Lynn Woods South Side Sampler (Two Towers)

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Unknown

Features Technical

The over-arching theme for Lynn Woods is rocks, lots of rocks. This is one of the premier mountain biking spots in the Boston area and has been popular since the 90s, and probably before that as well. It has sections that are very technical with huge drops and sketchy lines, and most those trails on the north side of the reservation. If that's not your jam or you just wanna try Lynn Woods out, this South Side loop gives you a good taste of what's out there. But don't be fooled. this is still a challenging loop. There are certain spots along the way where you could say this is "too much" and follow gravel roads out, or at about the 3.5 mile mark on this loop, if you think it's been easy and you're looking for more of a challenge you branch off and head to the north side.

Starting from the Great Woods parking lot you'll head through the gate and start climbing up the fire road. The 1st half mile is pretty much straight up with not much of a warm-up. There's a little plateau on the Great Woods Road, and there you'll take a left on Cornell Path, and then take a right on Richardson Pathway by Frog Rock. Richardson Pathway is a technical climb that brings you up to the top of the hill and to Stone Tower. Catch your breath, head to the left, down Boulder Path, which is generally downhill.

From there, it's spits you back out to the gravel road, which will take down and around to Jackson Path. If you look on the map, there is a shorter route you could take, by Dungeon Rock, but most humans would be walking that trail because there are some steep rock stairs. You could, however, take a quick shortcut to at least go see Dungeon Rock.

Anyway, back to Jackson Path, with more of a climb, followed by a short downhill with a short staircase. You'll follow the trail to the Pennybrook parking area, past a small playground, and then take a right back into the woods by the break in the wooden fence.

Stay left on Cedar Hill and then following the course to keep you on track. There are trails that'll take you down to the left towards Birch Pond Trail or to the right back to the gravel road.

The next section has some spots that are really challenging at least two specific technical climbs that are both relatively short by elevation but more of those rocks that by this point you've gotten accustomed to. Following along on some really beautiful singletrack, down Fuller Hill Trail you'll eventually be spit out back to a fire road, Walden Pond Rd at about 3.5 miles.

At this point, you have some choices you could make.

You could take a left, and follow trails that will take you out towards the highway, Route 1, through some power lines, and then to the north side of Lynn Woods, if everything so far has been easy and boring.

This loop however takes you to the right, and you're on a fire road for a stretch for a little bit of a break. Not really a break though, as a good climb is thrown in just because. That second good climb, ultimately on Loop Road which is another gravel road, will get you to the other Lynn Woods tower, steel tower. It's an abandoned fire tower, but this area gives you a great view of the Boston skyline on a clear day. Then there's just one more stretch of singletrack, down Ramsdell's Swamp Trail, which by comparison is pretty easy relative to other trails, and then back to the fire road, and back to the parking lot.

Check out some of the history of this place here: appsprod.northshore.edu/poe…