Houghton Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Half Way Path, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 450 ftBear right onto Skyline Trail South, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Headquarters Path, heading NE.
- 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Dark Hollow Path, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Red Dot Loop, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~13 min). Leave by 7:30 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:33 PM — 1 min before dark.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: 1248 Randolph Ave stop 778 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Nahanton Hill–Skyline Viewpoint Loop, 3 summits 1.7 mi · ▲ 208 ft
- Fenno Peak–Chickatawbut Hill, 6 summits 2.4 mi · ▲ 350 ft
- Little Dome–Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint, 3 summits 2.4 mi · ▲ 207 ft
- Buck Hill Path 2.4 mi · ▲ 447 ft
- Hawk Hill Viewpoint & Hawk Hill Path via Bouncing Brook Path 2.8 mi · ▲ 405 ft
- Pakomet Spring–Blue Hills Reservation Viewpoint, 5 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 199 ft
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