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Loop Trails near Boston

The directory currently contains 33 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Boston. Their average mapped distance is 3.8 km and average recorded ascent is 45 m (148 ft); the longest route in the set is 11.8 km.

This subset represents 19% of the 177 quality-checked routes near Boston. Its average distance is 3.8 km, compared with 8.7 km across the full local set.

Every route in this set is classified as a loop and returns to its starting area. A loop can still reuse part of the same path. Within this set, 25 routes (76%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) are rated hard or expert, and 33 (100%) 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

4.7 km

Great Meadows Bird Observer Trail

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

0 m

Great Meadows Bird Observer Trail

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

Return logistics

6 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

A man fishing in the Indian Head River reservoir , on the border of Pembroke and Hanson in Massachusetts.
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
48 m
Typical duration
1 hr 14 min
  • River
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
9.5 km
/ 5.9 mi
Elevation gain
135 m
Typical duration
2 hr 11 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
6.5 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
147 m
Typical duration
1 hr 35 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
11.8 km
/ 7.3 mi
Elevation gain
230 m
Typical duration
2 hr 48 min
  • Waymarked route
Vestigial railroad tracks along side the w:Minuteman Bikeway in Lexington, Massachusetts.
Moderate

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
8.4 km
/ 5.3 mi
Elevation gain
23 m
Typical duration
1 hr 48 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
3.0 km
/ 1.9 mi
Elevation gain
67 m
Typical duration
44 min
  • Lake
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
3.6 km
/ 2.3 mi
Elevation gain
80 m
Typical duration
53 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
10 m
Typical duration
15 min
  • River
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
0.6 km
/ 0.4 mi
Typical duration
7 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
0.5 km
/ 0.3 mi
Typical duration
6 min
  • Waymarked route
Moderate

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
5.4 km
/ 3.3 mi
Elevation gain
125 m
Typical duration
1 hr 18 min
Moderate

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
4.1 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
80 m
Typical duration
59 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.6 km
/ 1.0 mi
Elevation gain
45 m
Typical duration
24 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Typical duration
24 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.5 km
/ 0.9 mi
Elevation gain
6 m
Typical duration
19 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
25 m
Typical duration
24 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
2.7 km
/ 1.7 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
36 min
A trail on the abandoned right-of-way of the never-used Lancaster Railroad in the Danforth Creek Property in Hudson in May 2017
Moderate

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.7 km
/ 1.1 mi
Elevation gain
61 m
Typical duration
27 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
2.1 km
/ 1.3 mi
Elevation gain
13 m
Typical duration
27 min
Farrar Pond, Lincoln Massachusetts
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
5.6 km
/ 3.5 mi
Elevation gain
70 m
Typical duration
1 hr 16 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
4.3 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
38 m
Typical duration
57 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
0.9 km
/ 0.6 mi
Typical duration
12 min
  • Waymarked route
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
5.5 km
/ 3.4 mi
Elevation gain
21 m
Typical duration
1 hr 11 min
Easy

Massachusetts · United States

Distance
1.9 km
/ 1.2 mi
Elevation gain
20 m
Typical duration
26 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
Indian Head River TrailMassachusetts5.6 km48 m1 hr 14 minEasyApril to October
Great Meadows Bird Observer TrailMassachusetts4.7 km0 m59 minEasyApril to October
Reservoir TrailMassachusetts9.5 km135 m2 hr 11 minModerateApril to October
Rock Circuit TrailMassachusetts6.5 km147 m1 hr 35 minModerateApril to October
Skyline TrailMassachusetts11.8 km230 m2 hr 48 minModerateApril to October
ACROSS Lexington Route AMassachusetts8.4 km23 m1 hr 48 minModerateApril to October
ALC ACROSS Lexington Route CMassachusetts4.1 km12 m52 minEasyApril to October
Long Lake LoopMassachusetts3.0 km67 m44 minEasyApril to October
Yellow LoopMassachusetts3.6 km80 m53 minEasyApril to October
Jennie Dugan Brook and Hosmer Trail CircuitMassachusetts2.5 km23 m33 minEasyApril to October

Indian Head River Trail, Great Meadows Bird Observer Trail, Skyline Trail 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.

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