Easy 2.5 mile Hike/Swim at Breakheart Reservation

Entering from the rear entrance this is an easy 2.5 mile afternoon hike around a small lake in the rear section of the Breakheart Reservation in Wakefield, MA (just north of Boston). It is a co-event with GayOutdoors (also LGBTQ).

A third is on paved fire roads and the rest on trails along the water. It’s 60% in the woods/shaded.

About 3/4s of the way around is a beach we'll stop at to swim. Disclaimer: The swimming area once had a lot of little wispy floating weeds. The lifeguards said the state doesn’t always get around to clearing them out. It was ok to swim just not ideal. (Just a heads up.)

Anything more than a drizzle will cancel - there’s no rain date planned (although I’m also running this hike on Sept 6).

Breakheart Reservation info & map - https://www.mass.gov/locations/breakheart-reservation. (We’ll go counterclockwise around Pierce Lake.)

Any questions email me at [corgi321@pm.me](http://mailto%3Acorgi321@pm.me/).

***** Directions Notes - even if you’re using GPS *****

NOTE > Be sure to note that we're entering the Reservation through the less common *rear* entrance. (“R” on the map in the photo. If you see a visitor Center, you’re at “F”. Scroll down to the very end below for directions to the rear**.)

The Reservation’s rear entrance is at 100 Hemlock Rd, Wakefield, MA. It shares a lot with the Northeast Regional Voc Tech High School.

Note that when you’re approaching Hemlock Road there’s a sign for the Voc Tech that’s a lot more noticeable then the street sign. Also note that there are two schools by the turn. The Voc Tech is separate and up Hemlock away from them.

Once on Hemlock, drive to the end into the lot past the guard house (it’s unmanned; parking’s free). You’ll see the school on the left. The Reservation entrance is at the stone pillars at the far end.

Meet to the left of the stone pillars, I’ll be wearing a beige Yosemite cap (round logo).

**To get from the front entrance to the rear - it’s easy:

1. Drive back out to the main road (Lynn Fells Parkway) and turn right.
2. Drive .7 miles to the traffic light and turn right again.
3. Go approx 1.9 miles and look on the right for the ball field and Voc Tech High School sign. Turn right there. That’s Hemlock Rd. See “Once on Hemlock above”.