COHASSET – Whitney and Thayer Woods - South Shore Family Adventures

Whitney and Thayer Woods was a very pleasant surprise for us all. The two-mile, blue blaze trail that we chose to hike is 1. a piece of cake to navigate (as most Trustee’s properties tend to be), 2. easy to walk on with its wide gravel and hard-packed dirt trails, and 3. FUN. The trail name “Boulder Lane” was a tip-off as to what we might find along the way! But this hike truly produced the goods and did not disappoint: It was absolutely filled with with amazingly awesome boulders to climb! (Bigelow Boulder is the best–it’s marked on the map.) But in addition to fun rocks, we enjoyed looking at the vernal pools, streams, and weird trees, and we even found a geocache. This is a place we’ll go back to again and again–and there is so much more to see here that we have yet to discover!

HOW TO GET THERE

Howes Lane

Cohasset, MA 02025

TRAIL DESCRIPTION & MAP

From the parking lot, we followed the clearly marked blue blazes. The trail was wide and relatively smooth while on Boulder Lane–you could easily do this with a jogging stroller and perhaps even a rugged regular stroller! The blue trail merges with the yellow trail for a while, and it is clearly marked with both color blazes. There are also frequent maps labeled “You are here” throughout the property. However, when we reached the private property section of the woods (the intersection of blue/yellow, blue, and yellow marked Howes Road on the map; see the picture below of the trail map for clarity!), we had to double back to the previous intersection with the black trail on the map (it’s marked with a white blaze on the actual trail). Apparently, the route through the private property is now closed to the public, and you can’t finish the blue loop that way. So, we went back a few hundred feet and took the black trail on the map (white in person) back towards Bigelow Boulder. No big deal, really, but still better to have this knowledge before you set out! Then we headed back to the parking log the way we came.

Trail Map

P.I.N.T. Score

Rated on a scale of 1 (difficult/not good) to 5 (easy/awesome!)

P – Parking & Access – 3 (There is a dirt/gravel parking lot with room for about 20 cars.)

I – Interest Level – 4 (The kids loooooved the boulders and had fun climbing all over them. We were considering rating it a 5, but the second half of the hike–where he blue/yellow overlap–was less interesting.)

N – Navigation – 4 (The trails are well-marked and easy to follow.)

T – Terrain – 4 (The blue loop is fairly wide and relatively flat without a lot of obstacles. You could take a jogging stroller on these trails. The only part that was a bit more narrow and with more obstacles was the black trail on the map–white blazes in person–that we had to use to avoid trespassing where the trail was blocked/closed.)

The P.I.N.T. Score represents our opinions on this trail. It reflects our experience, perception, and physical health. Therefore, the scores are not intended to be expert advice, nor will they be accurate for everyone: we cannot judge what may or may not be appropriate for each individual’s different abilities. Consult a physician or medical expert before attempting any new physical activity. Hiking contains inherent hazards, so hike at your own risk. You should always make your own decisions about what level of physical activity is appropriate for you and your family. Weather and other factors may affect trail conditions. Remember, trail conditions may change suddenly and drastically at any time.

POINTS OF INTEREST

The many boulders along Boulder Lane. There are countless places to climb.

2. This tree was fun….everywhere we go trees try to eat Sebastian…

3. Bigelow Boulder was so cool!!! From certain angles, it reminded us a bit of the ship from the 80’s movie Flight of the Navigator dropped in the middle of the forest.

4. “Titanic Rock” (named by the cousins)

5. This stream running across the trail posed an interesting and fun challenge!! James was the only brave soul to choose the log crossing…and he made it!