50K in 50 States by 50 Years Old
The Road So Far: Massachusetts— >15,000K and counting from 2010 and beyond
Well, I mean I live here. But it still counts.
Massachusetts wasn’t what I was expecting when I moved here. It was a pleasant surprise to find coyote, gigantic groundhogs, and the ubiquitous wild turkeys in my distinctly close-to-the-city enclave. It was even more pleasant to discover that despite having such a densely packed urban core and lots of very walkable towns, Massachusetts has worked hard to preserve or rebuild greenways, footpaths, bike trails, and waterways so that it doesn’t take too long before you’re surrounded by nature.
I also wasn’t prepared for the New Englander’s fierce loyalty to their hometown ice cream place and their childhood summer fried clam place. It is a goal of mine to map an Ideal New England Summer Walk to maximize the number of Dunks, ice cream and fried clams per mile, but I haven’t quite gotten to it yet.
Where to get some distance in Boston
My favorite rambles in Boston — I’ve shared the base maps below, but definitely deviate from it and explore. You’ll find no shortage of places to stop off for whatever you need — bathrooms, beverages, food, tourist attractions, you name it.
- The Must-Walk Tourist Loop (7mi loop): North Station into the North End, following the harbor walk, a bit in to the Seaport and then up Summer street into the Common, looping back to North Station on Bowdoin. It’s one of my absolute favorite walks in the city and the one I take visitors on whenever they let me. Public bathrooms at Haymarket, North Station, the hotel on the harbor whose name I always forget, and South Station. Terrain: sidewalks or paved paths that is mostly flat.
- Somerville to Boston (7.5mi one way): I can’t tell you why, but I love walking from Somerville to Boston. If you start at Davis Square you can basically follow the red line (train) to Porter Square, Harvard Square, Central Square, MIT, then across the Charles to the Back Bay. The map is sort of the core walk, but any diversion is good — hug the river when you leave Harvard instead of going through Central Square; wander the Back Bay instead of heading into the South End; loop around the Fens. I think I love this walk because it just hits so much variety in such a short distance. Terrain: sidewalks or paved paths that is mostly flat.
- North Station to Revere Park, Cambridgeside, then back into Charlestown (6mi loop — link up with the Tourist loop for more distance): This one uncovers some hidden gems — the locks behind North Station (look for salmon in the right season, and play the big instrument/art thingy as you come out of the locks), some amazing landscaping and a sweeping pedestrian bridge, a canal that wends it way to a mall, then back under the interstate on a hidden walkway to Charlestown and the Bunker Hill monument before finally heading back home on a very cool old steel bridge that you can see through. Public bathrooms at North Station and Cambridgeside mall. Terrain: sidewalks or paved paths that is mostly flat.
- Boston Common to Harvard and MIT (10–11 miles for just the loop): Walking along the Charles is iconic. Did you know that the Charles River has greenway on both sides which stretch well away from the city? One of my favorite “see it all in one day” loops, this takes you from the Common to walk along the Charles on the Boston side, then cross the river into Harvard, then through Central Square and MIT in Cambridge, before you cross back at a much wider point into Boston. At any point you can just jump on the red line to get back to the city, and there are so many places to explore. Bathrooms in cafes and stores like any major city. Terrain: sidewalks with an option to walk on flat hardpacked dirt along the Charles if you prefer.
Where to get some distance in Eastern Massachusetts
Leaving the city’s edges, my favorite walks are all on the North Shore. Here are a couple more for when you want to get out of the city.
- Parker River National Wildlife Refuge — there’s an entry fee ($5 per car) and beware, in the summer you’re not guaranteed to get in due to beachgoers. Once you’re in, there’s a single, safe road where cars are driving slowly and used to pedestrians. It runs about 6.5 miles out to a beach, so could be done as a 13mi out-and-back. There are trails that run into the marsh and through the dunes and a nice boardwalk near the midpoint. Excellent birding, though beware of bugs in spring and summer. Bathrooms at the entrance, mile 2.5 (ranger station) and mile 3.5 (Hellcat observation area). Terrain: paved road halfway in, turning to crushed gravel that is frankly not a lot of fun in road shoes; very flat. Prepare for serious bugs in late spring through fall.
- Ipswitch River Wildlife Sanctuary — entry fee of $10 per car or free if you’re a Mass Audubon member. As of 2021 reservations were required. 12 miles of excellently marked, well-maintained trails and the less popular ones are pretty quiet year-round. Terrain: off road. Some trails have a tiny bit of elevation gain and some roots that can be hard without good off-road shoes. Prepare for bugs in late spring through fall. Bathrooms at the entrance.
- Lynn Woods Reservation — no entry fee, but it can get crowded in the summer and on nice days. No bathrooms. Terrain: option to take a big crushed-gravel fire road that is easy to walk loops around a reservoir, or truly off-road / singletrack style trails running off the main road. Try to find your way to skull rock.
Celebrating Massachusetts Indigenous Voices
Massachusetts is of course the home of Plymouth, where the United American Indians of New England have held a National Day of Morning event every Thanksgiving day since 1970. Among other work, the UAINE fight for the removal of racist mascots and work to educate people about the true history of colonialism in the United States.
Cultural Survival is an indigenous-led organization that works for global indigenous rights. They work with grass-roots indigenous organizations for economic empowerment, land sovereignty, and other human rights issues.
I have set myself a goal of completing at least 50Km in all 50 states by the time I’m 50. To acknowledge that I’m traveling on land that was stolen from others, I am donating $500 to the First Nations Development Institute for each state I complete.
Thank you for reading and supporting me on this journey. If you’re able to chip in — for your state, or for all 50 states — you’ll help me double the impact I’m able to make on my own.
If you’re from Massachusetts or living there right now, please consider supporting the UAINE, Cultural Survival, or another local and indigenous-led organization.
