Open year-round, dawn to dusk. The Middlesex Fells Reservation's 2,575 acres offer a welcome retreat for city dwellers and a suitable terrain for hikers, horseback riders, and rock climbers. Cross-country skiers and picnickers as well as natural and cultural history buffs will also find this area rich with fun activities."Fells" is the Saxon word for rocky, hilly tracts of land - an apt name for this scenic area which is rich in local history. This picturesque area was once favored for timber, granite quarrying, ice industry, and water power for the many mills including one that manufactured some of the first vulcanized rubber products.

The Botume House at 4 Woodland Road is the Middlesex Fells Headquarters and will soon house the Middlesex Fells Visitor Center.

Special features for visitors include the Sheepfold picnic area, Bellevue Pond, Virginia Wood, and Spot Pond. The Sheepfold is 10 acres of open field, ideal for picnics, frisbee playing and informal games. Bellevue Pond is a seasonal pond surrounded by trails and wide fire roads, some leading up to Wrights Tower which looks out over the Boston Basin. Virginia Wood, the site of a vanished mill village called "Haywardville" is now a dense hemlock enclave.

Spot Pond:

Spot Pond is a picturesque body of water, centrally located in the Middlesex Fells, just east of Routes 28 and 93. With a surface area of 340 acres, and a capacity of 1.8 billion gallons of water, it serves as a backup reservoir to the Quabbin, located in central Massachusetts.
The area was first explored by Governor Winthrop and his men in the winter of 1632:
...they came to a very great pond, having in the midst an island of about one acre and very thick with trees of pine and beech and the pond had divers small rocks standing up here and there in it, which therefore called Spot Pond." (quote from Gov. Winthrop's private papers)

Spot Pond Boating offers sailing, kayak, canoe and rowboat rental from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Sailing lessons are provided throughout the season as well.

Things to know before you go

* Sheepfold parking area, Rte.28 (open 9:00 a.m. to dusk)
* Flynn Rink, the Botume House and Virginia Wood on Woodland Road
* Greenwood Park, the Stone Zoo and one "pull-off" on Pond Street
* Straw Point Parking Area on corner of South Street and Rte.28
* Bellevue Pond, Long Pond and other"pull-offs" along South Border Road
* Jerry Jingle Park on Lynn Fells Parkway (please use caution crossing to reservation)
* Crystal Springs Parking Area on Lynn Fells Parkway
* Additional "pull-off" on Fellsway East

Trail maps for the Middlesex Fells Reservation can be purchased at the following locations:

* Botume House Visitors Center, Middlesex Fells Reservation, 4 Woodland Rd., Stoneham
* Map Shack, 185 New Boston St. Woburn.
* Best Sellers Cafe, 24 High St., Medford Square
* Book Ends, 559 Main St., Winchester
* Book Oasis, 297 Main St., Stoneham
* Appalachian Mountain Club, 5 Joy St., Boston
* Or order by mail. Please make out a personal check to the Friends of Middlesex Fells Reservation for $6.00 per map.

Friends of the Middlesex Fells
4 Woodland Road
Stoneham, MA 02180

Special Programs:

The Friends of the Middlesex Fells walks and hikes focus on the natural and cultural history of the Middlesex Fells Reservation are free and offered to the public year round by the DCR and Friends of the Middlesex Fells. The Friends of the Fells also sponsors a Speaker Series and a volunteer trail restoration and maintenance program FoF. Mountain Biking rides and trail maintenance are sponsored by the New England Mountain Biking Association NEMBA.

Mountain Biking at the Middlesex Fells

Mountain biking in the Middlesex Fells allows the off-road cyclist the use of all Fire Roads. In addition to fire roads, there is a designated loop trail, which offers riders an easy to follow path around the Western Fells. This trail is marked by "Mountain Bike Loop" signs and green blazes on trees. This loop trail is about 85% on fire roads and 15% on a single-track trail. All other single track trails are off-limits to bikers. Trail restrictions are based on the sensitivity of soil, slopes, wildlife habitat, and public safely concerns. Please stay off trails marked with "No Bicycle" signs.

Directions to the Middlesex Fells Reservation:

trolley carbus
MBTA:
To the West Side of the Middlesex Fells: Orange Line to Wellington Station, MBTA bus #100 to Roosevelt Circle Rotary. Walk south to the rotary and turn right on South Border Rd. - Bellevue Pond entrance to the Reservation is .2 mile up South Border Rd. on the right.

To the East Side of the Middlesex Fells: Orange Line to Oak Grove Station, exit on the Washington St. side and head north on Washington Street (away from Boston). Washington Street bears left at intersection with Pleasant St. Go one more block up Washington Street and turn left on Goodyear Ave. Goodyear Ave. ends at the Gate 58 entrance to the Reservation at the east end of the blue blazed Cross Fells Trail.

By Car:
From North
To the West Side of the Middlesex Fells: Interstate 93 South to exit 35. At stop sign, go left under highway. At next stop sign go right. At first set of lights turn right onto Route 28. Turn right into Sheepfold entrance.
OR
Interstate 93 South to exit 33 (Route 28). Take first right onto South Border Rd. Bellevue Pond entrance is on the right.
OR
To the East Side of the Middlesex Fells: Interstate 93 South to exit 35. At stop sign, go left under highway. At next stop sign go right. Go straight through first set of lights. The Botume House Visitor Center is ½ mile past the Stone Zoo on the right.
From South
To the West Side of the Middlesex Fells: Interstate 93 North to exit 33 (Route 28). Sheepfold entrance is 2 miles up on the left… Or, take exit 33, proceed halfway around rotary and take South Border Rd. Bellevue Pond entrance is on the right.
OR
To the East Side of the Middlesex Fells: Interstate 93 North to exit 33 (Route 28). Follow Rte. 28 for .4 miles and turn right on Elm Street. Go3/4 of the way around the rotary and head North on Woodland Road for 1 mile. Botume House Visitor Center is on the left.