AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Blue Hills Reservation

The Crags–Houghton's Pond, 7 lakes

8.4 mi · ▲ 562 ft · 3 hr 5 min

The Crags–Houghton's Pond, 7 lakes is an 8.4-mile out-and-back in Blue Hills Reservation near Ponkapoag, MA. The route passes Houghton's Pond, Blue Hills Reservation Beach, Hillside Pond and 3 more. It climbs 562 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 5/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi89 – 276 ft10.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.20640, -71.09984
Nearest town Ponkapoag, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

The Crags–Houghton's Pond, 7 lakes

8.4 mi · ▲ 562 ft · 3 hr 5 min

Elevation 88–274 ft

Out & Back · Blue Hills Reservation

Trailhead: 42.20640, -71.09984

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftPass Houghton's Pond.
  3. 0.2 miPass Blue Hills Reservation Beach.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  7. 100 ftBear left, heading E.
  8. 450 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  9. 50 ftTurn right onto Headquarters Path, heading N.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  11. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  12. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  13. 400 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  15. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  16. 0.2 miPass Hillside Pond.
  17. 450 ftBear right, heading NE.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left onto Dark Hollow Path, heading E.
  19. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  20. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  21. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  22. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  23. 400 ftBear left, heading NE.
  24. 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
  25. 0.4 miTurn left onto Red Dot Loop, heading E.
  26. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  27. 0.6 miBear left, heading NE.
  28. 50 ftBear right onto Headquarters Path, heading NE.
  29. 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  30. 0.3 miSharp right, heading NE.
  31. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
  32. 200 ftPass Kayla's Pond.
  33. 0.1 miPass The Crags.
  34. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  35. 50 ftTurn right onto Crags Foot Path, heading E.
  36. 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
  37. 300 ftBear left onto Skyline Trail, heading SE.
  38. 450 ftBear right, heading E.
  39. 0.1 miPass Saint Moritz Pond.
  40. 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
  41. 400 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  42. 0.1 miBear right onto Quarries Foot Path, heading E.
  43. 250 ftBear left, heading E.
  44. 50 ftReach The Crags, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  45. 300 ftBear left, heading E.
  46. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  47. 400 ftBear left onto Skyline Trail, heading E.
  48. 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
  49. 0.3 miBear right onto Crags Foot Path, heading N.
  50. 300 ftBear left, heading N.
  51. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  52. 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
  53. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  54. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  55. 0.5 miSharp left, heading W.
  56. 0.3 miTurn left onto Headquarters Path, heading SW.
  57. 250 ftBear left, heading SW.
  58. 0.6 miTurn left onto Red Dot Loop, heading SW.
  59. 350 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  60. 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  61. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  62. 400 ftBear right, heading S.
  63. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  64. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  65. 0.1 miBear right onto Dark Hollow Path, heading SW.
  66. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  67. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  68. 0.3 miBear right, heading SW.
  69. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  70. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  71. 400 ftBear right, heading W.
  72. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  73. 50 ftTurn right onto Headquarters Path, heading W.
  74. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  75. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  76. 450 ftBear right, heading S.
  77. 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
  78. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  79. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  80. 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/houghton-hill-the-crags-out-back-8-lakes-16-km-6b00

Trail surface

73% dirt4% gravel23% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:31 AMSunset 6:45 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~53 min). Leave by 5:32 PM for the 6:45 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:53 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Ponkapoag, Massachusetts