MILLENNIUM PARK:
WEST ROXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS
-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-
Last Updated: June 9, 2013
Length: Millennium Park Loop [Outer Loop]; 1.4 miles
Mezzanine Loop [Upper Loop]; 1.1 miles
Skyline Loop [Inner Loop]; 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy. Flat paved rail trail.
Directions:
Take Exit 33 off I-95/Route 128 to Great Plain Ave and travel east. Great Plain Ave becomes Needham St. Turn left onto the VFW Pkwy. Take your first left on Charles Park Rd and continue straight on Gardner St into the park. There are multiple parking lots. I took my first right and parked in the first lot next to Field A (on map).
Millennium Park is built atop the former Gardner Street Landfill and was covered with dirt from Boston's "Big Dig". This 350 acre park is full of sport fields, a picnic area, has a canoe launch for the Charles River and contains three layers of paved paths encircling it. The Outer Loop partially travels alongside Saw Mill Brook, while the Upper Loop travels around the sport fields atop the park. There is also a nature trail that travels partially alongside the Charles River. For more information visit; MILLENNIUM PARK and BLUE HERON TRAIL .
Starting from Field A parking lot; The Mezzanine Loop [Upper Loop] begins between the parking lot and Field A, while the Millennium Park Loop [Outer Loop] begins below the parking lot via a connector path.
Millennium Park Loop [Outer Loop]; From the parking lot follow the connector path down past the stairs and head right. You'll come to the park road. Here you have two options: 1. Travel on-road along the park road bearing left down to the Canoe Launch parking lot where you'll pick up the paved trail again or 2. Continue along the paved path next to the park road to a trail intersection with the Mezzanine Loop [Upper Loop]. Turn left across the park road and you'll quickly come to another intersection. Right leads to the Skyline Loop [Inner Loop], so head left. Follow to the next intersection and bear left down to the Canoe Launch parking lot where you'll pick up the paved trail again. Come to a map board after 0.5 miles. The trail now follows the outer edge of the park past the Nature Trail then alongside Sawmill Brook. After passing by a connecting trail on your right you'll come to a dirt path on your left at 0.9 miles that leads to a wooden bridge.
Note; This is part of the Blue Heron Trail which utilizes Millennium Park as part of its large loop around Cutler Park Reservation .
Continue following the brook until the trail turns inward returning you back to the parking lot after a 1.4 mile loop.
Mezzanine Loop [Upper Loop]; From the parking lot head left along the paved trail between the lot and Field A. This trail travels alongside the sports fields before turning left at the intersection and across the park road. Bear left at the next intersection. Right leads to the Skyline Loop [Inner Loop]. Bear right at the next intersection as the trail travels the high ground around the park. Continue straight at the next two intersection before passing by the Field B parking lot and finally completing a 1.1 mile loop.
HH
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WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER
BIKE IT OR HIKE IT