Ward Reservation

A walk through this reservation makes you really appreciate living in Massachusetts. Walking through this trail in November probably wasn’t the best decision since the ground is covered in leaves and it makes it a bit harder to see the rocks and tree roots, but that’s partly what makes hiking so exciting… Am I right or am I right? We started on the yellow trail and jumped onto the blue trail to see what Elephant rock was all about — the entire trail took us about 2 hours. I’m sad the sun is setting so early these days, but I managed to get a beautiful view of the sunset through the trees and it was truly breathtaking. My Sunday spent here felt like a treat for my lungs and a great way to exercise without feeling like I was exercising, if you know what I mean. The fellow hikers here are so friendly; everyone greeted us and it reminded me to stop being a city snob and to actually make eye contact and do the same. I highly recommend Ward Reservation for anyone who wants to spend a couple hours with nature and get in some quality time with friends/​family.

I’ve been here twice and enjoyed the trail/​hike both times.
My friend and I’s hike started off with Holt Hill (should be the start for all if I’m not mistaken). There are maps around and the trails are dotted with a color (red, yellow, baby blue, etc) to prevent you from getting lost. I got lost because I’m not that good with directions HAHA. However, never panic, stay calm, if you happen to get off track, you’ll find your way back, somehow.
Favorite trails: I’d say Holt Hill and Boston Hill because of the tremendous view of the Boston Skyline. Boston looks really small from a distance, but still beautiful nonetheless.
Other thoughts: On my latest hike there with my friend, it was pretty hot, early Sunday morning on Labor Day Weekend, and it was quite the workout. The trails are not challenging, but you will sweat. If you need a little get-​away from civilization from the city or town or wherever you’re from, do stop by here and enjoy the wilderness.

A really excellent place to walk. Ward is a lot bigger than it may seem. Take a look at the map!
Elephant rock is a popular destination hike with two trail options of different levels of intensity.
In the Spring, make sure to take a walk along the boardwalks on the Western edge abutting rte 125 and you may see nesting Egrets, Great Blue Heron as well as a variety of warblers on other migratory birds.
Remember to give a little to the Trustees of the Reservation if you have it to give as they take care of the entire Reservation.

Took my dogs, they loved it. Very enjoyable leisurely hiking. Absolutely infested with ticks, however… So much so that I will likely not bring the dogs back. Will probably return with just the humans next time, been pulling ticks off the dogs all day. Kind of a nightmare for a dog owner.

Took my dogs there and they loved it! Absolutely loved it. Here from Indiana so thank you Unilocalers.

I work nearby for 8 years and never heard of the Ward Reservation. None of my co-​workers heard of it either. One day I went there wanting clear my head after a sucky day at work. I can’t believe this absolute natural gem is located so close to civilization. There are 2 separate gorgeous vistas of Boston and the surrounding area. I hiked to Boston Hill and loved every minute of the natural beauty, peace and quiet on the well marked trails. I can’t wait to go back and visit many more times.

Awesome place for a variety of hiking trails. Be sure to go up the hill to the solstice stones and see the view of the Boston skyline. Great for dogs as well.

What a lovely place to ramble. It reminds me of the English countryside. Quite away from everything, with meandering, pleasant trails, low stone walls, and wide open meadows. Never crowded, and it always seems like there is more to discover each time I come.

Also a spectacular walk when fall colors are at their peak!
Don’t forget the Pine Hole Bog.

I would never have found this treasure of a park without some help from my fellow Unilocalers… what a fantastic find, though! We were staying in North Andover for a friend’s wedding and spent a lovely hour or two stretching our legs on the Ward Reservation trails.
The hike up to Ward Hill takes just a few minutes from the parking lot (make it a bit longer — and more scenic — by following Rachel’s trail, which skirts around the right side of the hill and ambles through an orchard on the way up) and offers a sweeping view of the Merrimack Valley and the Boston skyline in the distance. There are something like 10 miles of trails meandering through the 700 acre park.
On our way down the hill, we continued past the parking lot to the Bog, where we picked up a laminated guide sheet at the beginning of a boardwalk which extends through the marsh to a little pond. The guide gave some interesting information about the flora and fauna of the bog habitat.
There were a number of families out on a Sunday morning, many with dogs, and even a few mountain bikers. I would be a regular visitor if I lived in the area and was very fortunate to stumble across it as an out-​of-​towner (thanks, Unilocal!).

These are very easygoing trails that are good for families, for dog-​walkers, for bikers and for cross-​country skiers… as well as your average visitor. There’s neat stuff to see along the way — the highlights being the Solstice Stones on Holt Hill, Holt Hill’s great view of Boston, the Pine Hole Bog and the stone fences that run near all the paths and demarcate old property lines. There are several trails, and it gets a little confusing when they all run into each other but the sign posts are pretty good about orienting you.
The Pine Hole Bog is particularly neat — there is a wooden pathway that takes you deep into the bog with laminated self-​guides available at the beginning to take you through the concentric rings of vegetation.
It’s a very pleasant day out — nothing spectacular but pretty and relaxing. Also — please note that there are a lot of Deer Ticks in this area. We found two in our car on the way home. It’s actually noted in the Ward’s website as well — if you go here, wear bug repellent with DEET.

Great place to go and walk and experience a wide variety of environments (swamp, quaking bog, forest, meadow). There are a couple of cool features associated with this reservation that make it more special than others.
1) Holt Hill is the highest point in Essex County and provides a lovely view of Boston. The story goes that when the fighting started in the Boston area for the American Revolution, Andoverites went to the top of this hill and were able to see some of the fighting.
2) There is a fire tower up here. Totally caught me off guard the first time I went.
3) The solstice stones at the top of Holt Hill are awesome! They are inlaid into the ground and have the points of a compass and also the positions of the solstices and equinoxes
Just be careful as there are a crapload of mosquitos here and Andover has had triple-​E recordings in the not so distant past (Like, last year)

Absolutely fantastic place to hike. Great for kids as well.
You must visit the 420-​foot Holt Hill (highest point in Essex County), as on a clear day you can see the Boston city skyline!
There are a total of 13 miles of trails, so you can make the day as long or as short as you want.
This also is a popular place to cross country ski in the winter.
Check it out, you won’t be disappointed!