Wellesley Outside

To enter the trails, cross the bridge on Cheney Drive and drive to the right. Follow the driveway to the second parking lot, just past the playing fields, and walk to the small grassy area on the other side of the road. You are now on the Riverside trail!

 

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This well marked trail surrounds the wooded area of the reservation, alongside the Charles River. If you want to explore the interior of the reservation, try any of the five trails that branch off from it. Don’t worry about getting lost, because they all rejoin the Riverside trail by the end of the loop. This is the perfect location for those of you who want to be immersed in nature, but don’t have a good enough sense of direction to brave Ridge Hill or Boulder Brook.

 

Many interesting trees can be observed along the Riverside trail. Check out the burls pictured below! They act like tree band-aids, adding extra wood and bark around an injury or weakened part of the trunk.

 

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At the end of the trail, you’ll come to the infamous Elm Bank gardens! Full of plants, statues and cute dogs, this is a great place to enjoy some man-made outdoor fun.

 

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