This was one of our favorite hikes. Along the way, there are some really nice views, including the Boston skyline which is visible from several hilltops. This trail also includes a hilltop which is the highest point in Essex County.
This starts at a location owned by the Trustees of Estates. If you are a member, the parking is free (use your membership number to get a free parking pass) otherwise, parking costs $6.
From the initial description, you can imagine that the trail includes a fair amount of slope – which is true – but we didn’t feel too bad with the climbs, since most were relatively long, gentle slopes, or included cut-backs. We started out on-leash, per the signs at the estate – but encountered a number of dogs along the way who were off-leash, so we also went off-leash until we got to the Solstice Stones.
In all, this was a relatively short hike. The trails were decently marked, but got confusing where they crossed. I think we missed a turn-off which would have taken us down the trails shown on the left side of the map (and, which I believe include raised boardwalks through a fairly marshy area) but I wanted to see the Solstice Stones, so we cut inward.
As you can see from the map, the trail system is fairly extensive and we bumped into people who had entered the trails from other locations. We’ll definitely be going back here in other seasons to check out some of the other sections.
