Blue Hills Reservation-Trailside Museum - Milton, MA - State Park Passport Locations on Waymarking.com

In Milton, near the town line with Canton, along Canton Avenue, is the Trailside Museum at the foot on the west side of Great Blue Hill, within the Blue Hills Reservation. This vast public land is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (Mass DCR).

To reach this location, from I-93 (also still known as Route 128 though the signs are no longer there), take Exit 2B to Route 138 North. Continue on Route 138 for about a half mile to the first parking lot on the right (there is a sign for the Blue Hill Ski Area), and Trailside Museum at the north end of the lot. There is a second lot after the museum where you can also park if the first lot is full. From the parking lot, walk the short distance to the entrance and the passport book station mounted on a small section of a chain-link fence that is attached to the nature center. The station has a self inking stamp design that has a round hill, a pond, a man fishing, and the word "Blue Hills." On the top of the hill is a vertical structure.

Blue Hills Reservation has over 7,000 acres of woods, ponds, rocky outcrops and wetland habitats. It was one of the earliest parcels of land set aside for pubic recreational use and was part of the Metropolitan District Commission network of parks before being merged with DCR public lands. The reservation has many miles of trails to walk, as well as a golf course, a beach at a pond, and a rock climbing area. See the web site for the reservation for details. On top of Blue Hill, in addition to the radio tower, is a castle-like structure that is the Blue Hill Observatory, which is an active weather observatory that, on Saturdays from February through October is open for tours (for a donation).

The Trailside Museum is a nature center that is jointly run by DCR and Massachusetts Audubon. There is an admission fee into the nature center, but you can walk around the otter pool or any of the animal pens where animals like hawks that have been permanently injured reside here.

The passport station I found is at a different location that is advertised on the web site for the passport program. The address given on the web site is for the Blue Hills Reservation Headquarters, located at 695 Hillside Street, in Milton, near the border with Quincy. I do not know if this station was moved or possibly there are two passport stations. This will have to be investigated.

Name of Park, Protected Area, or Cultural Location: Blue Hills Reservation, Trailside Museum Entrance Name of System or Passport Program: Massachusetts State Parks Passport Available: Yes, for free Parking or Entrance Fee: Not listed Park Website: [Web Link] Address of Station: 1904 Canton Avenue Milton, MA United States of America 02186-2335

Visit Instructions:
No special instructions, but a picture of yourself or of something unique to that place would be a nice touch.

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