| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Noon Hill , MA |
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 | Trails: |
Bay Circuit Trail, Red Trail, Orange Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Sunday, June 1, 2025 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
I parked by the gate in a small dirt parking area where Charles river Link meets Hospital Rd 0.2mi east of its jct with Rt 27. Room for a few cars here and there was one wen I arrived at 2pm. I was the last one around 9pm. I got a Lyft back to my car for almost $20 which was rather unfortunate as it was only 4.7mi to the car. 3.8mi if you turn left at Ralph Wheelock School rather than right so this would be a section that wouldn't be awful without a ride/car spot. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Wet Trail, Standing/Running Water on Trail, Mud - Minor/Avoidable, Mud - Significant |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Trivial |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
The BCT is marked with circles with its name on it and white plastic blazes. The section in and around McCarthy Park was lacking markers, as was Vine Lake Cemetery (the cemetery's are usually a place of confusion/ambiguity), and the section just south of Ralph Wheelock School. Probably many more that I'm forgetting about too. I think that trails were well marked and signed in the Shattuck and Noon Hill Reservations. Small leaner on Red Trail on the lollipop part of the loop in Shattuck Reservation. A couple more small leaners 10min later. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Good trails for dogs. They are allowed off leash so long as they're under control at all times in Shattuck Reservation but must be leashed on Noon Hill Reservation. |
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 | Bugs: |
I was surprised to see that there weren't any!! |
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 | Lost and Found: |
None |
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 | Comments: |
2nd hike of the day to redline the rest of Section 14 of the BCT in the guidebook. I started partway into the section where the trail crosses Hospital Rd in Medfield. The trail description online says that the trail follows a dirt road parallel to Hospital Rd here but there wasn't one. Just a field with very tall grass and an overgrown path perpendicular to the road with no markings. I followed Hospital Rd to a dirt drive at the top of the hill which I took right toward McCarthy Park (no markings). As it descended, look for a grassy path with a BCT marker on it. I followed a drive through McCarthy Park (no markings) to the back end of it where there was a BCT marker leading you into the woods. East of West St, the BCT does not follow the BCT too closely as shown on Gaia. There aren't any of many markers through Vale Cemetery but the direction online are pretty good. Head straight straight , then take a left toward a big American Flag, then head down toward the pond. I didn't have the guidebook on me, so I redlined all of the Red Trail and Orange Trail in the Shattuck Reservation (the latter of which may be worth your time as it goes around a nice pond) as I thought I remembered the Shattuck Reservation being in the guidebook but I was mistaken. Glad I didn't go out of my way to do Yellow and Blue Trails too! Make sure not to miss the left (again, not marked) right after the railroad tracks to head toward Ralph Wheelock School. No clear parking situation right at the town lown so I continued a short ways to the powerline swath so I can start my next hike from there. The road portions of trail I found pretty nice and there were some views from the ledges on Noon Hill just south of the summit. Gaia had me at 15.6mi, 625ft of gain, 5hr39min. |
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 | Name: |
Liam Cooney |
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 | E-Mail: |
liamcooney96@gmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2025-06-03 |
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 | Link: |
 https:// |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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