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Hiking Trails Over 20 km near Boston

The directory currently contains 17 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Boston. Their average mapped distance is 51.7 km and average recorded ascent is 219 m (719 ft); the longest route in the set is 381 km.

This subset represents 10% of the 177 quality-checked routes near Boston. Its average distance is 51.7 km, compared with 8.7 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 219 m (719 ft), versus 63 m (207 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is at least 20 km long. Whether it is normally completed in one day or in stages is not inferred from distance alone. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 17 (100%) 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

23.8 km

BCT 11

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

70 m

BCT 11

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

Bay Circuit Trail

Massachusetts · United States

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

Warner Trail

Massachusetts · United States

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

BCT Section 2

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
44.8 km
/ 27.9 mi
Elevation gain
210 m
Typical duration
10 hr
  • Mountain
Hard

BCT 10

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
32.2 km
/ 20.0 mi
Elevation gain
281 m
Typical duration
7 hr 38 min
Hard

BCT 11

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
23.8 km
/ 14.8 mi
Elevation gain
70 m
Typical duration
5 hr 20 min
Former freight house at Wayland station in July 2016
Hard

BCT 7 Lincoln/Wayland

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
25.4 km
/ 15.8 mi
Elevation gain
154 m
Typical duration
5 hr 50 min
Hard

BCT Section 1A

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
20.2 km
/ 12.6 mi
Elevation gain
82 m
Typical duration
4 hr 30 min
Hard

BCT Section 3

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
31.4 km
/ 19.5 mi
Elevation gain
199 m
Typical duration
7 hr 21 min
Hard

BCT section 4

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
21.8 km
/ 13.6 mi
Elevation gain
175 m
Typical duration
5 hr 1 min
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

Boston HarborWalk

Massachusetts · United States

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

BCT 12

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
20.6 km
/ 12.8 mi
Elevation gain
47 m
Typical duration
4 hr 32 min
Expert

Mystic Link Trail

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
52.9 km
/ 32.9 mi
Elevation gain
362 m
Typical duration
12 hr
  • Mountain
Groton School, as viewed from the top of the chapel.
Hard

Groton Tour

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
27.2 km
/ 16.9 mi
Elevation gain
289 m
Typical duration
6 hr 28 min
Groton School, as viewed from the top of the chapel.
Hard

West Groton Tour

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
23.3 km
/ 14.5 mi
Elevation gain
213 m
Typical duration
5 hr 26 min
Hard

BCT Section 13

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
22.9 km
/ 14.2 mi
Elevation gain
89 m
Typical duration
5 hr 8 min
Hard

BCT Section 14

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
26.0 km
/ 16.2 mi
Elevation gain
91 m
Typical duration
5 hr 53 min

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
BCT 10Massachusetts32.2 km281 m7 hr 38 minHardApril to October
BCT 11Massachusetts23.8 km70 m5 hr 20 minHardApril to October
BCT 7 Lincoln/WaylandMassachusetts25.4 km154 m5 hr 50 minHardApril to October
BCT Section 1AMassachusetts20.2 km82 m4 hr 30 minHardApril to October
BCT Section 3Massachusetts31.4 km199 m7 hr 21 minHardApril to October
BCT section 4Massachusetts21.8 km175 m5 hr 1 minHardApril to October
Boston HarborWalkMassachusetts46.0 km32 m10 hrExpertApril to October

Bay Circuit Trail, Warner Trail, BCT Section 1A 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

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

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