An isolated portion of the Middlesex Fells Reservation north of Boston, Massachusetts, Lawrence Woods is a later addition to the park that boasts easy access to small hilltops, a historic butterfly meadow, tower ruins, and ephemeral ponds that come and go with the seasons. The flora in this area consists of your typical mix of oak, maple, beech, and white pine trees, which boasted tons of stunning colors even late into the fall.
The area was named after a military general and the first mayor of the nearby town of Medford, who owned the land but allowed public recreation usage for years before the land was officially annexed into the park. He is also credited with the building of an observation tower at the site of Ram’s Head Hill; only the remains of this tower can be seen at the site today. This tower was used as a fire lookout in the years before it was dismantled. The hike up Rams Head to see the remaining stairs, as well as some peaking views of the surrounding cities and terrain, is an easy hike up; the Hill stands at a paltry approximately 215 feet above sea level.
This area of the fells is often referenced for its vernal pools, small ponds that fill with water and drain out depending upon the season and precipitation. We didn’t see any areas with water specifically in late October, but there were many low lying areas with many shrubs around trees that may have been vernal pools. It’s important to note that if you do see a vernal pool, you should not enter or disturb the pool. Pools may only be entered with a permit from the state department of recreation. These pools are protected specifically to protect endangered species that use the pools as a breeding ground in the spring. The pools in this area fill up with spring snow melt and rain and drain out over the summer. Vernal pools are very common across Massachusetts and are documented publicly here.
In the southwestern-most area of Lawrence Woods, we came across many berry bushes that were perhaps an old harvesting site. All of these bushes were so concentrated and the area was more devoid of trees, suggesting a bit of prior human intervention in this section. I would be quite surprised if they all grew naturally here.
The northwestern area of the woods is home to the 90mm meadow, named after a military installation that was installed there during the 1950s. A After a successful fight by locals to reject a proposal to build a recreation center on the site, it was converted into a managed pollinator habitat that is open to the public.
We found this area to be a bit less busy than other areas of the fells, perhaps because it sits across a road from the main section of the reservation. However, the hikes are a lot less challenging than some of the other more rocky areas that exist to the northeast of this section. Parking is generally limited and you may need to find street parking in the neighborhoods to the south, or use the small street side lots that sit across the street on the other side of the fells. Regardless, this is a fun hike for those interested in exploring the history of the forest and some unique local habitats. As always, stay on the trail and have fun!