Lynn Woods - Pennybrook Road Entrance

Directions to

The Pennybrook Road Entrance to Lynn Woods Reservation

Northern-most of the three almost-contiguous green spaces 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 its brethren are. 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, because of the size of the Reservation, not realistically accessible from the Pennybrook Road parking lot, the lot to which we're directing you, in a two hour round trip on foot. No matter. The southern half has plenty going for it, including most of the Wood's "big attractions," including the two towers, Dungeon Rock (the pirate's treasure cave), and great trails along the edges of all three ponds.

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.

 PS: Don't bother to bring a flashlight to explore the cave, pushed to a depth of 145 feet or so by seekers after buried pirate treasure in the 1800's; the City has closed if off with a pretty serious door.

From Routes 128/95

Drive north to Exit 43 (for Walnut Street in Lynn and Saugus). From 128, it's a straight shot 3.9 miles down Walnut Street, over Route 1, to Pennybrook Road in Lynn. Shortly after the lights at Salem Street, which appear immediately after exiting 128, Walnut Street offers a scenic ride along Hawkes Pond on the left (during which you pass from Lynnfield into Saugus) almost all the way to Walnut's intersection with Route 129. Fork left (ie stay on Walnut) at the lights marking this intersection. Keep going over Route 1. At several subsequent intersections you'll see signs directing you to turn right for the historic Saugus Iron Works; defy the temptation to visit the Works, enjoying instead a picture perfect view of Birch Pond to the left as you continue down Walnut Street. Birch Pond is one of Lynn Wood's three bodies of water; Pennybrook Road, at a set of stop lights, is three or four blocks east of the Pond's end. Turn left and continue on Penny Brook, passing between a pair of handsome pillars into the Reservation parking lot.

This, in our opinion, is the only way to go. If, however, you're a died-in-the-wool do-it-yourselfer, ask MapQuest or your GPS system to take you to the coordinates given below.

*** Good Luck !!! ***

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

180 Pennybrook Road, Lynn, MA 01905 or N42 28.629, W70 59.187

To contact us call 978-808-0900

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