Middlesex Fells Trail Map
The official Middlesex Fells trail map is a free PDF from DCR, the state agency that runs the park. It shows over 100 miles of trails on 2,575 acres, with blaze colors, parking lots and numbered intersections.
Download it before you go. Below is every marked trail on it, with its blaze color, length and difficulty.
Download the Official Trail Map (PDF)
Download the DCR Middlesex Fells Reservation trail map (PDF, 2024 edition).
Save it to your phone before you leave home so you have it on the trail. DCR also posts maps at kiosks at several trailheads, and Friends of the Fells says the trail map is available at the Botume House Visitor Center, 4 Woodland Road, Stoneham.
Find a Trail That Fits
Tap what matters. The table keeps only the trails that match.
Showing all 11 marked trails. Every trail allows dogs on a leash.
| Trail | Miles | Time | Difficulty | Shape | Bikes | Side |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyline Trail | 7.6 | ~5 hrs | Difficult | Loop | No | West |
| Reservoir Trail | 6.2 | ~3.5 hrs | Moderate to difficult | Loop | Yes | West |
| Long Pond Nature Trail | 1.7 | ~1 hr | Easy | – | No | West |
| Mountain Bike Loop | 6.5 | ~1 hr ride | Moderate | Loop | Yes | West |
| Bear Hill Trail | 0.2 | – | Easy | One way / spur | – | West |
| Cross Fells Trail | 4.7 | ~5 hrs one way | Difficult | One way / spur | No | Both |
| Crystal Spring Trail | 2.3 | ~2.5 hrs | Moderate | – | No | East |
| Spot Pond Brook Historic Trail | 1 | – | Easy | Loop | No | East |
| Rock Circuit Trail | 4 | ~4.5 hrs | Difficult | Loop | No | East |
| Rock Circuit Connector | 0.6 | – | Moderate | One way / spur | No | East |
| Healthy Heart Trail | 1.5 | 30–40 min | Easy | – | – | East |
Miles, times, difficulty and sides from the DCR trail map (2024). Bike rules from DCR's Fells mountain biking page. A dash means DCR doesn't say; those trails drop out when you filter on that column.
Marked Trails and Blaze Colors
Blazes, mileage, average times and difficulty from the DCR trail map, except where noted.
Follows the outer edge of the western Fells, with steep climbs to rocky outcrops and views of Boston. Pedestrians only.
Skyline Trail guide →A multi-use trail around the north, middle and south reservoirs. You can see the water, but reservoir access is prohibited.
An interpretive trail with 12 panels on the history, plants and animals around Long Pond. Pedestrians only.
Mostly fire roads around the Winchester reservoirs. Shares sections with other loops, so bikers yield to everyone.
Mountain biking guide →A short spur off the Skyline Trail up to the base of Bear Hill Tower. Friends of the Fells notes the tower is closed.
Bear Hill guide →The one trail that links both halves of the park, from near Medford High School to the eastern Fells.
Cross Fells guide →Climbs Saddleback and Whip Hills, passes Crystal Spring and crosses Virginia Wood, then meets the Rock Circuit south of Pond Street.
Explores the history of the Spot Pond Brook area in Virginia Wood. Starts at a kiosk at 1 Woodland Road. No bikes.
A loop over rocky outcrops in the southeast corner of the park, with a variety of views. Pedestrians only.
Rock Circuit guide →Cuts the Rock Circuit in half. Runs from gate #51 on Fellsway East to the Rock Circuit north of Boojum Rock.
Marked with heart symbols. An easy walk meant for routine exercise.
DCR's map legend also names the Mustang Loop Trail, the Wright's Tower Trail and the Cascade Trail. DCR doesn't publish a blaze color or length for these, so check the map itself.
West vs. East of I-93
DCR splits the map in two along Interstate 93, with the Cross Fells Trail as the link between the halves.
West of I-93: the Sheepfold, a 5-acre field that's one of the main ways into the western trails; Bellevue Pond and Wright's Tower; Lawrence Woods; Long Pond; the Winchester reservoirs; and the Skyline, Reservoir and Mountain Bike loops.
East of I-93: Spot Pond and the Botume House, Virginia Wood, Quarter Mile Pond, and the Rock Circuit and Crystal Spring trails.
How to Read the Map
- Two kinds of trail. Forest Ways are wide fire roads. Hiking Trails are narrow single track. The map draws them differently.
- Numbered intersections and gates. Junctions and park gates carry numbers on the map. Use them to check where you are.
- Double blazes. Two blazes together usually mean a turn or an intersection.
- No-bike areas. Bikes are allowed on designated trails only, and not in Virginia Wood or the Long Pond area. See mountain biking.
- Water supply land. MWRA and town water supply land is marked on the map. Winchester's posted reservoir land has no public access.
- Off-leash area. The map marks the Sheepfold off-leash recreation area. Dogs are leashed everywhere else.
DCR warns that some trails aren't well marked, and that the Fells has many user-made trails it's working to close. If a path isn't on the map, don't take it.
Parking and Trailheads
- Skyline Trail: Bellevue Pond, Long Pond or Sheepfold lots.
- Rock Circuit Trail: Flynn Rink, 300 Elm Street, Medford.
- Spot Pond Brook Historic Trail and Spot Pond: the Woodland Road lots.
- Mountain Bike Loop: the Sheepfold lot.
Gated lots open around 9 AM. Our parking guide lists every lot, and our hiking guide helps you pick a trail.
Trail Map FAQ
Where can I get a Middlesex Fells trail map?
DCR publishes a free official PDF trail map on mass.gov. Kiosks at several trailheads also post maps, and the Botume House Visitor Center has the trail map.
How many miles of trails are in the Middlesex Fells?
Over 100 miles, on 2,575 acres.
What do the trail colors mean at the Fells?
Each marked trail has its own blaze. Skyline and Rock Circuit are white, Reservoir is orange, Cross Fells is blue, Crystal Spring is red, and the Mountain Bike Loop is green.
Are the Skyline Trail and Rock Circuit Trail the same?
No. Both use white blazes, but the Skyline Trail loops the western Fells and the Rock Circuit loops the eastern Fells, on opposite sides of I-93.
Can I mountain bike anywhere in the Fells?
No. Bikes are allowed on designated trails only, and not in Virginia Wood or the Long Pond area.
What are the numbers on the trail map?
They mark numbered intersections and numbered gates. Match them to what you see on the ground to check where you are.
Signs and Posted Maps
Facts from the DCR page for Middlesex Fells Reservation.