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Best Mountain Hikes near Boston

The directory currently contains 6 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Boston. Their average mapped distance is 96.5 km and average recorded ascent is 326 m (1,070 ft); the longest route in the set is 381 km.

This subset represents 3% of the 177 quality-checked routes near Boston. Its average distance is 96.5 km, compared with 8.7 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 326 m (1,070 ft), versus 63 m (207 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 5 (83%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

3.0 km

Ridge Trail

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

32 m

Boston HarborWalk

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Expert

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
381 km
/ 237 mi
Elevation gain
774 m
Typical duration
91 hr
  • Mountain
  • Long-distance path
Expert

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
50.9 km
/ 31.6 mi
Elevation gain
508 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
Expert

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
44.8 km
/ 27.9 mi
Elevation gain
210 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
The Boston Design Center and the Cruiseport. Shot with Canon EOS REBEL T1i - EF-S17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM @ 47 ¹⁄₂₅₀ sec at f/11 - 100 - no flash
Expert

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
46.0 km
/ 28.6 mi
Elevation gain
32 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
Moderate

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
68 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Mountain
Expert

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
52.9 km
/ 32.9 mi
Elevation gain
362 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Bay Circuit TrailMassachusetts381 km774 m91 hrExpertApril to October
Warner TrailMassachusetts50.9 km508 m12 hrExpertApril to October
BCT Section 2Massachusetts44.8 km210 m10 hrExpertApril to October
Boston HarborWalkMassachusetts46.0 km32 m10 hrExpertApril to October
Ridge TrailMassachusetts3.0 km68 m44 minModerateApril to October
Mystic Link TrailMassachusetts52.9 km362 m12 hrExpertApril to October

Bay Circuit Trail, Warner Trail, BCT Section 2 currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

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