With spring approaching, I can't wait to get hiking again. My 8-year-old daughter has expressed an interest in hiking with me. So, I'm looking for recommendations for relatively easy day hikes that we could do in a few hours, preferably within about a 50 mile radius of greater Boston. We have already done the Blue Hills a few times and she can handle something more challenging. Any ideas would be helpful. Thanks.
Day hike recommendations
- Thread starter Nick Cheeks
- Start date
There are many parks and reservations in the greater Boston area. I suggest you get this book from Amazon. You can look for parks in your area, read the description in the book and do further research on the net.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1878239392/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
I also recommend you pick up a field guide book. It will make the hike more interesting if you can identify bugs, trees, plants etc. on route.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0679446761/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
I found that my daughter could hike longer and was more confident on the trail when I got her hiking poles. I never much liked the heavy adjustable aluminum poles and the adjustable mechanisms are a pain. The light carbon nordic style poles work great and much easier to manage. These are excellent poles, carbon composite with a carbide tip and on clearance if you can find the right size. (height in cm X .67) So if a person was 5 ft tall (152 X .67 = 102 cm). 100 cm or 105 cm poles would be fine.
http://www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?edp=10992915
I can recommend Breakheart Reservation in the Saugus area. There are two large parking areas, so parking is never an issue. They have a visitors center with bathrooms and vending machines. They have two paved roads one being about 2 miles and the other 3 miles which they plow in the winter time for walking. The paved roads are convenient when we have wet weather and the trails are muddy. They have two lakes, a swimming area, a childrens area with swings, a fenced in dog area for dogs to socialize, and picnic tables. They have at least 9 trails for hiking varying in length from .3 miles to 1.5 miles. Some are fairly challenging. I spent many years hiking with my daughter from the time she was 8-14 and this was her favorite.
http://www.flickriver.com/groups/breakheart/pool/interesting/
The Middlesex Fells Reservation and Lynn Woods are in the same general area and are excellent.
Bradley W. Palmer State Park is great.
There has to be 50 reservations, parks, etc. in a 50 mile radius of Boston!
Whatever you do don't pass up the opportunity. I am so...so... glad that I hiked with my daughter, lot's of good bonding and memories. Time well spent. Whatever it takes to keep her interest is key. Bring a cheap pair of binoculars, a fishing pole, or bring a friend of hers...whatever it takes. I envy you. My daughter is 21 now and lives in Kentucky. You won't have this opportunity for long. Have some "excellent adventures."
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1878239392/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
I also recommend you pick up a field guide book. It will make the hike more interesting if you can identify bugs, trees, plants etc. on route.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0679446761/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used
I found that my daughter could hike longer and was more confident on the trail when I got her hiking poles. I never much liked the heavy adjustable aluminum poles and the adjustable mechanisms are a pain. The light carbon nordic style poles work great and much easier to manage. These are excellent poles, carbon composite with a carbide tip and on clearance if you can find the right size. (height in cm X .67) So if a person was 5 ft tall (152 X .67 = 102 cm). 100 cm or 105 cm poles would be fine.
http://www.reliableracing.com/detail.cfm?edp=10992915
I can recommend Breakheart Reservation in the Saugus area. There are two large parking areas, so parking is never an issue. They have a visitors center with bathrooms and vending machines. They have two paved roads one being about 2 miles and the other 3 miles which they plow in the winter time for walking. The paved roads are convenient when we have wet weather and the trails are muddy. They have two lakes, a swimming area, a childrens area with swings, a fenced in dog area for dogs to socialize, and picnic tables. They have at least 9 trails for hiking varying in length from .3 miles to 1.5 miles. Some are fairly challenging. I spent many years hiking with my daughter from the time she was 8-14 and this was her favorite.
http://www.flickriver.com/groups/breakheart/pool/interesting/
The Middlesex Fells Reservation and Lynn Woods are in the same general area and are excellent.
Bradley W. Palmer State Park is great.
There has to be 50 reservations, parks, etc. in a 50 mile radius of Boston!
Whatever you do don't pass up the opportunity. I am so...so... glad that I hiked with my daughter, lot's of good bonding and memories. Time well spent. Whatever it takes to keep her interest is key. Bring a cheap pair of binoculars, a fishing pole, or bring a friend of hers...whatever it takes. I envy you. My daughter is 21 now and lives in Kentucky. You won't have this opportunity for long. Have some "excellent adventures."
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If you can get to SW New Hampshire the Monadnock Trail is spectacular. Not too strenuous and if you take 2 cars you can park one at one road crossing trail head, drive to another trail head and have an enjoyable day hike.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacomet-Monadnock_Trail
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacomet-Monadnock_Trail
Here is another comprehensive listing of walking/hiking trails.
http://www.visit-massachusetts.com/walking-and-hiking
http://www.visit-massachusetts.com/walking-and-hiking
I recommend you escape Mass and head to the Whites. Plenty of doable day hikes for kids. Guide books galore. start with the AMC site.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thanks for all the great advice and resources. Now if we can only get rid of all this snow... On the other hand, it does give me an excuse to use the snowshoes.
At the beginning of the season I did not think I was going to get much use out of my snowshoes. You never know in New England. Let's hope it stays around until Saturday.
Borderland State Park in Easton is a fun place to hike. Interesting place. They have a disc golf course which is free to use and tremendous fun. I would play the full course and let my daughter play from 50 yards out or so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv6vl-SAgzY
Great Brook State Park is another great place. They have a dairy farm and ice cream stand. Many people ride their horses there. At 8 my daughter loved horses. Good place to hike as well as mountain bike.
Borderland State Park in Easton is a fun place to hike. Interesting place. They have a disc golf course which is free to use and tremendous fun. I would play the full course and let my daughter play from 50 yards out or so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bv6vl-SAgzY
Great Brook State Park is another great place. They have a dairy farm and ice cream stand. Many people ride their horses there. At 8 my daughter loved horses. Good place to hike as well as mountain bike.
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- Thread starter
- #8
Thanks for the excellent suggestions. I live pretty close to Easton, so that sounds like a good place to start. I remember mountain biking at Great Brook as a kid and getting ice cream afterwards. I totally forgot about it until you mentioned it.
There are plenty of videos on youtube of the Bay Circuit Trail at Borderland. The mansion is pretty amazing but not always open for a tour.
The Minute Man National Park is another great place at this time of year. They have 5 miles or so trails in the woods which are relatively flat. Early in April just before Patriots day is really great because they are practicing the re-enactment of April 19, 1775. Lots of activity, marching, fife and drums etc. Best part is you get to see lots of activity without the crowds. Great place to mountain bike for an 8 year old. The paved Minuteman bike trail (12 miles) is nearby. There is a great video on youtube.
Check youtube for any place you might be interested in visiting. Chances are you might find a video. Trail maps can often be printed online.
The Minute Man National Park is another great place at this time of year. They have 5 miles or so trails in the woods which are relatively flat. Early in April just before Patriots day is really great because they are practicing the re-enactment of April 19, 1775. Lots of activity, marching, fife and drums etc. Best part is you get to see lots of activity without the crowds. Great place to mountain bike for an 8 year old. The paved Minuteman bike trail (12 miles) is nearby. There is a great video on youtube.
Check youtube for any place you might be interested in visiting. Chances are you might find a video. Trail maps can often be printed online.
List of Trustees of Reservations many are very good places to hike.
http://www.thetrustees.org/places-t...ons/#Cedariver_Millis_Formerly_Baker_Reservat
http://www.thetrustees.org/places-t...ons/#Cedariver_Millis_Formerly_Baker_Reservat
Just stay away from that Blair area!
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