Our Blog
Sign Up to Hike with Friends!
Meet friends and hike in the Blue Hills! No matter the hike you choose, you'll meet people like you who love the Blue Hills and want to explore it! If you'd like to challenge yourself to explore ALL trails in the park, sign up for the 125-Mile Club!  If there isn't...
Donating Stock May Offer You Tax Benefits… and Help the Blue Hills
When you donate stock to the Friends of the Blue Hills, you give an amazing gift to the Blue Hills Reservation… and you may receive tax benefits as well. Your donation of stock will care for the Blue Hills’ wildlife by keeping habitat healthy… and make sure visitors...
Planning your IRA withdrawals?
Planning your IRA withdrawals? Consider donating to the Friends of the Blue Hills through a Qualified Charitable Distribution! Donations from people like you are vital to caring for the Blue Hills. Thanks to recent tax changes, donating to the Friends of the Blue...
Celebrate Earth Day with a Free Tree!
The Blue Hills Climate Action Coalition is giving away trees again this year to celebrate Earth Day! Fellow members of the Coalition are distributing trees at their events throughout the Blue Hills region. See event details and event sign ups below. Thanks to REI...
A Forgotten Carnival in the Blue Hills: St Moritz
By Karen Murphy Bowes Hiking through the East side of The Blue Hills, it’s easy to miss. The history is quite rich. St. Moritz pond is man-made, but why? Shea Rink is a staple of the community in Quincy but the selection of this location at the edge of the Blue Hills...
Action Alert: Invest in Our Parks
Please urge your state representative to increase investment in our state parks through the FY23 state budget. The need for investment in our parks system has been apparent for years, but has become more urgent as the Commonwealth struggles to respond to accelerating...
Meet Blue Hills Champion: Pete Jackson
Interview by Julia Lynne Milot, Friends of the Blue Hills intern Pete Jackson is a Blue Hills Champion, someone who has signed up for monthly giving to the Friends of the Blue Hills. Pete has been a Friends of the Blue Hills member and volunteer for over 35 years. He...
Meet Blue Hills Hiker: Michelle DeVivo
Interview with Blue Hills’ hiker, Michelle DeVivo By Julia Lynne Milot, Friends of the Blue Hills Intern Michelle Devivo is new to the Boston area, and has always had a passion for hiking and the outdoors. She hopes to hike all 125-miles of trail in the Blue Hills...
Where is our state rock?
One of the questions on a recent Jeopardy TV show was of local interest and even made news on a local TV station. The category was "The 50 States" and the question was: "Rhodonite is its state gem and Roxbury puddingstone its state rock." The answer (in the form of...
Video: The Essential Role of Moths in the Blue Hills
As a part of her PhD work at UMass Boston, Teá Kesting-Handly has undertaken a 5-year study of hawk moths in 14 Massachusetts state parks, forests, and conservation lands including the Blue Hills. She is documenting how their populations and distribution are different...
Invasive Species Bill Moves Out of Committee
Thanks to our members and partners... the Invasive Species Bill is moving out of Committee! The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture passed the Invasive Species bill out of committee. Thank you to everyone who responded to the action...
How Can Research Protect Turtles in the Blue Hills — Video
The Blue Hills is home to wildlife not often found in Massachusetts, including Spotted turtles. Once state-listed as a Species of Special Concern, Spotted turtles still need healthy habitats and large enough local populations to make sure they survive long-term....
Action Alert: Invasive Species Bill
Today you have a chance to better protect native habitats in the Blue Hills -- and throughout the state. There is currently a bill that is before the the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Environment that would could help better control invasives...
Three Tips for Winter Hiking
By Rick Cushing Rick Cushing is one of the early finishers of the 125-Mile Club, the challenge to explore all 125 miles in the Blue Hills. Rick has hiked in all sorts of weather and has a few suggestions for you if you're thinking of hiking this winter. A few things...
Friends’ Members Work to Improve Dangerous Crossing of Route 28 for Skyline Trail Hikers
Have you ever climbed Buck Hill to enjoy the exhilarating 360-degree view, only to descend the Skyline Trail and experience fear and frustration trying to cross the stream of cars racing along Route 28? As Randolph Town Councilor Jesse Gordon says, “crossing Route 28...
Hike with Friends!
Friends of the Blue Hills volunteers lead regular hikes, including Beginner hikes and Boots n' Brews, mindfulness, and nature hikes. If you'd like to learn when hikes are scheduled, sign up below to receive emails for upcoming hikes, as well as news about the Blue...
Poo-lution Solution Virtual Training
Want to learn about how to help track bio-pollution (dog waste) in the park and be part of an effort to keep our park clean? Watch the training video and then find all the link you need on our Poo-lution Solution page!
The Scoop on Poop
The Scoop on Poop Many thanks to Earthwise Aware for permission to reprint this article. It’s just one dog! Is dog poop really that bad? How about not using a bag and leaving the dog poop to decompose? We hear these sorts of comments all the time. The answer? What...
In Person Training: Poo-lution Solution
Poo-lution Solution - In Person Training January 20th at 10:30 am Houghton's Pond main parking lot, 840 Hillside Street, Milton Register below. Most people leash their dog and take out their waste, but when dog waste is left on the trail, it becomes an environmental...
How Can Research Protect Spotted Turtles in Fowl Meadow?
Thursday, January 27, 5:30 pm Online Lecture with Zoo New England Fowl Meadow in the Blue Hills is home to wildlife not often found in Massachusetts, including Spotted Turtles. Once state-listed as a Species of Special Concern, Spotted Turtles still need healthy...
3 Historic sites in the Blue Hills that you didn’t know about
When you hear about the Blue Hills Reservation, perhaps your mind immediately jumps to treks around Houghton’s Pond or the beautiful views from Great Blue Hill or the otter at the Trailside Museum. You might not know about some of the historic sites that are actually...
Volunteers Needed: Gift Wrapping Event with REI
Do you want to help the Friends and get in the holiday spirit? Join us to wrap gifts at The Rink at 401 Park Saturday, December 18th, 2021 from 11am - 3pm!  The Friends of the Blue Hills is partnering with REI, the official sponsor of The Rink at 401 Park, to offer...
DCR Ponkapoag Pond Master Plan Public Meeting
Department of Conservation and Recreation Commonwealth of Massachusetts Ponkapoag Pond Master Plan & Fisherman’s Cove Improvements Public Meeting Wednesday, December 8th, 2021 6:00pm-7:30pm  Teams Meeting link: Click here to join the meeting  At this remotely held...
DCR Announces 2021 Deer Management Plan for Blue Hills Reservation
The following is a press release from the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The yellow areas on the map indicate where archery will take place. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), in consultation with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries...