Urban Escape: Explore the Middlesex Fells Reservation

View of Boston from Wright’s Tower

Need to get away to the great outdoors? If you’re in the Boston area and yearn to spend the day in the woods, you don’t have to drive a tank away. Simply head a few miles out of town and visit the Middlesex Fells Reservation, a 2,200-acre preserve. Located in the towns of Malden, Medford, Stoneham and Winchester, the Fells is essentially a stone’s throw from downtown Boston. Despite its proximity to a crowded urban center, the Fells offers a quick and FREE escape from the city.

Recreation Opportunities Galore

Both leisurely walkers and serious outdoor enthusiasts flock to the Fells. With 100 miles of marked hiking and designated mountain biking trails, the park provides plenty of opportunities for leisurely and strenuous outside activity. Those new to hiking might opt for an easy one-mile hike along the Spot Pond Brook Historic Trail – a yellow blazed loop trail that most can walk during a lunch break. Hikers looking for more of a challenge can try the Skyline Trail, a nearly seven-mile loop that includes some strenuous inclines and takes an average hiking time of five hours. The Skyline Trail is the marquee route that includes two observation towers that visitors can climb that afford nice views of the Boston skyline as well as the surrounding area. For mountain bikers looking for a challenge, try the Reservoir Trail.

Panther Cave in the Middlesex Fells

If hiking or biking is not your thing, Spot Pond is located within the Fells and offers canoe and kayak rentals. Or bring your dog and enjoy the trails or the off-leash area at Sheepfold Meadow.

Middlesex Fells is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Visit the Fells website for more information, a downloadable trail map, public transportation options and directions to the numerous parking lots that surround the park, or try your luck at street parking near a trail head. The Botume House Visitor Center is located at 4 Woodland Road in Stoneham. The park is typically open from dawn to dusk for year-round recreation.