GO Get Fit #1: Great Blue Hill via Skyline Trail

Thank you everyone for joining me for the first Get Fit hike of the season! What a perfect day at the Blue Hills for it, too: 60s with a warm sun and cool breeze. Two days into spring, and it's off to a glorious start. We had a full crew today. So much so that a few of us had to park in the overflow lot at Houghton’s Pond, but we worked this out fairly quickly. The North Skyline Trail starts off with a steep climb up rock stairs, and as we made our way to Hancock Hill many of us had a nice sheen of perspiration to show for it. The trail undulated over a series of rocky hills, often with beautiful views of the surrounding area–and at times all of the way to Boston harbor. We were a mix of fitness levels today and there was a wonderful sense of support and camaraderie as our group progressed at a safe place. Many thanks to Neil for being our sweeper today. You are so appreciated, bud! The view of Boston from Eliot Tower was spectacular, but, honestly, the highlight for me was the chance to chat with the wide range of guys that joined us today. We wrapped up the hike around 2pm, and about half of us went to the South Shore Plaza for lunch. Thanks again to everyone who came out and made this such an enjoyable event. I hope to see you at the next one!

Join us for a hike in the Blue Hills Reservation in Canton, MA.  (Karen Read talk is encouraged. :))

This is the #1 ranked hike in Massachusetts according to AllTrails and a great way to start the GayOutdoors 2025 Get Fit series.  This is a 3-mile hike with 813’ of elevation gain and is considered easy to moderate.  Be prepared for muddy conditions. Some may find trekking poles helpful.  This path goes to the Eliot Observation Tower, which, if open, offers spectacular views of the Greater Boston area.  There is a multi-year project to restore the tower and pavilion area, so this visit it may not be open. 

The parking lot is located across the street from the MA State Police’s H7 office, which is located at 685 Hillside St, Milton, MA 02186.  After, we can grab a bite at South Shore Plaza, which is about 10 minutes away.  This trail should take us a little over an hour to complete.  I hope you can join us!

AllTrails map: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/massachusetts/great-blue-hill-via-skyline-trail

GayOutdoors’ 2025 Get Fit Series

1. Saturday, March 22nd – Blue Hills Reservation in Canton, MA: 3 miles & 813’ elevation gain
2. Saturday, April 5th - Middlesex Fells Reservation in Medford, MA: 4.2 miles & 524’ elevation gain
3. Saturday, April 12th - Wachusett Mountain in Princeton, MA: 4.8 miles & 1,154’ elevation gain
4. Saturday, April 19th - Breakheart Reservation in Saugus, MA: 5.3 miles & 590’ elevation gain
5. Saturday, May 3rd - Boston Harbor Walk in South Boston, MA: 6.75 miles & no elevation gain
6. Saturday, May 10th - Leominster State Forest in Leominster, MA: 7.4 miles & 685’ elevation gain
7. Saturday, May 24th - Mount Monadnock via White Dot Trail in Jaffrey, NH: 3.4 miles & 1,745’ elevation gain