Storer Conservation Area

new england

Close to the edge of the Boston Basin stands an old mansion in a wooded estate. It’s a picturesque scene for a wedding and is, in fact, open to such events. This old estate sits very close to Waltham’s happening Moody Street and is very accessible to suburb dwellers west of Boston.

The mansion, known as Stonehurst, was owned by Robert Paine, an ethical capitalist rare in his day who came of age during the civil war. Now owned by the city of Waltham, his former home is open to public tours during non-event days. His grounds are also now open to the public on any day.

Closer to the mansion and in the nearby woods you will see a plethora of planted flora varieties leftover from the mansions heyday, such as rhododendron. Go southeast of the mansion and you will find a variety of tree enclaves. Oaks dominate the high grounds while beech trees occupy more of the surrounding slopes. White pines, often young, are scattered throughout the property, and were in fact one of the types of trees used to build the mansion. Look on the displayed maps for abandoned tennis courts; if you follow the route you will find the old fence partially standing next to what appears to be a massive beech tree, its malleable smooth bark carved with initials over the years. I have never seen such a huge beech tree and for that alone visiting this site was worth it.

Be wary that some of the trails are not well marked and it’s somewhat easy to find yourself off of the path accidentally. This was especially the case in late October when the downed leaves covered the ground completely. Luckily, the park is small and not very remote so if you do get lost, it’s fairly easy to find your way back to the main trail. Overall, the terrain to the north is nice and flat for an easy stroll. Be prepared for a lot of roots and some smaller slopes if you head south. It’s a largely non-strenuous hike but it may help with your footing to have hiking shoes in that direction. I was unfortunately wearing rather non-grippy sneakers and found myself slipping quite frequently on the falling leaves. Had I realized the dangers I would have brought my high quality hiking boots!

If you want to get to Stonehurst from Boston via public transport, you will need to take bus 70 to downtown Waltham and walk about 20 minutes north. Luckily this bus runs fairly frequently. There is plenty of parking on site and the park isn’t too far from i95, but keep in mind you will be potentially sharing parking with event guests. This was the case for us as we happened to go on the same day as a wedding, but we were still able to find a parking spot without issues.

This is a beautiful space with a storied history, and it a perfect spot to escape the city for a few hours. It is a surprisingly large conservation area and you can easily spend a half day here if you also explore the connected natural preserves!