Favorite Trail Walks of Wellesley

Trails Committee members have prepared favorite trail walks that represent the beauty and diversity of our open space and conservation lands. These walks let you enjoy the four major open space areas, little seen scenic spots, geological formations, and historical places along our trails. 

1. Boulder Brook Reservation (PDF)

Explore this open-space jewel and walk the woodland and meadow trails adjacent to the Bates School in Kelly Memorial Park and Boulder Brook Reservation.  See large glacial erratics, landscape carved by the glaciers and a scenic view from the top of Rocky Ledges.

2. Centennial Reservation (PDF)

Take a picturesque walk through rolling meadows to the top of Maugus Hill, one of the highest points in Wellesley. Explore this conservation land purchased by the town for Wellesley's 1981 Centennial Celebration.   View the Great Blue Hills in Canton from a hillside meadow overlooking the town of Needham.  

3. Charles River Trail (PDF)

Take this scenic, easy, short walk along the Charles River at the Wellesley Office Park.  The trail is ADA-accessible and has multiple stops along the paved pathway with views of the river.

4. Fuller Brook Park (PDF)

The Brook Path is the most popular trail in town for walking, jogging, and bicycling. It is an ADA accessible stone dust path in Fuller Brook Park that runs along the  Fuller and Caroline Brooks. Established in 1899, the park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

5. Geological Features (PDF)

Look for geological features noted in many of our Favorite Trail Walks. Featured here is a large rock polished by the glacier at Devil’s Slide, an esker in the Town Forest, and a kettle hole and glacial erratic at Kelly Memorial Park.

6. Hemlock Gorge (PDF)

Explore the trails in Hemlock Gorge, a scenic and historic area along the Charles River at the corners of Wellesley, Needham and Newton.  Get a birds-eye view of the gorge from Echo Bridge and stand under the main arch and count the number of times you hear your echo.

7. Lower Falls (PDF)

Walk through an historic part of Wellesley and enjoy scenic views along the Charles River. See the Waterway at Indian Springs Park, the Cochituate Aqueduct, and the Mary Hunnewell Fyffe Footbridge at the Cordingly Dam.

8. Morses Pond (PDF)

Walk the trails along Morses Pond, a 102 acre pond and a source for our town water wells. View the pond, islands and wildlife. The walk will take you through a pine forest along the Cochituate Aqueduct and along the shore line at the town beach.

9. Rockridge Pond (PDF)

Take a short, scenic trail along the shore of this picturesque pond nestled in a wooded area in the Cliff Estates.   This is a favorite open space area for winter skating, fishing, picnicking, walking, bird watching and relaxing.

10. Town Forest (PDF)

Take a pleasant walk on the woodland trails in our Town Forest.  The forest is the largest reservation in the Town and supports a wide variety of wildlife and birds in a natural environment.  Walk along the Longfellow Pond shoreline and climb to the top of a spectacular high esker deposited by glaciers. 

11. Waban Arches (PDF)

A pleasant walk along the Charles River will take you to these historic arches on the Sudbury Aqueduct. The aqueduct was completed in 1878 and was the second aqueduct constructed to provide fresh water to Boston.