These are the  WITCH TRAIL COMMITTEE Historic Hiking Trails around the Boston area.

   Blue Hills #1 and Blue Hills #2 are a 2-mile and an 8-mile hike through the Blue Hills in Milton, Massachusetts, just south of Boston.  The Blue Hills are an ancient landmark used by very early indigenous people of the area and it is suggested that the Native American words for Blue Hills (Masua Tuset) gave rise to the state’s name, Massachusetts.  It is known that the Blue Hills were a renowned meeting place for the local native peoples, and it is also known to be an area quite rich in flint, a stone used quite extensively by the local inhabitants of the time in making arrowheads and other simple tools.

   Both trails begin at the Trailside Museum.  The shorter #1 trail is a less difficult and shorter trail recommended for the younger youth.  It goes to the top of “Big Blue” and returns to the museum, while the longer and more difficult #2 trail goes a quarter of the way around the base of “Big Blue” and up the steeper, more rugged southwest face.  Both trails come to the top of “Big Blue” where hikers can climb an observation tower and see spectacular views of Boston and the Boston Harbor to the north, the towns of Dorchester and Quincy and the Atlantic Ocean to the east,  and Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island to the south.  On a clear day, visitors can see the White Mountains of New Hampshire as well as the northern tip of Long Island, New York.

    Along the trail, hikers can observe native vegetation and wild life.  This is an excellent area for a nature hike if familiar with the local flora and fauna.  During the summer months there are wonderful “high bush” blueberries ripening along the trail.  It is recommended that hikers bring drinking water as well as a snack.  In addition, it is recommended that hikers wear a good pair of supportive hiking boots as the terrain can be rugged and or slippery at times.

    The #2 hike continues down the east face of “Big Blue” and up and over Houghton’s Hill, around the north base of Houghton’s Hill and “Big Blue” and ends back at the museum where it began.
 

Blue Hills Trials 1 & 2:

The Blue Hills Trails Patches are Panoramic Patches; they can be placed together to create a scene on a Brag Vest or Jacket.

   Pirate Legend Trail (10 mile hike recommended for older youth and adults) and Pirate Legend Trek ( 4 mile hike for all age groups) are both circular hikes in Lynn Woods in the town of Lynn, Massachusetts.  This area is rich in pirate history from the mid 1600’s.  A nearby bog iron works in Saugus, Massachusetts was a coastal location frequently visited by pirate ships in need of shackles, handcuffs, hatchets, chains and other iron articles.  The Iron Works is operated by the National Park Service today and is a very popular attraction.  Legend has it that four pirates made their home in Saugus near what is today called Pirate’s Glen, but were soon found out and pursued by the King’s men.  One man escaped to Lynn Woods and lived there in a cave for several years before taking up residence in the village of Lynn.  The cave is still a very popular site with visitors.  Local stories tell of a treasure that was taken into Lynn Woods by pirates and buried there.  Many people have searched for the treasure, digging in the bogs and swamps and even into solid rock, but no one has ever claimed finding the treasure.

   If you plan to go into the cave, be sure to bring flashlights and a good rope.  There is room for up to twenty people at a time in the cave, but use caution for it is often very wet inside.  Along the paths you will come to many scenic views, and from atop the hills you will see the Saugus River, the towns of Saugus and Lynn, and the Atlantic Ocean.  The area has a good size parking lot and a picnic area.  There are no toilet facilities near by and there is no water supply.

   Leslie’s Retreat is a 6 or a 10 mile hike from Marblehead to Salem, Massachusetts.

   This trail traces the British march of February 26, 1775 in search of American cannons.  This march was the first expeditionary mission of the British in the colonies and hikers learn how the local residents reacted to the British, what led to the events of April 19^th, and explains why the British troops were so tense at Lexington Green. 

   This trail can be hiked as either a one-way six-mile hike from Marblehead to Salem or as a ten-mile roundtrip. The trail can be hiked year round. Allow 3 to 4 hours for the one way and 5 to 6 hours for the round trip.

   Seeing that it was useless to search for the cannons after so much time had elapsed, Col. Leslie agreed to a proposition to have the bridge lowered, to march only 500 feet on the other side of the bridge, to not search for the cannons, and to immediately return to the town of Marblehead.  He did so and the entire British company was verbally harassed and taunted as they “retreated” back to their ship for a short sail back to Boston.

   The Skyline Trail is a 7-mile circle trail through Middlesex Fells woods near the towns of Stoneham, and Medford, Massachusetts.  The hike is through woods and requires hiking over several hills. Not recommended for younger youth who are not accustomed to long str colspan="5">  

   The Sons of Liberty Trail is 10-mile hike from Lexington to Concord, Massachusetts following the “battle road”.  This trail traces the events of April 19, 1775, the beginning of military action between the British and the colonists in the American Revolution.

   This trail follows city streets and busy county and state roads and is not recommended for youth younger than 12 years of age; however, the sights in Lexington and Concord, as well as those along the way are certainly worth while for the younger set if the group is being followed or accompanied by vehicles.

   The trail begins at Lexington Green where about 40 Minutemen met the British who were marching to Concord to confiscate colonial cannons.  This is the sight of the “shot heard ‘round the world.”

   There are two rather good museums along the route, both free when last visited.  Often in better weather, especially on summer weekends, members of reenactment groups can be be found at these sites.
 

The Spirit of ’76 Trail is a two mile hike through the historic town of Marblehead, Massachusetts on the North Shore of the Boston area.  This trail was designed with younger hikers in mind.

The area is rich in Revolutionary history as well as legends and stories of witches, ghosts, and pirates

   The quaint little North Shore town of Danvers, Massachusetts, was formerly known as Old Salem Village.  We remember Old Salem Village as being the center of the historic colonial “1692 Witch Hysteria”.  The Witch Trail is a 10 mile hike from Danvers to Salem, open year round, and will require 4 to 5 hours to complete, depending on the amount of time spent viewing each of the 13 historic sites. 

   Hikers will see among other things, the Wadsworth House where once stood the original home of an accused witch, foundations of the Reverend Parris’ house where his West Indian servant first told island stories of voodoo and witchcraft to impressionable young girls, the Ingersoll House where several of the accused were first questioned, Watch House Hill where a new church was built after the hysteria to reunite the people under the Reverend Green, the Haines House whose owner testified against witches who were later hanged, the home of Sarah Holten who testified against the 71 year old Rebecca Nurse, the home and grave of Rebecca Nurse, a reconstruction of a house which was used to interrogate and examine several of the women after the initial accusations, and the Charter Street Burial Ground where several famous people of the witch hysteria were laid to rest.

   Several of the sites along the way are open for tours; prices may very from site to site.  Other sites can be toured by prearranged appointment.