Hiking at Borderland
Routes from DCR's suggested hikes
The best first hike at Borderland State Park is DCR's Pond Walk, an easy loop of about 3 miles on wide carriage roads around Lower Leach Pond, starting from the main entrance. For a shorter walk, DCR suggests the 1.5-mile Shady Way to Lily Bay from the visitor center. Both are easy enough for most families. North of the ponds, the Ridge, Granite Hills and Split Rock trails climb over granite ledges to glacial boulders and are rockier going. Dogs are welcome on a leash up to 10 feet.
Hiking at a Glance
The Pond Walk (About 3 Miles, Easy)
DCR's suggested-hikes sheet starts this one at the park's main entrance. Follow the carriage road around Lower Leach Pond. It's mostly wooded, and on the way you pass the stone lodge on the pond's western shore, old foundations, the dam and bridge, open fields, the Ames Mansion and the picnic grounds.
DCR's winter Trip-Tip gives a simple way to follow it: from the visitor center next to the main lot, follow the signs to the Lodge. Keep the Lodge on your right until you reach a wooden bridge and cross it. Bear right where the path splits, go through a field to a farmhouse and keep right, then follow the path to the stone Ames Mansion and take one last right back to the visitor center. DCR suggests allowing at least 90 minutes. DCR's management plan notes a bird blind along this stretch; the park is an eBird hotspot with 115 species recorded by mid-2016.
The Pond Walk is the route for the Healthy Heart Trail, the StoryWalk and DCR's full-moon walks, and parts of it carry the Bay Circuit Trail. It is wide and mostly level, but DCR does not rate it ADA-accessible. Its length varies a little by document; see the trail map page.
Shady Way to Lily Bay (1.5 Miles, Easy)
DCR describes Lily Bay as a shallow inlet full of water lilies, painted turtles and birds. Its route, from DCR's sheet: from the visitor center, turn left down the hill toward Leach Pond. Keep right onto the Pond Edge Trail, with Lower Leach Pond on your left. The Pond Edge Trail ends at the Bay Road carriage road at the edge of Lily Bay, where a bench looks out over the water. Loop back on the carriage road toward the disc golf field, turn right into the field and keep left, then turn left onto the Boulder Trail and climb a few yards to the Ames Boulder. Keep going uphill to return to the visitor center.
The Pond Edge Trail is narrow and flat with exposed roots, so watch your footing, and it is closed to bikes and horses.
Ridges and Boulders (Moderate to Difficult)
DCR's park page says Borderland's trails range from moderate to difficult, and the hardest walking is in the woods north and west of the ponds. The Ridge Trail (1.2 mi) crosses granite outcrops that DCR calls difficult in places. The Granite Hills Trail is a double loop, 0.75 and 1 mile, over rocky terrain with outcrops, glacial erratics and swampy low spots; DCR allows about 1¾ hours for both. The Split Rock Trail passes a 20-foot boulder split down the middle. Link them with the Northwest Trail, which DCR calls gently sloping. All the lengths are on the trail map page.
Quiet Woods and the Cedar Swamp
Two short trails near the ponds are walkers-only. The Swamp Trail (0.3 mi) runs through what's left of an Atlantic white cedar swamp on a short boardwalk, and the Quiet Woods Trail (0.25 mi) ends in a white pine grove at Leach Pond. Together with the Pond Edge Trail, they're the three where DCR bans bikes and horses.
Guided Hikes
DCR staff lead free hikes. In October 2026 the schedule included Off the Beaten Path hikes on different trails each week, 2 to 4 miles at a moderate pace; The Long Hike, 5 miles out to the Morse Loop for a snack on the shore of Dead Swamp Pond, the northernmost part of the park; and a full-moon walk on the Pond Walk with groups at different paces. See events and programs for this month's list.
DCR's Hiking Advice
- Plan on about 1.5 miles an hour, start early, and leave time to reach your car before dark.
- Wear layers and proper footwear. Trails can be wet.
- Bring plenty of water. It usually isn't available on the trails.
- Carry a map and tell someone your plans. Some trails are not well marked.
- Follow the painted blazes. Double blazes mean an intersection or a change of direction.
- Keep groups to 12 or fewer, and hike at the pace of your slowest member.
- Carry in, carry out all trash.
- Keep dogs on a leash no longer than 10 feet and pack out their waste (dog rules).
Good For / Maybe Skip If
- Good for families and first-timers: the Pond Walk and Lily Bay loop are both rated easy by DCR.
- Good for a rocky workout close to Boston: the Ridge and Granite Hills trails.
- Good for history on foot: the Pond Walk passes the lodge, the dam, a farmhouse and the mansion.
- Maybe skip the Pond Edge Trail with a stroller or wheels; it's narrow and rooty. Stay on the carriage road.
- Maybe skip the ridges in ice; granite ledges get slick. Ski or walk the carriage roads instead.
Hiking FAQ
What is the best hike at Borderland State Park?
For most people, the Pond Walk: an easy, mostly wooded loop of about 3 miles on carriage roads around Lower Leach Pond, past the stone lodge and the Ames Mansion.
Is Borderland State Park good for beginner hikers?
Yes. DCR rates both of its introductory hikes easy: the Pond Walk (about 3 miles) and Shady Way to Lily Bay (1.5 miles).
How long does it take to walk around Leach Pond?
DCR's winter Trip-Tip says to plan at least 90 minutes for the Pond Walk loop. DCR puts the average hiker's pace at about 1.5 miles an hour.
Are the trails at Borderland hard?
DCR says they range from moderate to difficult. The carriage roads around the ponds are easy; the Ridge and Granite Hills trails north of the ponds are rocky.
Can you bring dogs hiking at Borderland?
Yes, on a leash no longer than 10 feet. Clean up after your dog and carry the waste out of the park.