3 Stunning Massachusetts Hiking Trails You Can Complete in a Single Afternoon

It’s the perfect time of year to get out of the house and into the outdoors, but you’re probably tired of going over the same walking paths and bike trails you’ve been utilizing for years now. If you’re ready to experience something new, Massachusetts has three of my absolute favorite spots for hiking.

I’m no serious outdoorsman, and you’re not going to see me scaling up the side of a mountain in New Hampshire or blazing a new trail through unmarked woods in Maine. I like to stick close to home, and more importantly, stick close to civilization.

That’s what makes these three locations so perfect: you can feel like you’re a world away, yet still have cell phone signal and a short trip back to the car if anything goes wrong.

However, if you do complete the trail at any one of these locations, you’re totally justified in stopping for an ice cream sundae on the way home to reward yourself.

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Let’s take a look at my three favorite hiking spots for the non-hiker:

Scenic Views and Historic Weather Trails at Blue Hills

This has been one of my favorite spots since I was a kid. My dad went hiking through the Blue Hills when he was younger, and he made sure to instill in me and my siblings a love for them as well.

There are 22 hills in all in the Blue Hills Reservation, which got their name from their blueish tint from the riebeckite stone within them, a remnant of the chain’s volcanic past.

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The largest of them is Canton's Great Blue Hill – or “Big Blue,” as my family always called it – which has a summit of 635 feet above sea level. At the top, you’ll find the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory.

Tim Weisberg/Townsquare Media

Founded in 1885, it is the oldest continuous weather recording station in the United States. There is also an observation tower that is open to the public and gives you an amazing view of the Boston skyline just miles away.

Tim Weisberg/Townsquare Media

There are plenty of easy-to-hike paths throughout the Blue Hills, as well as moderate and expert-level trails. If you want a faster way down from the top of the Great Blue Hill, you can head down the ski slope on the western side of the hill.

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Just be careful when out on the trails: the Blue Hills are home to the only two species of venomous snakes in Massachusetts, the eastern timber rattlesnake and the copperhead snake.

📍 Blue Hills State Reservation: 725 Hillside Street, Milton, MA 02186

Historic Mansions and Miles of Trails at Borderland State Park

Borderland State Park gets its name because it borders both Easton and Sharon. It is the site of the former home of Oakes Ames of the prominent Ames family, who purchased the land and built the 20-room Ames Mansion in 1910 that still stands on the grounds of the park today.

Tim Weisberg/Townsquare Media

They used the surrounding land to create a nature preserve, which in 1971 became a state park.

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In total, there are over 20 miles of trails winding throughout the 1,843-acre park, each offering differing views and experiences. You’ll see people walking, hiking, running, bicycling – you can go at whatever pace best suits you. You can also tour the Ames Mansion, go fishing or canoeing, or play disc golf.

📍Borderland State Park: 259 Massapoag Ave., North Easton, MA 02356

Exploring Glacial Bedrock Formations at Purgatory Chasm

If you take a trip out to the Blackstone Valley, you’ll find Purgatory Chasm State Reservation in the town of Sutton.

Tim Weisberg/Townsquare Media

There are a couple of different trails, which are short but challenging for varying levels of difficulty. The highlight is the main trail, which runs about a half-mile and takes you right into the heart of the chasm, climbing over granite bedrock through the 70-foot-deep chasm.

READ MORE: Purgatory Chasm Is One of Massachusetts' Most Unique Sites

There are also multiple different rock formations left behind by the glacier that once stood there, creating some interesting shapes with even more interesting names such as Lover’s Leap, the Devil’s Pulpit, the Devil’s Corn Crib, the Devil’s Coffin, and more.

With so many formations named for the Devil, it’s no wonder the chasm earned the name “Purgatory.”

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But why is the Devil so prominent along these paths? Yankee magazine published the legend that the chasm was created when the Native American god Hobomoko morphed into a devil-like figure and created its unique features while swinging his tomahawk and also swinging around and stomping on an Algonquin woman he had captured after she killed a white colonist.

Yikes, it’s one thing for our ancestors to blame the Devil for all of the sharp, pointy rocks, but they didn’t need to demonize the Native Americans, too.

📍Purgatory Chasm State Reservation: 198 Purgatory Rd., Sutton, MA 01590