CENTENNIAL PARK

Loop: 1.7 miles

Maugus Hill Loop (from Maugus Ave): .5 miles

25-45 min walk

20 min jog – moderate

Not really bike friendly

Dog friendly! (leashed)

*Click the map to access our interactive google map and find out how far you are from Centennial Park.

Featuring a 1.7 mile loop and a myriad of side trails and open space, Centennial Park is an ideal place for either a short loop or a few hours of exploring. The park has more than three entrances accessible from the road. The most central entrance starts at the top of Maugus Avenue across from Caffe Nero. There is also a parking lot for the park near the Wellesley Country Club, off of Oakland St.

Maugus Hill

Maugus Hill provides an ideal surface for mindfulness practices, yoga, etc. On a clear day, Boston is visible through the trees (look carefully). The flat loop trail that surrounds the hill spans .17 miles and can be used for light jogging, sprints, or — if you’re willing to circle it 6 times — a mile jog. To walk just the loop to and around the hill, turn left on the trail entering from Maugus Ave and follow it until you see the large, grassy hill. This mini-loop only takes 15 minutes to walk and you'll be rewarded with a great view. Maugus hill was formed by a glacial deposit!

Most of Centennial Park's trails go through light woods; however, open fields along a brook can also be accessed via the Oakland St. entrance, and by following the trail going to the right of Maugus hill. Walking through woods and open fields, the trail eventually loops back to wherever you entered — whether from Oakland St. or Maugus Ave. You can easily spend an hour or two exploring all the side trails along the loop, and its hard to get really lost. Around the river, and sometimes in the fields, the ground tends to be muddy, so don’t wear your favorite shoes!

As you walk through the woods, look for the ~gnarly~ trees along the trail.

Explore the park and see if you can find the box pictured below on the Don R. Michael bench. Centennial Park regulars left it to be filled with notes and reflections. Some people write funny anecdotes, some write poems, and some give you tips about the trails.

"Share a note, story, or thought. Inspired by this Beautiful Reservation."

"Thanks Don for the bench. Life is good in the woods. Go skiing, it's soothing. Safety third."

The Park's History

Wellesley bought the land from the adjacent Sisters of Charity home as a gift to itself for its 100 year anniversary.

For a detailed look into the natural features of the park, check out this online brochure put out by the Wellesley Natural Resources Commission: http://www.wellesleyma.gov/Pages/WellesleyMA_NRC/Brochures/centennial%20(7).pdf