Boston: Prospect Hill Loop
Hop off the bus for a 12.6-miler through red-maple swamps and old-growth forest filled with deer, grouse, and turkeys.
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-Mapped by Kari Bodnarchuk
Trail Facts
- Distance: 13.8
Waypoints
WPT001
Location: 42.2287178039551, -70.8858642578125
Walk S on Main St. for .8 mi.; turn L onto Free St./Lazell St. for .9 mi.
WPT002
Location: 42.219066619873, -70.8694000244141
R @ T onto Union St.; follow into park. In .4 mi., bear R into visitor center parking and head S through lot
WPT003
Location: 42.215934753418, -70.8628158569336
Head SW on NW1 trail. Next .2 mi.: L @ T (NW2), then R @ T (NW3). Wind through oak-pine forest, passing worn stone walls
WPT004
Location: 42.2128486633301, -70.8678970336914
L @ T (NW6); pass Woodpecker Pond; path narrows to singletrack through prickly scrub; cross marsh on long boardwalk
WPT005
Location: 42.208381652832, -70.8647003173828
Hang R @ T (NW5); leafy trail leads to S. Pleasant St.
WPT006
Location: 42.2049674987793, -70.8636474609375
Turn L, cross road, then quick R @ 3-way (W1). Next .6 mi.: Pass W2 jct.; R @ Y (W3) onto rockstudded singletrack under pines, then take R path @ unsigned Y
WPT007
Location: 42.1962814331055, -70.8602828979492
R @ Y (S1); cross stream and boardwalk. Next .4 mi.: Straight @ S2 for steady, rocky climb; R @ 3-way (S3) past pond; R @ S34; cross boardwalk
WPT008
Location: 42.1856842041016, -70.8590850830078
L @ T (S33). In 500 ft., straight @ 3-way (S32) on leafy path (ignore diverging trails); listen for wild turkeys
WPT009
Location: 42.1817016601562, -70.8499298095703
R @ Y (S29) across South Field, reenter woods. In .4 mi., L @ T (S27)
WPT010
Location: 42.1869506835938, -70.8441162109375
R @ Y (S26) through holly, spruce. Next .3 mi.: L @ Y (S24), R @ T (S23)
WPT011
Location: 42.1939163208008, -70.843864440918
Turn L @ T (S16), then quick R @ S15 (pass Holly Pond on L). In .3 mi., L @ S17 onto campground road; head W to S6 jct.
WPT012
Location: 42.197582244873, -70.8536529541016
Hard L @ 4-way (S6); steady ascent of Prospect Hill on root-laced path
WPT013
Location: 42.193115234375, -70.8572158813476
Turn R @ unmarked T (past bench). Next .4 mi.: Hard R @ 4-way for steep, rocky descent; R @ S1 to WPT 7; retrace route