Hiking in Ward Reservation

Now that we have a toddler, Kendra and I are always on the lookout for local kid-friendly hikes. We had a free morning today, so we decided to check out Ward Reservation, which is straddled between Andover and North Andover, Massachusetts. Our nephew, Eoin, came along too – he seems to have caught the hiking bug!

Ward Reservation is comprised of 700 acres of woodlands, wetlands, and three hills – Holt, Boston, and Shrub. Named for Charles W. Ward, the reservation is currently maintained by The Trustees of Reservations. There are almost 10 miles of trails strewn throughout the land, including part of the Bay Circuit Trail, which runs through the suburbs of Boston and connects the North and South shores of Massachusetts. Though everyone we came across was hiking, Ward Reservation would be a great place for biking or trail running, as the trails are wide and level – which is also what makes it great for kids.

After parking in the small lot at the entrance to the reservation, we crossed the road and took Rachel’s Trail to the Bog Trail. Addie began the hike in our Deuter Kid Carrier III, but quickly decided she wanted to hike. She and Eoin enjoyed crunching leaves under their feet. When a beautiful snowy-white dog rounded the corner, Addison squealed. He was quickly followed by a fluffy white dog who gave Addison a big lick on her face. She was delighted, and kept shouting, “puppy!” as she reached out to pet them.

Next we turned onto the Bay Circuit Trail, which led to the top of Holt Hill, which at 420 feets is the highest point in Essex county. It was a clear, sunny morning, and we were able to see the Boston Skyline, which is 27 miles south. Eoin enjoyed hopping on the Solstice Stones on the summit, which mark the points of the compass.

Though it was a chilly day, we all enjoyed the hike. I highly recommend the trails for little ones – they are all easy to moderate in difficulty, and there are lots of things to explore on the way up the hill. We found an old stone chimney that had fallen over. Next to it was a geocaching box that, sadly, had been left open in the rain. After flipping through the notebook, Kendra put it back in the plastic container and placed it back in the chimney.

The trails were marked with blazes, but so many of the trails cross over each other, or run together, that I imagine it would be easy to become disoriented on a longer hike. It’s best to have a trail map with you, which you can pick up at the parking lot, or you can download a copy of the Ward-Reservation-Trail-Map.

We will definitely be back soon to explore more of the trails, climb Boston and Shrub hills, and check out Pine Hole Pond, a quaking bog.