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Neponset River Lower Mills

Mystic Lakes

Middlesex Fells

Spy Pond & Rte 2

Walden Pond, 1900

Walden Pond

Inclined RR Quincy Quarries

Cape Cod

Boston Common

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Mike! I've been on several of your hikes and enjoyed myself immensely. I want to go the blue hills next since my dog can run free there. P.S. I think you are cute. bsba

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How can I get info on the Emerald Necklace? Have been trying everything to no avail

Mike - 08/31/00 00:31:21 Comments: Not sure what type info you are looking for. Try the sites below. If they don't do it, rephrase your question more specifically. 1. Amer.Landscape and Arch. Design: F. L. Olmsted 2. Boston's Emerald Necklace

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For those that may be visiting Southern California, or those just interested in hiking in general, our club - So Cal Hikers - put together a website to record our exploits. This will be a monthly.

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I'd like to suggest this link to your page. I can send you icons too if you are interested. Please let me know what you think. Thanks

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You have done a great job with your web site. I enjoyed my visit.

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I'm so impressed with your site, Mike. I went on a few of your hikes (too fast for me to be enjoyable, so I don't go on them anymore, but I'd no idea you'd done this. It is such a service for those of us without a car thank you for doing this.

Mike - 06/01/00 17:33:26 Comments: Thanks for your comments. I do sometimes hike at a faster pace. Places like Wellesley are best at a moderate pace, especially on a warm, pleasant day. On woods hikes in hot weather, I slow down and stay on shady and pond-cooled trails, possibly going treeless for a view or two or where hard to avoid.

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Do you know about something called "The Bay City Circuit" or something like that. There was a web site I can't find about this walking circuit that is volunteer maintained and circles Boston from the North Shore (roughly like Rte 128) to the South Shore.

Mike - 06/01/00 17:11:01 Comments: The official Bay Circuit Trail site, with links to related sites, is: www.serve.com/baycircuit/. It is closer to Rte 495 than to Rte 128. The AMC Boston chapter does a number of hikes of this type, if you are interested.

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Here's a nice site you may want to link to NH Outdoors at www.nhoutdoors.com. It's NH's resource for Outdoor Recreation. There is information on biking, camping, fishing and hiking.

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Unlike all the other New England state trails, there does not seem to be any consideration for equestrian trails and carriage trails. This hobby is very important to the youth of Massachusetts and I am 50 and plan on riding for as long as I am here. This hobby supports local farms and their families and keeps the open spaces for hay and grain crops. Do you have any trails maps of equestrian trail systems in MA? And could you please keep the horses in mind when planning new and improving old trails.

Mike - 05/06/00 17:08:21 Comments: I don't know of any trail systems specifically for horses, but among others, the Blue Hills (7000 acres) and Lynn Woods (2000 acres) allow horses on a lot, possibly most, of their trails. I know of no special equestrian maps.

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As a French I would like to know if you could send me a current train timetable from Boston to Washington. If it is possible by letter. I will be very grateful. Best regards, Paola

Mike - 05/05/00 20:20:07 Comments: Amtrak home page is www.amtrak.com Boston-Washington timetable at www.amtrak.com/timetables/nedirect100.pdf PDF files are readable with the free Adobe Acrobat Reader.

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I noticed a cool new website that lets you put in trip reports from a hike. I can see how useful it would be to those looking to go on hikes, as well as letting people tell you where you went! It's at www.mtnhike.com

Mike - 05/01/00 23:21:29 Comments: I visited the site. It may be a cool website in the future, but presently it has nothing but a few forms to fill out. Don't bother searching the site's trip reports, there don't seem to be any, at least for now.

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To be accurate, you should note that the Fells have been badly damaged by inappropriate and destructive mountain bike use over the past 5+ years. Also, the hiking experience is fraught with high-speed bike-jocks coming up behind you as you try to walk along peacefully. . .

Mike - 04/05/00 23:21:29 Comments: I'm sorry you've had such bad experiences. At least the bikes don't destroy the quiet, unlike the motorized vehicles which briefly terrorized parts of the Fells several years ago. Driven by the inconsiderate children of overindulgent parents. Inappropriate mountain bike use occurs in most places with steep rocky trails. I think mountain bike misuse in the Fells is typical for the Boston area, so I felt no need to single it out.

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Hi- I understand that there is a Boy Scout Camp at the end of a Blue Hills Ridge Trail Hike. Could you steer my in the right direction to find information about campsite reservations and some information about the trail. Thank you.

Mike - 03/24/00 22:00:45 Comments: The Boy Scouts of America camp entrance is on Unquity Rd in Milton. There is a trail of about half a mile from the camp to the Blue Hill Reservation. Once in the Blue Hills, it is another half mile to the Blue Hills Skyline Trail, which I assume you are referring to. The 10 mile Skyline Trail is very well marked - too well marked when it has just been repainted - with rectangular blue blazes. The camp is near a 3 mile N Skyline/S Skyline loop section; if you want to do the entire Skyline, you can either carpool, retrace your steps for 6 or 7 miles, or use alternate trails part of the time. There are a number of hilltop views of downtown Boston, Boston harbor (at the eastern end of the Skyline Trail) and other points. Monadnock and Wachusett can be seen on a clear day. A 9+ mile hike with no retracing and 2500 feet uphill can be done by carpooling. I don't know who to contact at BSA. If you need more details about the trails, let me know.

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Nice site here Mike. Lots of good useful information. Outside of the White Mountains, the Blue Hills is one of my favorite hiking areas. Yes dogs are allowed on the MDC trails but must be leashed at all times while in the reservation. Bye for now. See you on the trails.

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I found your site extremely useful. I am moving back to Boston from New Mexico and fear the expected shock of dense, flat, city life. Glad there are trails... however, it would be useful to also know about dog regulations in parks and on trails. I am interested in knowing if any parks or trails have off leash hours. Any ideas?

Mike - 01/12/00 09:01:55 Comments: The 7000 acre Blue Hill Reservation is a good antidote for the dog owner trying to escape the dense, flat, city life blahs. I'm not sure whether the MDC, which runs the Blue Hills, requires leashes, but there are plenty of seldom-used trails. You're probably OK if your dog is well behaved and you avoid areas with horseback riders or lots of people.

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I'm hoping you can steer me in the right direction. I'm attempting to locate a map of the Middlesex Fells Reservation that can be framed and given as a gift to someone who visits the fells weekly. Are you aware of any shops, book stores, etc. that sell maps (historical, topical, etc.) of various Massachusetts reservations/conservation lands that could be framed? Any information you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Mike - 12/15/99 20:02:32 Comments: I assume you want something other than the $4 MDC map. USGS topographic maps are a possibility, but the Fells are quite small on them. There are orienteering maps available for several parts of the Fells. Typically about 8x10, they have colorful details that USGS maps lack. Check the Globe Book Store in downtown Boston. You might try getting a professional photographer to blow up one of these maps to a framable size. USGS maps are copyright free, the orienteering maps are not. If Aerials Only has a Fells photo, it would make a great conversation piece. Very large, very detailed, expensive but reasonable considering the size.

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I'm interested in going on a hike for the day. We are near Springfield, can you tell us about any scenic hikes? Also we are beginners so we would like to take a medium level hike. Thanks.

Mike - 10/12/99 21:40:31 Comments: I don't have any first hand knowledge of the Springfield area, but you might check the AMC (link at my web site) or the Pioneer Valley Hiking Club (PVHC). I can email you second-hand info on PVHC and several area parks.

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this site helped me plan a nice, outdoorsy, romantic date, something i didn't realize was possible in boston.

Mike - 10/12/99 21:24:01 Comments: Thanks for letting me know. You've made my day!

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I liked your site so much, I put a link to it at this web site: www.gayoutdoors.org/organizations.htm. Hope it generates some traffic for you. I would appreciate it if you would visit this site www.gayoutdoors.org and if appropriate to your audience, put a link to this site from yours. Thanks so much!

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Transit service to the Blue Hills is available from A & B Coach Lines. This firm now runs the former Hudson Bus Lines route between Mattapan Square MBTA station and Cobbs Corner in Canton. A&B's telephone is 1-800-696-6066.

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No gear, fair physical condition. Beginner. Age 50. I have a personal goal of -learning about climbs/treks; getting gradually in better shape while being outside & not in some gym; having a basic working knowledge of gear, first for dayhikes, then for overnights. Where to begin- Jogging around the Charles to condition first? Joining the Boston AMC? I will spend the necessary amount on gear, but dont want to come home with overpriced extras-- will REI or EMS help out with this or sell me more than I need?

Send me any suggestions you have - mostly encouragement.
DG

Mike - 07/05/99 18:00:30 Comments: "Getting gradually in better shape while being outside & not in some gym" sounds like you want to do healthy exercise AND enjoy it. Jogging vs. hiking. Jogging can be done anywhere, anytime. Hiking requires more of a time commitment. Jogging requires constant focus. Hiking lets you "let your mind wander". Great for resolving life's small and large problems. "Go take a hike" can be very good advice! Jogging is more physical, hiking more cerebral. AMC Boston chapter Local Walks has 200+ hikes/walks in 50+ different parks, most between 2 to 6 hours. Layering, appropriate rain gear, and boots or other shoes with good traction is usually enough near Boston. The most important thing is to find something [healthy] you enjoy doing. Finding something challenging can keep you motivated for a while, but once the challenge wears off, the motivation is gone. Good luck. Let me know if you have other questions.

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Thank you for your amazing Boston Hiking Guide. It is clear you've put in tremendous time and effort for all of our benefit! I've linked you as a featured site on Somervillenet, a not-for-profit community site that I co-developed. The URL is www.somervillenet.org. When it is time to feature a new site, we'll make you a permanent link.

Thanks again,
Rachel

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Quite comprehensive. It will be an integral part of my hiking file.

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Just what I was looking for, thanks for the info.

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I'm totally delighted with your site. My boyfriend lives in Wakefield, MA so we share our time between the 2 states. I started peakbagging 2 years ago, finished #22 this summer! Question and a suggestion for additional info for your page: I'm looking to join a "ski house" in the White Mountains. I do ski occasionally, but mostly I'd use it for year round hiking plus XC and snowshoeing. I'd like something away from the Conway hordes, like Woodstock, Lincoln, Franconia, Bethlehem, even Bartlett. Know of any, or anywhere you could direct me for more info? thanks! deb

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Thanks so much for this site! It's a great reference site--not too big to be overwhelming & not so small to be disappointing. It's got just the right information for someone who wants to take an hour or half-day hike on short notice (like after a bad day at work). My appreciation.

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I am just starting to publish a web site for my company and was wondering if you could give me feedback on layout price and general ideas. The site is at www.pactive.com/campsite We carry some outdoor gear and are adding products constantly. I just want to get an idea about our direction from someone who has some experience at this. I also want to ask if you would give us a link from your site. Thanks in advance

Phil Rose
Marketing Director
The Campsite

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Is there any club in the Boston area whose members go on regular hikes?

Mike - 07/01/98 19:24:01 Comments: The AMC Boston chapter has several hundred hikes a year in the Boston area. Some of the hikes are only an hour or two, some are most of the day, but the majority are 4 to 6 hours. "Friends of" groups lead regular hikes in some large parks. MIT and other universities have outing clubs.

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Very nice site. Lots of useful information. I'm trying to do a similar thing promoting living and biking around Allston, among other things. I've just gotten started and I'm trying to add stuff whenever I have time. (busy season at work in the function business). If you don't mind I'd be happy to add a link to your site. Let me know via E-mail or my guestbook.

Mike - 05/10/98 17:56:59 My URL:http://oocities.com/hikeinfo Comments: It is certainly OK to link to my site. It's nice of you to ask, though. If you want to include a short sample from my site with your link, please do. Speaking of biking, are you familiar with the Boston biking map? I believe it costs about $3. It has contour lines and which roads are good to bike on.

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Nice site! Given the information you present, I thought you might be interested in a site called Outdoor Classified. With over 400 (quality) ads for strictly camping/backpacking equipment, OC is far and away the biggest and best site for used or pre-owned gear on the web (no kidding). There are over 100 ads for tents alone! We are always looking for ways to improve the site and would greatly appreciate your comments when you have a chance to visit. Also, if you feel the site is worthy of being added to your link list or mentioned in your pages some way, we would be thrilled to know about it. You can find the site at: http://www.outdoorclassified.com
Thanks for your time and hope to see you there, Matt

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I have many visitors at my house. It would be good if you had a system where a person puts their starting address and ending address and the 'T' would map out the fastest and/or most convenient way of getting there. If there is such a system, please give me the address. Thank you. Also your web site should have a colored map for your transit system like the one you can you receive through the mail and the routes for each bus line.

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I'm brand-new to backpacking, and am starting slow with short, safe hikes around my own areas. Your site provides excellent information! Are there any groups geared for beginners only?

Phil Griffin - 10/07/97 23:43:54
My URL:http:// none a present
My Email:pgriff@edgenet.net
City: Tiverton
State: RI
Referred by: queried wbs home pages with "hiking"

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I have not had a chance to look over your site in detail, but want to thank you for putting it together, I have it bookmarked and will use it. I have been to many of the places you have outlined, but do want to check out the arnold ab. soon. Can you inline skate there? take care, phil griffin

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Check out the Bay Circuit "Boston's metro trail" www.serve.com/baycircuit/

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Hey looks like you have alot of stuff on here that will be nice to look threw. I have some more photos that I will be adding probly in November when I get back from a short trip. Thanks for visiting my site have a great day

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Since you made a comment about my page, I was curious to see yours. Interesting page. Sadly I don't live around Boston... Greetings, Arjan

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Wow!! Very comprehensive and informative info. I've wanted to get up Boston way for a while now, maybe this info will point me in the right direction for the local hikes.

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Thanks for visiting my site the other week. You've certainly managed to pack a whole load of info onto your page! Don't have any plans to visit Boston, but I just might make some in the future. It's good to read helpful info from those and for those who love the countryside.

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Great site ya got here....thanx for signing my guestbook and checking out my site. I love the outdoors and everything that goes along with it. Keep up the wealth of info on hiking. Everyone can come and check out my site. We are the Adventure Sports of America and will soon be moving to a new address of www.asoa.com Check it out in about 1 1/2 months.

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I'm just greedy. My husband and I are new at hiking and we wanted to walk in the state forest area near us. Maybe you can expand this sight to a few more suburbs? :)

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Hi Mike, Like what you have done with your homepage. Lots of info and and a large variety. Thanks for visiting my page and signing my guestbook. You may put in a link if you wish. Will check back from time to time. Alpine5947

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Looking for places to do some rock climbing. Kewl site!!!

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I was looking for a trail map of the Middlesex Fells

Mike - 07/16/97 18:06:08 GMT My URL: http://oocities.com/hikeinfo/directMSF.htm Comments: MSF map ($4) is available from MDC park hdqtrs or Friends of the Fells. Neither has regular weekend hours. Both are located on the road (Pond St, Woodland, etc - it keeps changing names as you go) that follows beside Spot Pond past the Stone Zoo. MDC hdqtrs is on E side of road, just S of zoo. F of F is on W side of road, S of MDC hdqtrs.

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Do you have any information on special events, like park anniversaries? Could you add more driving directions?

Mike - 06/28/97 23:06:08 GMT Comments: Selected driving directions, including to all of my hikes, are being added. Special events, maybe.

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The section on hiking about Boston is excellent..

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Visiting Boston next month, was looking for outdoors stuff

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Try to use less small print. It is hard to read. Also, my links are automatically blue, which does not go well with blue text. :)

Mike - 05/05/97 23:06:08 GMT Comments: Thanks for the suggestion, Carol. Done.

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Could you provide more details for people not familiar with the Boston area?

Mike - 04/20/97 23:00:43 GMT Comments: I'm working on it.

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