Bradford Torrey Bird Sanctuary is a large property with more than 3 miles of trails. The sanctuary is named for local ornithologist and author Bradford Torrey (1843-1912).

The property was acquired by the Town of Weymouth through a series of land donations dating back to 1937 when John W. Seabury donated a parcel of land previously owned by Bradford Torrey. Torrey wrote essays about the land he owned, including “My Real Estate.”

The woods are primarily pine and beech. A small stream flows through the property, which is part of the Weymouth Back River watershed. Its waters ultimately flow northeast toward Whitman’s Pond and the Weymouth Back River.

The trail is a 2.5-mile loop with numerous spurs. There is a parking area and trailhead on Main Street (MA-18) in Weymouth, north of Park Avenue and just south of Hunter Terrace. Or look for the trailhead behind Weymouth High School, across the way from the huge rocky outcropping with the American flag painted on it. Additional access for pedestrians on Mediterranean Drive, Tall Oaks Drive, and Burkill Street (via the Arbor Hill Conservation Area).

All of these entrance points use a spur trail, blazed in blue, to connect to the loop trail, which is blazed in yellow. All trails are well-marked. You can follow the yellow loop around the 2.5-mile circuit. The blue-blazed spur trails are worth exploring too. This is a captivating, varied property with some moderately challenging sections (occasionally steep and/or rocky) and plenty to see, including rock outcroppings, bubbling streams, groves of beech and pine, and numerous glacial erratic boulders.

The AllTrails website has descriptions and maps of hikes at Bradford Torrey Bird Sanctuary.