Blue Hills Hiking Club

One of the amazing things about living near the Blue Hills is that there are so many hiking trails that you can work a full day, take a part in a scenic hike after work, and still have time to get home at a reasonable hour! This Meetup Group will focus on doing that. This is a private group, however all adults are welcome. 

ABOUT THIS GROUP - This is a group of fun, friendly people. To become a member you must have a photo of your face for the safety of everyone in the group . 

WHEN WE HIKE - After work Monday through Friday during the summer and weekends as well!

WHERE WE HIKE - Most of the time, the event will consist of a hike at the Blue Hills at various points, starting around 6:00pm during weekdays and various times during weekends. We hike at a moderate pace unless noted. When a hike event is posted, specific details will be provided about the hike location, elevation gain, etc. There will also be some other hikes to break things up at different locations however a majority will be at the Blue Hills.

Voluntary Membership Dues - These days we all get hit with fees and money requests constantly so trust me as I write this I am not super comfortable putting this up but I will accept help with the Meetup fees which are in the hundreds of dollars a year if you would like to help. There is a link on the front page of the site. As a thank you for those who help I run special hikes/socials through the year via email just for those who helped. You will also get a special title under your name on the site. This is not mandatory, and you are not solicited for it.

HIKE PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BRING ADEQUATE GEAR FOR THE HIKE, including hiking boots or trail running shoes, and some drinking water, and maybe a snack. All of these hikes will be within cell phone range. Everyone participating in the hike must agree to the liability waiver listed on every hike.

IN CASE OF BAD WEATHER, I may cancel a hike in the afternoon on the day of the hike. Since I may have a large number of people on a hike, I will not have the time to call everyone, so you'll need access to your email to see if the hike is canceled. Generally, since many people only have access to email through work, and many leave work at 5pm, I'll try to make a go/no go decision by 3pm. Often, it may be raining at 3pm and clear up by 5:30pm, but I will do the best I can to make the right decision.

ABOUT THE BLUE HILLS - The Blue Hills were so named by early European explorers who, while sailing along the coastline, noticed the bluish hue on the slopes when viewed from a distance. More than ten thousand years before those Europeans arrived, Native Americans made their home in the hills. The Natives referred to themselves as Massachusett, or "people of the great hills". Eventually the Europeans began settling in this region. The colonists built houses and barns, cleared fields for crops and livestock and logged the hillsides for lumber.

In 1893, the Metropolitan Parks Commission purchased the lands of Blue Hills Reservation as one of the first areas set aside for public recreation. Today, the reservation is rich in both archaeological and historic resources. Sixteen historic structures listed on the National Register tell the fascinating tales of Native Americans, explorers, farmers, quarry workers and inventors. Additionally the Blue Hills Weather Observatory, a National Historic Landmark, sits atop Great Blue Hill, as a crowning feature.

The living treasures of the Blue Hills include flora, fauna and natural phenomena – from coyotes to copperheads, dogwoods to lady's slippers, and turkey vultures to dragonflies. Trails traverse upland and bottomland forests, marsh, swamp and pond edges, meadows and an Atlantic white cedar bog. A great variety of plant and animal life thrive in the diverse habitats, including several rare and endangered species in Massachusetts, such as the timber rattlesnake.