Wachusett Mountain State Reservation

«Excellent» for workouts outside or even a light day trip activity — bring your loved ones — children and up!
Beautiful views of Boston, Berkshires, and White Mountains (well the Monadnock. Accessible for all 4 seasons!
The elevation and distances provide the perfect combination for an hour workout minus the dim fluorescent lights and the sweaty stew of the gym.
Best of all its a little over an hour from Boston and most other points.
There is a highway to the top if you feel like just coasting and rest rooms down at the base parking lot in case you drink to much coffee pre-​hike!!!
Cheers!

You are able to drive or hike in hopes of catching a multi state view from the top of the mountain, unfortunately it was very foggy Sunday with virtually no visibility. The mountain provides skiing during the Winter with multiple lifts serving a number of different trails, all having the ability to make snow when necessary. Out of season one or two lifts are available for those folks wishing to ride to the top. A very nice local resource for hiking, biking, skiing with a great view whne the weather permits.

How is this not five stars?!
I’ve run here dozens of times and biked here a lot more (closing in on 100 road summits) so I’m pretty familiar with the road and trails. I also make it a habit to explore as many local, state, and federal parks in Massachusetts so I’m pretty comfortable with its «competitors» too.
Hands down, this is one of the best maintained parks I’ve ever been to and I love logging miles here. Kudos to the DCR! They have decent parking (if you’re cycling, park down at the lodge for some extra space and vertical), a great water fountain (an under appreciated asset), and amazing views. The trail maps are accurate and the grounds (including the summit) are clean with plenty of trash cans.
The auto road is beautifully paved and well maintained. My *only* complaint is the terrible placement of the new (2014) gate across the road. I suspect it was located strategically for cars but coming down on a bike its around a blind corner and has caused some accidents and broken ribs for other cyclists. Adding some rumble strips in the pavement seems like a reasonable fix.
Cyclists — please just remember there are pedestrians walking with kids and dogs. Be considerate when describing and save the 50+ mph for the lower section of last the park parking on the way down to the lodge (on Mountain Rd /​Mile Hill Rd).

Went here today for a nice drive and some pretty views!
Cost to drive to the top is only $ 2 dollars. Not bad! Ride is about 8 minutes to the top without stopping.
There are a few really nice lookouts on the way up:)
At the top it’s a short walk to the summit. There are a few lookout areas and some really nice views!
For the hikers out there there are many different trails up or you can walk the road!
It was a nice Sunday trip!:) enjoy!

I hike here weekly due to convenience. A lot of well maintained trails. But the auto road and summit tower detract from the hiking experience. Out of the ski area, Balance Rock Trail to Old Indian is a good hike. Around the backside, I like Echo Lake to High Meadow to Jack Frost to Mountain House. Good place for first time hikers and children!

Spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon here.
We parked at the ski lodge (ample parking and signs) and took the Balance Rock Trail to the Old Indian Trail. The Balance Rock Trail is less than half a mile and very gentle; pretty much anyone who can walk can do it. Old Indian Trail is a little over a mile and is mostly a gentle climb, although near the summit it begins to get steep and rocky. You also cross over several ski areas and lifts on your way. It was here that the trail markings seemed to be less straightforward and resulted in us accidentally walking through a non-​trail area at one point. Luckily, we went back to a ski trail and saw people up ahead, so ran to where they were and got back on track!
We brought lunch and ate at the top, although it was very windy and we only found one picnic bench.
Just as an FYI: the ski lodge was locked which is a problem when you need to go to the bathroom before a hike, although there was a porter potty.
I would definitely go back, but just be prepared for a bit of a tough climb toward the summit of Old Indian Trail.

Just skiing and snowboarding. It’s the afternoon snowboarding time.

Great place for a hike in Central Mass. You’ll be surprised at the number and variety of trails– from a cleared path with a slight incline, to rocky, cliff like paths, Wachusett has plenty to choose from. Park at the Ski Area at the bottom of the mountain for free, rather than the «State Reservation» ($ 2.00).

It’s hard to believe this, but we have just discovered all of the hiking possibilities that Wachusett has to offer. We have come up here to hike two times now, and I am sure we will be making the trek again and again. The trails here are well maintained and have excellent markings. This is a great place to go if you’re looking for something a little more challenging than a nature walk but less strenuous than Mount Monadnock.
For our first hike, we parked at the State Reservation parking area and took the Pine Hill trail up to the Summit. This trail is short but steep and is basically one long stone staircase. It is half a mile, spans 600 feet of elevation, and took us about 30 minutes one way. Halfway through you come across a paved roadway, which takes you a bit out of nature. We took the Mountain House Trail on the way down, which is about a mile long and was less steep.
For our second hike, we parked at the ski lodge and took the Balance Rock Trail to the Old Indian trail. The Balance Rock Trail is less than half a mile and very gentle; pretty much anyone who can walk can do it. It is worth the trip to see the strange rock formation, a giant boulder resting precariously on top of another giant boulder. Beyond the rocks, it branches off to the Old Indian Trail. Old Indian Trail is a little over a mile and is mostly a gentle climb, although near the summit it begins to get steep and rocky. You also cross over several ski areas and lifts on your way. It was here that the trail markings seemed to be less straightforward and resulted in us accidentally walking through a non-​trail area at one point. Whoopsies.
Because Old Indian Trail is steep near the end, and we saw an experienced hiker trip and fall on his way down the steep rock face (he was okay), we decided to take the paved roadway down and connect back up with the trail halfway down where it was more gentle. This turned out to be a good thing, as there is a nice lookout point on the paved roadway, where we took some nice pictures.
They lose half a star because despite their website stating they were open for the day, the ski lodge was locked, and the parking is so limited at the reservation parking area, we couldn’t even get close to it on a nice day. That is bad when you need to go to the bathroom before a hike. They lose another half a star because the paved roadway and construction at the Summit takes away from the natural beauty of the area. It is fine, but I do prefer feeling more in touch with nature, and so far I have not found a trail here that does not get disrupted by man made structures.

I just discovered these trails this fall, and am a little sad that I haven’t discovered them before now. While, it’s not a tough climb, it’s a nice climb and depending on your energy level and time frame there are several options for hiking at Wachusett mountain.
Now, let me warn you that this is not a wilderness (I’m all alone with nature) type of hike. Wachusett is a pretty popular spot, but it has reason to be. The trails are well marked and the map is easy to read. The top of the mountain offers plenty of seating, with picnic tables, a small pond, and lots of wall space, and the views are great. You can see Boston in the distance on a clear day.
Trails range from ½ mile to the summit to about 2 miles to the summit and it seems that there are trails that lead off Wachusett to other peaks as well — haven’t checked them out, so you’re on your own there.

This review is of the hiking at Wachusett Mountain State Reservation. We took the Balance Rock and Old Indian Trail to the summit and back. The trails are nice and well-​marked, though the crossing over ski paths and roads keeps you from feeling you’re truly out in nature. Similarly, the top has a ski lift, towers, and construction, and the views are only so-​so. On the pro side, the picnic tables — while not facing the views — were very convenient. Overall, go elsewhere (Mt. Monadnock) for a more intense hike and better views, but Wachusett made for a totally pleasant half day in the woods.