Hiking in the Middlesex Fells

The Middlesex Fells has more than 100 miles of trails on 2,575 acres, six miles north of Boston. DCR marks about a dozen named trails, from a 1-mile history walk to the 7.6-mile Skyline Trail.

Here's every marked hiking trail, the easy ones, the hard ones, and what to know before you go.

Easy Hikes for Families

DCR calls these introductory: short and fine for most people, including kids.

• Spot Pond Brook Historic Trail. A 1-mile yellow-blazed loop through Virginia Wood, past the history of the old mill village. Start at the kiosk in the small parking area at 1 Woodland Road. No bikes. This is DCR's own introductory pick. More in our history of the Fells.
• Long Pond Nature Trail. 1.7 miles, rated easy, with 12 interpretive panels on the history, plants and animals around Long Pond. Pedestrians only. Park at the Long Pond lot in Winchester.
• Healthy Heart Trail. 1.5 miles marked with green hearts, about 30 to 40 minutes, rated easy.
• Bellevue Pond fire roads. If you want wide paths instead of rocky single track, DCR says trails and wide fire roads circle Bellevue Pond.

Hard Hikes: Skyline and Rock Circuit

DCR calls these signature hikes: longer and harder, but they show off the best of the park. Both are pedestrians only and white-blazed, on opposite sides of I-93.

Skyline Trail. 7.6 miles around the outer edge of the western Fells, about 5 hours, rated difficult. Most of it is wooded, with several steep climbs to rocky outcrops. DCR says the views of Boston are best from Wright's Tower. Start at the Bellevue Pond, Long Pond or Sheepfold lots.

Rock Circuit Trail. 4 miles over the rocky outcrops of the southeast corner, about 4.5 hours, rated difficult. Park at the Flynn Rink lot, 300 Elm Street in Medford, cross Woodland Road and start on the Woodland Path. Look for the Cascades when they're flowing and the view from Boojum Rock. The orange Rock Circuit Connector cuts the loop in half.

Want to cross the whole park? The blue Cross Fells Trail runs 4.7 miles one way from the western Fells near Medford High School to Quarter Mile Pond in the east, about 5 hours.

Hikes With a View

• Wright's Tower. A stone lookout on Pine Hill that DCR says looks out over the Boston Basin. Reach it on fire roads from the Bellevue Pond lot, or on the Skyline Trail.
• Bear Hill Tower. At the end of the 0.2-mile Bear Hill Trail, off the Skyline. Friends of the Fells lists the tower as currently closed.
• Pickerel Rock. A landmark on Spot Pond, on the east side of the park.

West vs. East of I-93

DCR splits the trails along Interstate 93. The west side has the Skyline, Reservoir, Long Pond and Bear Hill trails, reached from the Sheepfold, Bellevue Pond and Long Pond lots. The east side has the Rock Circuit, Crystal Spring and Spot Pond Brook trails, reached from the Woodland Road lots, Flynn Rink and Greenwood Park. The Cross Fells Trail links the two. Our trail map page has the full layout.

What the Trails Are Like

There are two kinds of trail. Forest Ways are wide fire roads. Hiking trails are narrower single track. DCR warns that many single-track trails have steep, rough and rocky sections and can be slippery or muddy at any time of year.

Approved trails are on the map and usually signed or blazed. Double blazes mean a turn or a junction. Kiosks at several trailheads have maps and hike ideas. Some trails aren't well marked, and the Fells has user-made trails that DCR is working to close, so stick to the map.

Before You Go

• Plan on about 1.5 miles an hour. DCR's distances are mostly round trip. Start early and watch the time.
• Mind the gates. The gated lots usually open at 9 AM and lock within a half hour after sunset. See hours.
• Bring a map and tell someone your plan. Get the trail map.
• Bring water. There may be none at the trailhead.
• Wear sturdy shoes and layers for changing weather.
• Keep groups to 12 or fewer, and hike at the pace of the slowest person.

Trail Rules

• The reservation is open dawn to dusk.
• Dogs on a leash, 10 feet max, up to four per person. Off leash only in the Sheepfold area in Stoneham. Pick up and carry out all waste.
• Stay on official trails, and avoid unpaved trails when they're muddy or wet. Go through puddles, not around them.
• Cyclists yield to horses, runners and hikers. When a horse approaches, move off the trail.
• Pack out your litter. No fires, grilling, drones or alcohol. Full list on our rules page.

Getting There & Parking

West side: the Sheepfold lot and the Bellevue Pond and Long Pond lots on South Border Road. East side: the free lots on Woodland Road, the Flynn Rink lot at 300 Elm Street in Medford, and Greenwood Park on Pond Street in Stoneham. Friends of the Fells lists five gated lots (Bear Hill, Bellevue Pond, Greenwood Park, Long Pond and Sheepfold). See our parking guide and public transit page.