Essex National Heritage Area
Ward Reservation
Andover Visitors


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Andover, Massachusetts

Prospect Road, Andover and North Andover, Massachusetts
Telephone Number: 978-682-3580

Hours: Open year-round, daily, 8am to sunset
Admission: Free to all



(The Early Settlement Trail)


The Ward Reservation represents the union of more than forty separate parcels of former farm and pasture land whose stone walls, when combined, total more than seventeen miles long. These parcels include all or portions of three hillsÑShrub Hill, Boston Hill, and Holt HillÑand are connected by many miles of trails, some of which are segments in the Bay Circuit Trail.

The focal point of the Ward Reservation is 420-foot Holt Hill, the highest point in Essex County. The hill is named for the mid-17th-century settlement of Nicholas Holt. From the summit, visitors can see Boston's skyline and the Blue Hills to the south. The "Solstice Stones" form a compass-like arrangement of stones. The narrow stone in the NE quadrant points in the direction of where the sun rises on the longest day of the year - the summer solstice (around June 21) - and the narrow stone in the NW quadrant marks sunset on that day. At the time of the spring equinox (around March 21) and autumn (around September 23) equinox, the sun rises due east and sets due west. On the shortest day of the year - the winter solstice (around Dec 22) - the sun rises and sets along the narrow stones in the SE and SW quadrants, respectively.


Located at the foot of Holt Hill is Pine Hole Bog, a rare quaking bog that features concentric rings of distinct vegetation, each characterized by different growing conditions. Visitors may enjoy exploring the bog with an interpretive booklet that follows numbered stations along a nature trail and 700-foot boardwalk.


Credit: (c) TTOR / Tom Reichard


Website: www.thetrustees.org/wardreservation.cfm


Email: neregion@ttor.org


Nearby Area Sites