Kingston Bay, Massachusetts, the Bay Circuit Trail’s Southern Terminus. Courtesy of Amber Stearns.

On June 2, 2024, I found myself in waist-deep swamp water traversing a flooded dike. As I trudged through the muck, I entertained the possibility of snakes slipping through this water, of leeches latching onto my ankles. I spotted a heron sailing overhead and caught my sandaled foot on some submerged root while looking up. The water was cool but not cold, dirty but not mud. It was drizzling, the air thick with humidity, and I’d hiked my shorts up my hips in a meager attempt to stay dry. I was laughing as I went, joyous. I’d never wanted an office job…  

This swamp had been full of regal Atlantic White Cedar before centuries of resource extraction depleted the environment. In 2002 Mass Fish and Wildlife purchased the property. Today, the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area is home to 81 bird species, cedar and red maple swamps, and plenty of fish.   

It’s one of many protected green spaces along the Bay Circuit Trail (BCT) in eastern Massachusetts.  

I’m the BCT Coordinator, and I work for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) which has been the official managing agency of the Bay Circuit Trail since 2012. The BCT is a 230-mile trail that surrounds greater Boston, linking local parks, greenspaces, rail trails, and roads into one network. The trail passes through 38 towns and a variety of terrain — from marshy preserves excellent for bird watching to rolling mountain bike trails, to the classic New England stone-wall-bordered hiking trails.

As the BCT Coordinator, I facilitate and support a network of dedicated volunteers, land managers, and partner organizations with the shared goals of maintaining, improving, and promoting the BCT. My job looks different every day; some days I work with AMC’s Grants Department to find funding to support trail projects or community engagement, other days have me leading volunteer trail maintenance events and trainings, and still other days are spent on site assessing trail reroutes and boardwalk improvements.

To really get to know the trail, and to conduct a maintenance assessment, I spent fourteen days this spring on a southbound end-to-end hike along the officially designated BCT.

Acton, Massachusetts. Courtesy of Amber Stearns.

End-to-End  

While I had planned to do the trip in two consecutive weeks, life got in the way (as it usually does). Instead, I did the trail in two segments. Ten days in April, four days in June.

I had done some prior planning, including estimations of how far I could walk in a day (about 15 miles, comfortably), where I could park a car or pick up a companion (plenty of spots), if there was anywhere to camp or stay nearby (not many spots), and where to purchase supplies (read: SNACKS) along the way. The result was four nights camping, and nine nights at home or at a friend’s house. Ubers were involved, rides from my mother and brother were involved, kind volunteers were involved.   

The Bay Circuit Trail is an interesting creature. It parallels Interstate 495, within a 50-mile radius of Boston, and is accessible by MBTA buses and commuter rail. While there may be no alpine zones, remote river crossings, or backwoods, the trail does weave through forests of Eastern White Pines, across open fields, and along the wetlands and swamps that define the landscape of eastern Massachusetts. The Bay Circuit Trail has its own charm. 

The Charles River on a sunny day. Courtesy of Amber Stearns.

Charming

I did most of the BCT on my own with a few notable exceptions.  

Jeff Hixon, Vice President of Boxford Trails Association (BTA) led me on a quick trek along Boxford’s seven miles of BCT. He plays a key role in maintaining and managing the gorgeous and extensive trail network in Boxford. Jeff and his canine companion were excellent hiking partners, full of energy, and Jeff was happy to drop informational tidbits along the way.    

Jane Cairns, President of the Andover Trails Board, gave me a tour of the BCT’s 17 miles through Andover, offering her encyclopedic knowledge of the town’s geologic and human history. This, coupled with her astute kindness, made for a wonderful two days. Jane pre-placed jugs of water for us, brought snacks, and enlisted her husband Glenn to give me a ride to a nearby campsite. 

Al French, the kind and inspiring father figure of the Bay Circuit Trail, opened his home to me. He encouraged me to camp on his front lawn and invited me to a hearty dinner and a breakfast made by his kind daughter Cathy, a meal we shared on his 93rd birthday. We spoke at length about the value of the BCT, and I departed his home filled to the brim with warmth, and not just from the well-loved fire in his soot-filled fireplace.   

My final companion was my father, who joined me for my last day on the BCT and braved an overgrown stretch of trail that the spiders had taken ownership of. We took turns leading the way, wielding sticks in a losing battle against numerous spider webs. We sat together and ate our lunch among the trees, the sun high overhead, the mosquitoes close at hand. I could have fallen asleep on that bed of pine needles, tired but happy. 

Barber Reservation in Sherborn, Massachusetts. Courtesy of Amber Stearns.

I spent the rest of my time on the trail alone, with the occasional wave to fellow hikers and cyclists and the occasional glare at speeding cars. I had lots of time to take in the sights and sounds, spotting more wildlife than I had anticipated. A barred owl and I sat in companionable silence for nearly fifteen minutes. A baby turtle that could have fit in the palm of my hand skittered across a puddle, and a massive turtle bigger than my head rested in the cool shade of a silver maple. I froze among a stand of birch trees as a small family of deer pranced ahead, and at the sight of a groundhog shimmying into the underbrush. I spotted great blue herons preening in the shallows of a bog, red–tailed hawks swooping high above an open field, an osprey coasting silently by the marsh, and a curious river otter poking its head up to get a good look at me. 

Inbetween wildlife sightings I was looking at the trail with an eye towards maintenance and improvement. I catalogued and geotagged the mud pits and eroded sections of trail that might need new bog bridges or reroutes. I marked down the mileages where the corridor had overgrown and where downed trees needed to be removed. I took photos of confusing intersections that needed blazing attention, and I took all this data back with me to inform a maintenance plan for the BCT.

I’ve lived in eastern Massachusetts my whole life, and I’ve carved out my own corners of parks and trails that I return to. The BCT, passing only twenty minutes from my house, has opened my eyes to the plethora of greenspace a stone’s throw away. I had been unaware of how much land is protected in this densely populated corner of the world. I’m now working to promote the Bay Circuit Trail to its surrounding communities and bring new volunteers into the fold to experience the joy that the Bay Circuit Trail can bring us all. 

A stand of Pines in Sharon, Massachusetts. Courtesy of Amber Stearns.

“All the Small Things” 

Spending 8+ hours a day walking gives you a lot of time with your thoughts. The one I kept coming back to was how much I love to walk in nature. I love the dripping sweat of a New England summer, the humid drizzles and the drip of water on green leaves. I love the steady sound of my feet on the earth. I love sharing a snack with a friend or a stranger. I love watching the sunset and listening to the owl’s call. I love to be present among the trees and in the swamp. I love to hate the mosquitos, and the blisters, and the sore legs. I love it all. The BCT gave me all of that and more. It gave me a place to learn, to meet new people, to smile at passersby, to laugh.  

 We don’t need tall mountains and deep valleys to find peace in nature. It’s all within reach if you know where to look. I hope you’ll read this and go looking.   

With the support and resources from the AMC and BCT partners, keep an eye out for guided hikes and rides, volunteer trail maintenance days, tabling events, and info sessions for more on the Bay Circuit Trail. AMC is working to create a thriving network and community surrounding the BCT, and now is the perfect time to get involved!

Check out the BCT website, which features trail maps, camping locations, and public transit connections, HERE.