Blue Hills Reservation, Nature reserve in Canton, Massachusetts
Blue Hills Reservation is a nature reserve in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, covering wooded slopes, wetlands, and low hills. The land stretches across several towns south of Boston and offers more than 125 miles (200 kilometers) of trails.
The Metropolitan Parks Commission created this reserve in 1893 as one of the first public recreation areas in Massachusetts. The founding followed the late 19th-century urban reform movement that sought open access to nature.
Settlers and immigrants once harvested timber and stone from these slopes before the land became protected. Today locals come to walk their dogs or spend warm afternoons by the pond shore.
The trails accommodate hikers, riders, and cyclists throughout the year. Houghton's Pond allows swimming in summer, while some slopes offer cross-country skiing in winter.
The Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory on Great Blue Hill has recorded weather data continuously since 1885. This measurement series is the longest continuous climate record in North America.
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