Beaver Brook

Directions to

Parking for Belmont and Waltham's Beaver Brook Reservation

The target parking area, whose entrance through a low stone wall is guarded by a pair of classic columns unspoiled by a sign, lies in the DCR's Beaver Brook Reservation just off Waltham's Waverly Oaks Road. It's a handy gateway to both the Waltham and Belmont portions of Beaver Brook (dating from 1893, the very first of the Commission's reservations) and, with an investment of five or ten minutes walking through a Belmont subdivision, also opens doors to the Rock Meadow Conservation Area and to adjoining woodlands associated with Metropolitan State and McLean Hospitals.

To find the parking lot, ask www.mapquest.com to provide driving directions from your house to "trapelo road at waverly oaks road" in "Waltham"; the lot is less than a block south of this intersection on the left (for those coming off Trapelo Road). Or, be daring, and try the directions below.From Route 128/95

From Route 128/95 take Exit 29A (Route 2) toward Arlington and Cambridge. Drive 2.69 miles to Exit 56 (Winter Street/Waverly) and at the head of the ramp turn right. Descend Winter Street 0.78 miles, through the Belmont Country Club, to the stop sign at Concord Avenue. Turn left* on Concord Avenue and drive a very short distance to Mill Street, which forks to the right. Follow Mill Street 0.85 miles, through the lights at McLean Hospital and downhill to Trapelo Road, turning right at the grassy little island just before you reach the lights at Trapelo. Go right (west) on Trapelo Road and move into the left lane as quickly as possible to set up for a left turn at the first set lights (Waverly Oaks Road), make the left, then drive less than a block, looking for a break in the low stone wall. Go left through the wall. A good sized parking lot should open in front of you. If not, call us ASAP (978-808-0900), describe what you see around you, and we'll work something out.

MapQuest calculates a 9 minute driving time from 128 to the parking lot using this route.

* Note: MapQuest advises a right turn here; they’re mistaken.

From Lexington

For trips originating from locations offering ready accessibility to Massachusetts Avenue and its intersection with Pleasant Street (Routes 4/225) in Lexington at Wilson's Farm, consider avoiding Route 128 and 2 altogether and electing the "inside" route. Take Pleasant Street past Wilson's a quarter mile or so 'til it forks, then take the left fork (Watertown Street) over Route 2, where it becomes Winter Street in Belmont. Follow the directions above from there