Tuesday - March 14, 2006
Breakheart Reservation-- Saugus/Wakefield MA
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Breakheart is one of the many year round gem's we have in the greater Boston area. Being less than two miles from our home, it is a location we visit regularly. According to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation the park encompasses some 640 acres of land with hills rising in excess of 200 feet. From the ridge trail which stretches across the highest elevations you can see fore miles on a clear day. The reservation is uniquely positioned with properties in two communities. On one site is in the town of Saugus and the other, the town of Wakefield. Both towns have public access points into the reservation.
From the Wakefield side visitors enter through the gates behind the Northeast Metro Regional Vocational School. There is plenty of free parking available at the school. The reservation does not allow any motorizes vehicles within its confines, so you will need to walk or bike in from the parking lot.
Access from the Saugus side is via Forest Street traveling past the Kasabuski Skating Rink to the main parking area for the reservation. The park headquarters are located just pass the main gate. The Christopher P Dunne Memorial Visitor Center is a terrific place to start and finish your travels within Breakheart. The Center is open year round and provides restroom facilities and learning resources. It is also a great for getting out of the cold and warming up next to a warm fire. The architecture is lodge style and very comforting. There is plenty of seating and even a small library.
Aside from numerous walking and biking trails Breakheart sports two lakes (Silver Lake and Pearce Lake). Fishing is available from shore at both locations. A supervised beach is located at Pearce Lake. There is also a bath house and restroom facilities available during the swimming season. Surrounding the beach are several very nice picnicking areas. One word of caution- since no vehicles are allowed in the park you have to pack or bike everything you need into the beach. This is about a 3/4 mile walk from the Saugus entrance and about 1/4 from the Wakefield entrance. The walk is not difficult and is on paved paths, but a small load can become very heavy over distances like this. Many of the visitors use coolers with wheels or rolling luggage carries. A sturdy backpack will also work well.
The trails and walking paths are pretty extensive. There are two primary paved loops; the inner loop which is about 1.9 miles and the outer loop which is about 2.9 miles. Jutting off of the paved walking paths are numerous trail entries like branches on a tree. There are enough off road trails to keep you walking for the better part of a day. The trails are well market and require varying degrees of fitness. The Friends of Breakheart Reservation post a trail breakout on their web site. The chart outlines the distance and difficulty of the various trails. They also post a PDF version of the trail map . Be patient the site is a little slow, but the two files are worth the wait.
There are numerous activities waiting for you at Breakheart .
Fishing
Biking
Hiking
Cross-Country Skiing
Snowshoeing
Picnicking
There is also a pet park so our four legged friends can play without disturbing the two legged visitors.
Overall:
Food: NA Bring Your Own
Restrooms:
Cost: NA
Hours: See Web Site
Getting there: Map See Web Site
Breakheart is one of the many year round gem's we have in the greater Boston area. Being less than two miles from our home, it is a location we visit regularly. According to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation the park encompasses some 640 acres of land with hills rising in excess of 200 feet. From the ridge trail which stretches across the highest elevations you can see fore miles on a clear day. The reservation is uniquely positioned with properties in two communities. On one site is in the town of Saugus and the other, the town of Wakefield. Both towns have public access points into the reservation.
From the Wakefield side visitors enter through the gates behind the Northeast Metro Regional Vocational School. There is plenty of free parking available at the school. The reservation does not allow any motorizes vehicles within its confines, so you will need to walk or bike in from the parking lot.
Access from the Saugus side is via Forest Street traveling past the Kasabuski Skating Rink to the main parking area for the reservation. The park headquarters are located just pass the main gate. The Christopher P Dunne Memorial Visitor Center is a terrific place to start and finish your travels within Breakheart. The Center is open year round and provides restroom facilities and learning resources. It is also a great for getting out of the cold and warming up next to a warm fire. The architecture is lodge style and very comforting. There is plenty of seating and even a small library.
Aside from numerous walking and biking trails Breakheart sports two lakes (Silver Lake and Pearce Lake). Fishing is available from shore at both locations. A supervised beach is located at Pearce Lake. There is also a bath house and restroom facilities available during the swimming season. Surrounding the beach are several very nice picnicking areas. One word of caution- since no vehicles are allowed in the park you have to pack or bike everything you need into the beach. This is about a 3/4 mile walk from the Saugus entrance and about 1/4 from the Wakefield entrance. The walk is not difficult and is on paved paths, but a small load can become very heavy over distances like this. Many of the visitors use coolers with wheels or rolling luggage carries. A sturdy backpack will also work well.
The trails and walking paths are pretty extensive. There are two primary paved loops; the inner loop which is about 1.9 miles and the outer loop which is about 2.9 miles. Jutting off of the paved walking paths are numerous trail entries like branches on a tree. There are enough off road trails to keep you walking for the better part of a day. The trails are well market and require varying degrees of fitness. The Friends of Breakheart Reservation post a trail breakout on their web site. The chart outlines the distance and difficulty of the various trails. They also post a PDF version of the trail map . Be patient the site is a little slow, but the two files are worth the wait.
There are numerous activities waiting for you at Breakheart .
Fishing
Biking
Hiking
Cross-Country Skiing
Snowshoeing
Picnicking
There is also a pet park so our four legged friends can play without disturbing the two legged visitors.
Overall:
Food: NA Bring Your Own
Restrooms:
Cost: NA
Hours: See Web Site
Getting there: Map See Web Site