Lynn Woods - Great Woods Road Entrance

Directions to

The Great Woods Road Entrance to Lynn Woods Reservation

Northern-most of the three almost-contiguous greenspaces stretching from Lynn to Melrose, Lynn Woods is, like Breakheart Reservation and the Middlesex Fells, big, hilly, forested, dotted with ponds, and clearly of glacial origin. As do the others, it has its share of historic relics, some hundreds of years old (the "wolf pits" and "the pirate's cave") and some more modern (the "steel" and "stone" towers, dating from the late 1930's, courtesy of the Works Progress Administration). The Reservation itself has existed as an administrative entity since 1881; depending on whose website one quotes, it is, at 2,200 acres, either "the second largest municipal park in the United States" or "the second largest municipal park in the greater Boston area." Note that the Reservation is a municipal park, maintained by the City of Lynn rather than by the State or the MDC, as are its brethren. Within it are to be found an eighteen hole golf course, three good-sized ponds (including a Walden Pond larger than Concord's), and more than thirty miles of trails, a third of which qualify as "civilized" for cycling purposes. Walden Pond cuts Lynn Woods into northern and southern halves; based upon our explorations, the northern half is wilder, less heavily trafficked, more difficult to hike or ride, and more interesting (Bob's opinion). It is also best accessed from the eastern side of the Woods, through the entrance located on Great Woods Road. Like the southern half, it has its points, including a spectacular array of boulders (Great Frog, Balanced, Pirate) and cliffs (Overlook, Weetamoo), but most especially it has the wolf pits, traps laid in the 1600's to rid the area of a "frequent danger to the lives of the people and their livestock." If this doesn't sufficiently whet your appetite, take a look at the Friends of Lynn Woods website (www.flw.org) for photos and historical notes. To get to the Woods:

 From Routes 128/95

Drive north (from Bedford or Lexington about 14.7 miles) on 128/95 to Exit 44B (Park Street/Route 129-E), get off, and take Route 129-E toward Lynn and Swampscott. In about a half mile you'll come to a rotary. Take the second exit (Lynnfield Street/Route 129-E) and continue on it a little over two miles to Great Woods Road, which intersects from the right.  Turn right on Great Woods Road and continue to the parking lot at the end. Park when there's nowhere else to go. Note: DO NOT let the Gannon Golf Course distract you, even if your clubs are in the trunk; you're here on business.

This, in our opinion, is the optimal way to go. Here, however is

An Alternative

If you're happier with a route you've been over in part before, and if you have in the past started with us from the Penny Brook Road entrance to Lynn Woods, consider continuing past it to the lights at Dungeon Road; turn left on Dungeon Road (becomes Parkland Road) and drive it to the lights at Broadway Street. Turn left here and stay left on Lynnfield Street/Route 129 as Broadway forks to the right. Motor along on Lynnfield Street/129 about a half mile to Great Woods Road (on the left), turn left onto it, and proceed down it to the parking lot.

*** Good Luck !!! ***

For those navigating to the start with MapQuest or a GPS system:

 62 Great Woods Road, Lynn MA 01904 or N 42 29.513, W 70 58.486

To contact us call 978-808-0900