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Hammond Pond Reservation

4.7 ★★★★★ 178 Google reviews · Running trail in Newton, Massachusetts · Posted hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Posted hours

Confirmed from Hammond Pond Reservation's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

ScenicDog-friendlyHillyQuiet

This scenic area with a forest & large pond offers fishing, rock climbing & hiking on wooded trails.

What runners say about Hammond Pond Reservation

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (178 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

🏞️ beautiful scenery 6 mentions

“Beautiful little area to walk around when you're tired of the shopping center.”

🌾 quiet & peaceful 4 mentions

“Quiet and meditative place sitting on the rocks to watch the swans chase the ducks and observe nature.”

Hammond Pond Reservation is a fantastic spot for walking and is very dog-friendly. Conveniently located right across from Chestnut Hill Mall, it’s my go-to place whenever I drop my wife off for shopping. My husky, Max, loves it here, and it’s perfect for off-leash walks.

★★★★★ — Wei , Dec 2024

Gorgeous park. Follow the Blue markers to navigate around the entire park. It’s separated into two halves by Hammond Pond Parkway (hiking on either side of the road). The coolest spot is near Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse - there’s a small area to park near the Pond.

★★★★★ — Zack , Feb 2023

A wonderful haven of Nature despite being nested between two of the larger expressways. Beautiful foliage in the Fall, mushrooms (when it rains), but TWO DANGERS: 1) Poison ivy is very common in this wood 2) exiting on the pedestrian path over the T tracks, two enormous and viciously aggressive dogs will scare the…

★★★★★ — Nicolai , Oct 2024

Hammond Pond Reservation is a protected woodland park in Newton, Massachusetts. It features Hammond Pond, fishing and hiking trails as well as formations of sandstone conglomerate and Roxbury puddingstone which are popular for rock climbing. The reservation is part of the Metropolitan Park System of Greater Boston.

★★★★☆ — Sirichai , Oct 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 178 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

⛰️ Hills / elevation 7 mentions

“Conveniently located right across from Chestnut Hill Mall, it’s my go-to place whenever I drop my wife off for shopping.”

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🏞️ Scenic views 7 mentions

“Beautiful little area to walk around when you're tired of the shopping center.”

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🐕 Dog-friendly 4 mentions

“Hammond Pond Reservation is a fantastic spot for walking and is very dog-friendly.”

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🤫 Quiet / uncrowded 4 mentions

“Quiet and meditative place sitting on the rocks to watch the swans chase the ducks and observe nature.”

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Plan your run at Hammond Pond Reservation

The practical stuff

  • AccessPosted hours — posted hours below; park gates sometimes close earlier than the listing says
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websitemass.gov
  • Phone(617) 333-7404

Hours

Monday 7 AM–7 PM
Tuesday 7 AM–7 PM
Wednesday 7 AM–7 PM
Thursday 7 AM–7 PM
Friday 7 AM–7 PM
Saturday 7 AM–7 PM
Sunday 7 AM–7 PM

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Hammond Pond Reservation

Hammond Pond Pkwy, Newton, MA 02168

Get directions

Running trails near Newton

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Bare Pond

4.9 ★★★★★ 7 reviews

Newton, MA

under a mile away

Webster Conservation Area

4.7 ★★★★★ 103 reviews

Newton, MA

ScenicDog-friendly

Forested 118-acre park with a pond, marshes & sandstone cliffs frequented by hikers & rock climbers.

under a mile away

Lost Pond Conservation Area

4.5 ★★★★★ 25 reviews

Chestnut Hill, MA

Natural surface

Nature sanctuary on 33 acres around a natural kettle pond, visitable for wildlife viewing only.

under a mile away

Skyline Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 307 reviews

Chestnut Hill, MA

PavedScenicDog-friendly

Park with turf soccer fields, walking paths and playgrounds, plus picnic areas.

1.0 miles away

Chestnut Hill Reservation

4.8 ★★★★★ 348 reviews

Brighton, MA

LoopMixedScenicDog-friendly

Reservoir surrounded by trees and trails, popular for joggers, cyclists and dog-walkers.

1.3 miles away

The Cenacles

4.4 ★★★★☆ 19 reviews

Boston, MA

Scenic

Peaceful neighborhood grassland area featuring a pond, a range of trails & open recreational space.

1.7 miles away

All running trails in Newton, MA →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.