Playground is closed as of 10/25/2023. All the old fixtures for little kids are gone and there is a…read moreplayscape with orange fencing around it.

Beautiful park where you can walk through the woods to the pond in the back, then sit down and…read moreenjoy watching nature. For younger kids there is a playground and so much more. Highly recommend.

Great place to walk anytime of year. Plenty of parking, restrooms, picnic tables. Lots of trails…read moreand something new to explore on each trip. Part of the blue hills on the canton line.

I miss the Blue Hills "Peek-a-blue" hikes that happened pre pandemic for kids preschool aged and…read moreyounger. We would meet in the Houghton's Pond parking area to start that hike. We visited today though to enjoy the playground. There's 2 sides - one for preschool and younger, other for older kids. Both have swings, slides, and climbing areas. There's also a wooden boardwalk that leads to trails to the pond.

It is a very beautiful, well-maintained park I only walked a mile so far, on a pleasant summer…read moreday, but will go back.

Noanet Woodlands is another favorite woodsy area to add to my list (another recent favorite is…read moreanother Trustees property in Andover, the Ward Reservation). The two are somewhat similar with different color coded trails and a trail to reach a summit for the skyline of Boston (I didn't check that out here at Noanet Woodlands for this trip). I enjoyed coming here on the weekend: it was moderately trafficked (which I like so it's not *too* isolated), and easy/moderate trails (I prefer long, ambling hikes). The only thing is that the orange trail I took was a bit confusing/not super clear. The overall system does a good job, but I would be sure to download a map/have AllTrails active to ensure you don't end up in the wrong spot. I fortunately ran into some folks who helped me get back on track, but a heads up that it could get confusing as it did for me. Otherwise, a wonderful shady (important to know on hotter days) set of trails that I would recommend!

The address on Yelp will lead you to the parking lot for a skating rink and a community pool. It is…read morea convenient place to park, but I am not sure if is the best place to access longer trails. This location is not near the lake. The area is beautifully wooded, providing plenty of shade on a sunny day. The trails here were relatively short. I ventured off the main trail and discovered areas with overgrown greenery, lots of graffiti and decayed benches. Without anybody else around, it looked like a post apocalyptic world, and it felt eerie! Not sure who is supposed to fund or do the maintenance for this beautiful nature spot, so close to Boston, but it really needs some love! Without signage in the area and no phone connection, I almost got lost! I Ma aged to walk/run the trails for an hour but would love to explore different areas of Stony Brook if in the area again.

I used to come here often while walking my two Jack Russell Terriers. One day we were near the…read moreGeorge Wright golf course when (at least) two coyotes snuck up behind me and almost got one of my dogs. The coyotes were wicked bold and only my loud yelling got them to back off but they still followed. I'm bummed that I can't go any more because it is nice and quiet and the dogs love being off leash. Not trying to discourage anyone from going but if you have small dogs off leash, be careful.

Been wanting to check out these trails for a while now and today was the day. There was no clear…read moreaddress on yelp directions but it got me there correctly. There's a tiny little spot you can park right before the head of the trail but only enough for a few cars. I guess if you came and it was full you could park down the street. There is a pretty big lot there that usually has quite a few spots open. You'd have to walk a bit to the trail though. Great trail around Ponkapoag pond. My Fit bit says it was a little over 11,000 steps. Most trails are marked good. There are maps posted every so often and most have an arrow that point "you are here". I would suggest to bring a map although at the place where I started from the box holding the Maps was empty so I just took a picture of the one posted. Definitely bring bug spray! This place is loaded with bugs. I was pretty bitten up at the end of my walk. I stayed on the main trail but there were lots of small trails to go off on. I was pretty disappointed to see signage that said no bikes allowed on a lot of them though. That's a real bummer for me and my beloved mountain bike. Saw lots of beautiful birds and butterflies. Luckily I didn't run into any coyotes but just be aware that they are around. 3.5 stars.

4.5 mile loop around Ponkapoag Pond in Canton. Parking can be a little challenging in the entryway…read moreto the park, or you can park at nearby Houghton's Pond and walk over. I love the "boardwalk" - a long series of linked planks leading through the bog to the pond. So scenic and a unique off-trail walk. The trail is rocky and rolling in parts and flat in others, with a brief paved portion along the golf course. The trail also passes the YMCA camping sites and outdoors center, and is fairly well traveled in all seasons. Great place for running, dog walking and hiking.

Not sure if I picked the wrong day or the wrong trail but my "hiking" experience in the Blue Hills…read morefell short. In general, there's not great hiking around Boston unless you keep doing the same trails in Milddlesex but I had heard a lot of good things about Blue Hills so off I went. 1. The Skyline trail, for being the most popular one, was extremely poorly marked. I'm glad I downloaded the AllTrails map ahead of time for the route because even with the map, I got turned around several times and had to scurry forward and back to try to find the markings. At one point, the markings disappeared completely, i.e., I was definitely off-trail, and I couldn't find my way back without committing to another rock scramble back down, so I just consulted the map, did another trail, and cut back to the same route a few minutes later. 2. So very, very buggy. Most of the time that I was walking, I was swatting a bug, trying not to eat a bug, or actually eating a bug. Not the most pleasant of hiking conditions but something avoidable by just coming later in the season when all the bugs are dead. Passed by some lakes that looked very scenic from a distance but then, when you get close, you see it's all pretty much stagnant water/pond scum and millions of mating bugs. 3. This may be relatively minor but if you're coming from Boston, the traffic to get over here is dreadful and, again depending on which starting point you use, there aren't bathrooms available. Plan accordingly. 4. Parking was free and easy - I went with the Shea Memorial Rink in Quincy and hopped right onto the trailhead from there. 5. Hiking shoes are fine but I think this hike is doable in sneakers. Aside from a scramble here or there, the elevation was pretty gradual. Do be careful of the various roots and whatnot. I guess the lesson is: bug spray and download the trail map. Unless you're fine making a day of it and trying different trails, but even so, download the map.

Very well maintained trails, great views, good woods scenery for all seasons. Highly recommended;…read moremap boards at trailheads are clear, and most trails are clearly marked.

Great dog park .. great energy ! Fun!! Warm welcoming!! Friendly for dog owners and lovely…read moreenvironment for dogs to play of all sizes!!

You need a membership to use the park. Outside is a nice green area I use to play with my dogread more

I stayed at a Ponkapoag tent site last summer and had a wonderful time. The lake is calm and…read morebeautiful, and there are extensive trails for hiking. I can't speak to the cabin experience, but the camp as a whole is easy to access yet also allows you to feel like you've escaped the city. The tent sites are clean, spacious and have a fire pit and a picnic table. The one we were at (and I think all of them...) have private lake access, meaning you can step out of your tent and walk straight into the water for a cool morning swim or even to fish (if you have a permit!). There is also a sanctioned swim area for children and families where there are safety ropes and water toys for everyone's use. The whole experience was restful and easy to execute. I would absolutely go again.

This is my absolute favorite place on earth. I've been going here since I was a little girl and I…read morehave the best memories here. I'm even getting the coordinates tattooed. It's an escape from reality and you feel like at peace. If I could live here I would. Plus it's also really cheap. This place holds a very important place in my heart. They allow dogs and they have many trials. My family has been going here for over 60 years. Their no electricity or running water but I think that adds to the experience of being in nature and excluded to the outside world. Truly an amazing place!

We had a few groupons to get our kayak on, and with the beautiful weather we had this weekend, it…read morewas the perfect time. Nothing better than being on the open ocean with a paddle. Four of us arrived, filled out a simple waiver, and got our life vests and paddles. After not so gracefully plopping into the kayaks, we were on our way. Once we got the hang of it, we were on our way to the closest island. We were hoping to get to Spectacle, (insert snicker here) but I think we would have passed out first, so we made it to land (I think it was Thompson, which may or may not have had No Tresspassing signs on it. Eh, We weren't exploring, just resting up with a nice picnic lunch. I can't wait to go back, after my aching arm muscles stop killing me!~ Next time I might wrapy my thumbs with tape to see if it will prevent the blisters I got.... Highly recommend for a fun day out!

UMass Boston is right on the ocean, so it's cold of the…read moreYear.... but beautiful. They offer many boating activitIes, and water sports equipment rentals, as well as a running trail along the ocean. The deal: Umass Boston students, with ID's, hey free boat rIdes, kayak lessons and more!

Whitewater rafting trip. The staff was great! They were all very friendly and helpful. Zoar Outdoor…read moreis located on route 2 in Western MA directly across the street from the Deerfield River. Very beautiful area. After a brief safety video and briefing, we were given our rafting kit, loaded on buses, and brought up river to the raft slip, this was about a 30 minute trip north west. The raft trip ended across the street from where we started. An easy exit, we got out of the boat, returned our kit, and walked across the road to watch the video, and purchase souvenir photographs. We had an excellent day on the river during our 10 mile trip. My 14 year old son and I did the Zoar Gap trip which took most of the day with an hour break for lunch at a nice riverside picnic ground in the mountains. You can bring your own food( appropriately packaged) if you would like. They store it in a water proof bag and stow it on the raft. If there is even a hint of rain or you just don't want to get completely soaked, bring a three season jacket or rain coat. Also, you will be out on a river dress accordingly. NO open toed shoes! This includes flip- flops. You can rent shoes and wetsuits. If you have any medical issues like allergic reactions etc. I would either bring your own Epi Pen kit and medications with you, and stow it in the water proof bag, or possibly think about finding a less isolated outdoor experience. Be warned, white water rafting can be physically strenuous. The only issue I had was the lunch that was provided. Not that it was bad, it was well packaged and pre-made( not to order). If you have food allergies or don't like mayonnaise bring your own food. Zoar Outdoor is not really able to accommodate food allergies or pickey eaters. Mayonnaise was on every sandwich. I don't know why. They could just have provided packets on the side but they there were none available. My son hates mayonnaise so he only ate the chips, pickle, and cookies provided which got him through the remainder of the trip but not exactly a great lunch. One man we were with had a dairy allergy. I'm pretty sure he was not able to eat any of the food. I'm not sure why he didn't make sure a head of time if he could eat the food.I wish I had known the sandwiches had mayonnaise on them a head of time. Not a huge deal, we got over it. The trip was super fun! I would love to go again and will definitely choose Zoar Outdoor again.

Steve was our guide for white water rafting and he was awesome. Truly an expert on the route and…read moregave perfect instructions. All staff were very friendly. They even accommodated our dietary restrictions. 10/10 recommend!