What we’re about
Blue HillsHiking 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 and friendly people who share a common interest in hiking. We pride ourselves the fact that we've taken many from the couch to the trail and have advanced to levels beyond their expectations all while having a great time with fellow hikers. To become a member you must have a recognizable facial photo of yourself that we use to identify you at our events along with a positive attitude to match our spirit :).
WHEN WE HIKE - We hike any day of the week all year long. We often have several hikes posted on the same day to accommodate different levels and skills.
WHERE WE HIKE - We primarily hike in the Blue Hills Reservation for the vast majority of our hikes. eir events.
Voluntary Membership Dues - There are NO membership dues to join this club.
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.