Blue Hills Reservation
| Blue Hills Reservation | |
| Massachusetts State Park | |
 Ponkapoag Pond, with Great Blue Hill visible in the background
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Norfolk |
| Elevation | 180 ft (55 m) |
| Coordinates | 42°12′40″N 71°07′40″W / 42.21111°N 71.12778°WCoordinates: 42°12′40″N 71°07′40″W / 42.21111°N 71.12778°W |
| Highest point | Great Blue Hill |
| - elevation | 635 ft (194 m) |
| - coordinates | 42°12′43″N 71°06′56″W / 42.21194°N 71.11556°W |
| Area | 6,195 acres (2,507 ha) |
| Established | 1893 |
| Management | Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation |
| - location | Headquarters: 695 Hillside St, Milton |
| - coordinates | 42°12′32.6″N 71°06′8.3″W / 42.209056°N 71.102306°W |
| Nearest city | Milton, Massachusetts |
| Public transit | MBTA bus 238, 240 |
  Location in Massachusetts
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| Website: Blue Hills Reservation | |
Blue Hills Reservation is a 6,000-acre (2,400 ha) state park in Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, it covers parts of Milton, Quincy, Braintree, Canton, Randolph, and Dedham. Located approximately ten miles south of downtown Boston, the reservation is one of the largest parcels of undeveloped conservation land within the metropolitan area. The park's varied terrain and scenic views make it a popular destination for hikers from the Boston area.
European explorers sailing the coastline noticed the bluish hue of the mountains, which is caused by the presence of riebeckite, which gave area its modern name. The name of the state of Massachusetts derives from the Massachusett Indian tribe's name of the hill: massa-adchu-es-et. In 1893, the Metropolitan Parks Commission purchased the lands of Blue Hills Reservation as one of the state's first areas dedicated to public recreation.
The ecology of the Blue Hills is diverse and includes marshes, swamps, upland and bottomland forests, meadows, and an Atlantic white cedar bog. A number of endangered species in Massachusetts, such as the timber rattlesnake, reside in the reservation. Other flora and fauna include dogwood, lady's slipper, white-tailed deer, coyotes, wild turkey, red fox, turkey vultures, and copperheads.
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