Jericho Town Forest

About this Location

Jericho Town Forest is a conservation land in Weston where visitors can enjoy hiking, running, walking, and cross-country skiing on over 12 miles of trails. The forest covers 550 acres of forests, fields, and wetlands, and is home to diverse wildlife and plants. Jericho Town Forest is also part of the Bay Circuit Trail, a regional trail that connects many natural areas in eastern Massachusetts. The forest was one of the first protected open spaces in Weston and is managed by the Weston Conservation Commission and the Weston Forest and Trail Association. Four parking areas provide access to Jericho Town Forest, as well as the Mass Central Rail Trail that runs along its southern border.

The Jericho Town Forest lies north of US-20.

About Mass Central Rail Trail

See all hotspots at Mass Central Rail Trail

An intrepid adventure traveler can still find traces of it in the wilderness. A 104-mile railroad line was shattered by a hurricane in 1938. The line once stretched from downtown Boston at North Station to Union Station in Northampton, Mass. Calvin Coolidge used to ride this train to the State House each day when he was the Governor right after WWI.

Now, over 80 years later, dedicated volunteers, local property owners, state government agencies, and business partners in 25 communities are working to open it up as a linear park. Instead of trains, there will be tourists and locals, bed & breakfast inns, cross-country skiers, bicyclists, hikers, joggers, babies in baby carriages, and people in wheelchairs.

The Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) will provide an east-west counterpart to the existing Appalachian Trail, and connections between the existing north-south New England Scenic, Mid-state, and Bay Circuit Trails. Near Boston, the MCRT will provide connections to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, the Assabet River Rail Trail, and the Minuteman Rail Trail, and other projects close to Boston will connect directly with the MCRT. Sixteen hiking or multi-use trails will connect directly with the MCRT.

Notable Trails

The AllTrails website has a description and map of a hike at Jericho Town Forest.

Features

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Restrooms on site

  • Entrance fee

Content from Mass Central Rail Trail Official Website

Last updated December 28, 2023