Our Blog
Blue Hills: The Great Escape — What a Night!
What a night! On September 17, more than 100 Blue Hills supporters came together at the Irish Cultural Centre to celebrate the place that gives all of us a chance to escape. We’re so happy so many Friends could join us for a fun night under the tent.Your support at...
2026 Blue Hills Photo Contest Open for Submissions!
Do you have a favorite photo from your adventures in the Blue Hills? We want to see it! Our 2026 Photo Contest runs from September 25 through October 23. Show us how you captured in the past year the beauty, wildlife, people, and activities that make the Blue Hills...
Sunset Hike & Hilltop Concert Returns October 10
A fall sunset. Live music. A Blue Hills hilltop. What could be better? Join Friends of the Blue Hills on Saturday, October 10, 2026, for one of our favorite fall traditions: the Sunset Hike & Hilltop Concert on Great Blue Hill. Last year, hundreds of people made...
Love Building Relationships? Help Us Grow Support for the Blue Hills
We're looking for a part-time Individual Giving Manager to help us grow support for the park. You are the perfect candidate if you are outgoing and passionate about caring for our public land, fundraising, and being a part of a vibrant and growing organization. You...
Blue Hills: The Great Escape Dream Dinner Raffle
Congratulations to Jennifer W. for winning this year's Dream Dinner Raffle! An unforgettable evening. An extraordinary meal. A one-of-a-kind setting. What if your next dinner out wasn't at a restaurant, but on the shores of beautiful Ponkapoag Pond in the heart of the...
Hidden in Plain Sight: The Cold War Ruins of the Blue Hills
I took a walk the other day in one of the more remote parts of the Blue Hills Reservation: the southeastern side between Route 24 and High Street in Randolph. What I discovered was a bit unexpected, considering I was within 7,000 acres of conservation land: a Cold War...
Leave No Trace Is About More Than Nature
It's About Community When people hear "Leave No Trace," they often think of packing out trash or staying on the trail. While those actions are important, Leave No Trace is about something even bigger: creating outdoor spaces where both nature and people can thrive. At...
Meet Yasser: Bringing Curiosity to Conservation
The Blue Hills community is made up of so many people from all over the area, including the towns touching the park, Greater Boston, and beyond. And with 1 million or so visitors enjoying the park every year, we want to make everyone feel welcome. That’s where our new...
Jeanette’s 91 Years Near the Blue Hills — And What It’s Meant to Her
Dear Friend, Recently, I represented Friends of the Blue Hills (FBH) at a neighborhood condominium association meeting in Dorchester. It was a special invite for me — this was a community I once called home. The condos are right on the edge of the Blue Hills...
How I Turned My Commute Into a Trail Walk
Picture it: you're in your car on a Wednesday evening. You’ve been stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic for at least 45 minutes with no end in sight — brake lights ahead of you as far as the eye can see. Beyond your windshield the sun is shining and a breeze ruffles the...
Meet William F. Rogers: Civic Leader & Ski Slope Namesake
From Civic Leader to Conservationist William F. Rogers was a devoted civic leader from Braintree, Massachusetts, whose lifelong passion for the Blue Hills helped transform the reservation into a cherished public recreation area. Serving for many years as Braintree’s...
How To Train for a Spartan Race — Blue Hills Style!
For years, I lived next to one of the most valuable obstacle course racing (OCR) training grounds in the region and didn’t know it. That changed more than five years ago when I began my OCR journey — a sport I quickly grew to love. That training ground is the Blue...
Orchard Cove: Park Partnership in Action
🍃Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.🍃 – Henry Ford One of the park's long-time partners, Orchard Cove, is the embodiment of Henry Ford's thinking. They have supported the park for several years as an event...
Proposed DCR Cuts Put Your Park at Risk
The Blue Hills Reservation, as well as all other Massachusetts’ state parks, rely on strong operations and seasonal staff to stay safe, clean, and accessible. This is especially essential during the busy spring and summer months that will be here before you know it. A...
Help Us Welcome New Communities to the Blue Hills
Friends of the Blue Hills (FBH) is hiring a part-time, year-round Community Engagement Specialist to help bring our outdoor programs to life. This role is perfect for someone who is passionate about environmental education, thrives in natural spaces, and is excited to...
FBH Welcomes New Board Members
We’re excited to welcome the four newest members of the Friends of the Blue Hills Board of Trustees! Each of them joins us with a special connection to the park, from having fond memories on the trails to spending time studying New England’s unique forest ecology. ...
Infographic: Where Your Gift Goes
Curious where your donations go? Every dollar helps bring the Blue Hills to life! From organizing and leading large, themed group hikes like the Widowwalker series to putting together magical sunrise and sunset treks timed to each solstice, your generosity makes the...
Celebrating the 2025 Blue Hills Photo Contest Winners
We’re excited to share the winners of this year’s Blue Hills Photo Contest! The big reveal happened at our Annual Meeting on November 6, where members and friends got a first look at the stunning images that capture what we all love about the Blue Hills—its wildlife,...
2025 Sunset Hike & Hilltop Concert Highlights
On a crisp autumn afternoon on October 11, about 200 nature lovers followed the sound of music up the Red Dot Trail to the top of Great Blue Hill. Waiting at the top were the welcoming sounds of classic cover band Retro Rockets, community partners, and plenty of...
Understanding the Blue Hills Trail Number System
Have you ever been moving along a trail in the Blue Hills Reservation and wondered how to interpret those white wooden signs posted on select trees where trails intersect? Well, wonder no more! They’re part of a clever navigation system designed to make exploring...
A Night of Fun and Fundraising for the Blue Hills
The tent at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton was alive with energy on Thursday, September 18, as about 100 Blue Hills supporters gathered for the 2025 Annual Celebration of the Blue Hills. It was an evening full of laughter, music, great food — and record-breaking...
White-Tailed Deer Management Program 2025
Deer Management to Improve Forest Health in the Blue Hills Reservation The following information is from the Blue Hills Deer Management brochure for 2025 from DCR and Mass Wildlife. If you have questions about this program, please contact DCR. From the canopy to the...
What’s in a Name? Ponkapoag Trail
The name of each trail in the Blue Hills Reservation has its own story — sometimes a reflection of its indigenous or settler-colonial past; sometimes a marker of its physical characteristics. In this occasional blog series, we will explore how some of our favorite...
Meet Our New Seasonal Community Engagement Specialist!
Summer is the busy season in the Blue Hills Reservation. Guided hikes, trail work, educational programming, and community events large and small round out the Friends of the Blue Hills (FBH) calendar well into fall. There's a lot going on, and with just three...