Jericho Hill Red, White & Blue route

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Geological Significance · Views

This is the longest trail you can do on the property without backtracking (except on the red spur). There are a couple of steep sections, a dip past the creek/marsh down by Brigham St and a cool big tree at the very top of Jericho Hill.

Restroom in Rec Center has been closed all 2020 and 2021 due to COVID.

Some areas are pretty step. There are no dangerous zones, however.

Take the paved path down from the parking lot (starting out at about 400' elevation). After the field at the bottom of Jericho Hill, turn left into the treeline where you'll see the trail begin. There are a few very basic steps cut into the path and you'll go past some unusual rock formations that look almost hewn because they are so flat, with rounded edges. After going up a short way, the White trail continues straight, but turn right to follow the Red Trail downhill.

There is a loop off the Red trail; turn right to follow it out through a somewhat grassy area you can imagine as a sheep pasture, which is what the area used to be, in spite of the sparse tall trees. This curves back to the main trail parallel to Jericho Brook (328 ft.). When you reach the connection to the main Red trail, turn right and head uphill and follow it around to get to Brigham St.

This spur ends, so when you get to the stone wall, turn back and follow it back. Bearing right will prevent you from taking the loop again. Just after the break in the stone wall, bear left and go up the very steep trail, which will go through another stone wall and join up with the White trail. If you need to take a rest, you'll come across a nice bench put in as part of a Boy Scout project -- there are three on the property.

Follow the white trail 0.2 mi, passing another of the benches. At this point, the trail has mostly leveled off. Bear right to get on Lee's Loop, which will take you about to the top of Jericho Hill, elevation 528 feet. There are some large trees up here and a crude walkway over a puddle.

Follow the trail around to the far point of the top of the former ski slope. You can see footings for the tow bar and some snow-making pipes around. There is also the rusted-out frame of what appears to be the stationary engine for the tow bar. Bear right here back into the woods and about 300 feet later bear left to emerge by the last bench, right at the top of the ski slope. Head downhill 0.18 mi back to the parking lot.

This is a former ski hill and still makes for some amazing sledding over the winter.