Hikes and walks are wonderful ways to spend time together as a family and a perfect opportunity to get kids connected to the outdoors! Fresh air, nature, exercise, family… a perfect combination for creating beautiful memories!
Safety First - Preparation is Key!
What to bring: Depending on the extent of the walk or hike plan to bring a backpack with first-aid kit, water and snacks! A whistle, map, compass, flashlight, matches, Swiss Army style knife as well as daily medication may prove necessary. Better safe than sorry! Also consider items that will help interact with nature such as binoculars, bug catcher, plant and bird identification guides, magnifying glass, paper and pencil.
What to wear: Appropriate clothing is key and non-cotton layers (sythetics, wool, fleece) work best. Pack a rain parka, warmer jacket gloves and hat as needed. Sturdy comfortable footwear is a must. Be sure to apply sunscreen as well as bug repellant as needed.
Remember: Always remember “carry in / carry out” and be sure to check thoroughly for ticks when you get home.
Hiking with Toddlers: See our 11 Tips on Hiking with Toddlers
Want added fun: Take The Kids On An Adventure With Our Free Fall Scavenger Hunt
Hiking with children is important: Read 50 Ways forests and outdoor learning experiences benefit children
Have a favorite local hiking ground that we missed?Let me know at mackidlexingtonlowell@macaronikid.com.
How: Click link to find location, trail maps and more. All trails are free unless otherwise noted.
Acton
- Acton Arboretum
- Assabet River Blue and Green Trail
- Bulette / Town Forest
- Camp Acton
- Grassy Pond
- Great Hill
- Guggins Brook
- Heath Hen Meadow
- Jenks
- Nagog Hill
- Nashoba Brook
- Pacy
- Pratts Brook
- Robbins Mill
- Spring Hill
- Stoneymeade
- Wetherbee
- Wills Hole / Town Forest
Bedford
- Trail Guide
- Altmann
- Buehler Ponds / Governor Winthrop
- Carlisle Road
- Concord Road/Massport
- Clark, Little Meadow
- Elm Brook
- Fawn Lake
- Hartwell Town Forest
- Langone
- Lindau
- Minnie Reid
- O'Connor
- Old Reservoir
- Shawsheen River
- Springs Brook
- Town Campus
- Wilderness Park
- York
Boxborough
- Boxborough Conservation Lands overview map
- Beaver Brook Meadows, Steele Farm, and Community Gardens
- Beaver Valley - Pettingell Park
- Flagg Hill
- Flerra Meadows
- Fort Pond Brook
- Hager Land and Blanchard School
- Hager Meadow (Betty White)
- Half Moon Meadow
- Hartwell Sanctuary
- Have Not Pond - Fisk and Delano and Hager Meadow Trail
- Heath Hen Meadows
- Indian Meadow
- Patch Hill and Robinson Carriage Trail
- Rolling Meadows
- Wolf Swamp
Carlisle
- Carlisle Trails Committee - interactive overview map
- Banta-Davis and Fox Hill
- Benfield, Bisbee and Spencer Brook
- Bruce Freeman Trail
- Benfield Wildlife Viewing Platform Access
- Carlisle Pines State Forest and Northwest Carlisle Trails
- Carlisle Town Forest
- Conant Land
- Cranberry Bog
- Curve Street Lands
- Davis Corridor and Malcolm Lands
- Elliott Concord River Preserve
- Foss Farm
- Great Brook Farm State Park
- Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge
- Greenough Land
- Greystone Crossing
- Poole Swamp to Sachs Greenway
- Rangeway Land
- Towle Land
- Woodhaven Farm
Concord
- Annursnac-Baptist Brook Trail Guide
- Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge and adjacent Sudbury Conservation Trails
- Barrett's Mill Conservation Area
- Battle Road Trail - Minuteman National Historical Park
- Bear Garden Hill
- Bigelow Woods, Soutter Field and Hubbard Brook Farmfield
- Chamberlin Woods
- Corey-Bourquin Field
- Emerson-Thoreau Amble
- Gowing’s Swamp
- Hallenbeck Land
- Punkatasset Preserve / Estabrook Trail
- Hapgood Wright Town Forest
- Mattison Field Trail
- Nashawtuc Hill
- Newbury Field
- October Farm Riverfront Trail
- Old Rifle Range Trail
- Powder Mill Woods Trail
- Reformatory Branch Trail
- Rivers Confluence Trail
- Thoreau Leave No Trace National Historic Trail
- Upper Spencer Brook Valley
- West Concord Park Trail
- Westvale-Harrington Trail
- White Pond Reservation Trail
- Wright Woods
Lexington
- Lexington Conservation Land - interactive overview map
- Battle Road Trail - Minuteman National Historical Park
- Beaver Brook North Reservation and Mackerel Hill
- Brown Homestead
- Chiesa Farm
- Cranberry Hill
- Daisy Wilson Meadow
- Dunback Meadow
- Hayden Woods
- Idylwilde Conservation Area
- Joyce Miller's Meadow
- Juniper Hill
- Katahdin Woods
- Liberty Heights
- Lower Vine Brook
- Meagherville
- Middlesex County Hospital Lands
- North Street
- Paint Mine and Hennessey's Field
- Parker Meadow
- Poor Farm
- Shaker Glen
- Simond's Brook
- Sutherland Woods
- Tophet Swamp
- Turning Mill Pond
- Upper Vine Brook - Cotton Farm
- West Farm
- Whipple Hill
- Willard's Woods
Lincoln
- Lincoln Scouts - Lincoln Hikes (includes several locations)
- Lincoln Land Conservation Trust and Rural Land Foundation (includes several locations)
- Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge and adjacent Sudbury Conservation Trails
- Adams Woods
- Battle Road Trail - Minuteman National Historical Park
- Beaver Pond, Harrington/Stony Brook, Fernald Woods
- Codman East and Bergen-Culver
- Codman North/East
- Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary (fees apply)
- Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary Accessible Trails (fees apply)
- Farrar Pond
- Flint Fields / Wheeler Farm / Cemetery
- Flint's Pond, Pine Hill, Baker Bridge Fields
- Lincoln Center, Codman Lands and Bergen-Culver (School Area)
- Mt. Misery and Farrar Pond
- North Lincoln - Minuteman National Historical Park, Tanner's Brook, Ricci Farm
- Pigeon Hill, Silver Hill, Conant Road to Weston
- Walden Pond State Reservation (parking fee)
Maynard
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