Middlesex Fells Question

[Bobonli]

I'm heading to Boston for a couple of days and want to explore the Fells, which I've seen so many pictures of. Confusing info about bicycling on the website. Hope a local can help me parse what is a fire road vs paved surface. Trying to decide whether to bring bikes. Here's the rules off the website:

Mountain biking in the Middlesex Fells allows the off-road cyclist the use of all “Fire Roads” or “Forest Roads” throughout the Fells. In addition, a designated Mountain Bike loop trail offers riders a loop path around the Western Fells. This trail is marked by “Mountain Bike Loop” signs and blazed with green rectangles. This loop trail is about 85% on fire roads and 15% on a single-track trail. Bikers are expected to stay off trails marked with “No Bicycle” signs. This provides trail walkers and hikers with a level of safety from encounters from fast moving bikes on narrow trails with restricted sight lines. As with visitors on foot, restricting bike use to officially marked trails reduces impacts to Fells natural resources.

Due to the extreme wet conditions mountain biking is also restricted on unpaved trails from March 1 to March 31 and when posted as conditions warrant. Please report incidents of off-trail or unauthorized trail riding to DCR.

Isn't everything unpaved and, as such, you can't ride during the designated dates? Or are they only referring to the mtn bike loop trail?

Thanks

[Tyler Evans]

There are tons of trails available for riding. The main loop on the west side is the main go-to for first-timers. It's well marked and you won't get lost. Exploring some of the local favorite trails will require a guide. Not many are marked and loops need to be pieced together. Most people only think the Fells exists west of i93, but some of the best technical riding is on the far east side.

Trails officially open back up again on Thursday. I wouldn't venture in before then, going in early gives us MTB'ers a bad rep that we are working really hard to minimize.

[Bobonli]

Wow, I couldn't ask for better local info! It's a quick in and out for us, coming home Thursday evening so I guess we'll be leaving the bikes home this trip and using feet!
I've seen some pics on IG of people riding in there lately, but I know that doesn't make it right. That's why I asked.
Thanks

[Bobonli]

More importantly, is Union Square Donuts open?

Every time I'm in Boston (the last time was 2018)they've been closed :(

[NYCfixie]

More importantly, is Union Square Donuts open?

Every time I'm in Boston (the last time was 2018)they've been closed :(

Yes, as the website states, all but the one in the Time Out Market are open.

If you want not fancy but still very good ones baked every morning, try this place as well (depending on where you are staying): Twin Dounts
* Just get there early, before 8am, before all the local college and just-after-college kids wake up because they sell out quickly.

[Bobonli]

Yes, as the website states, all but the one in the Time Out Market are open.

If you want not fancy but still very good ones baked every morning, try this place as well (depending on where you are staying): Twin Dounts
* Just get there early, before 8am, before all the local college and just-after-college kids wake up because they sell out quickly.

Ahh yes. Know of it but never been there. It's the "wake up early" part that twarts us on vacations

[lumpy]

Consider also Linda's Donuts, 247 Belmont Street in Belmont.

IMO the mothership, and it's right up the road from Belmont Wheelworks.

[NYCfixie]

Ahh yes. Know of it but never been there. It's the "wake up early" part that twarts us on vacations

I am living vicariously for the next 8 days (aka Passover) anyway...

Consider also Linda's Donuts, 247 Belmont Street in Belmont.

IMO the mothership, and it's right up the road from Belmont Wheelworks.

Good tip about Linda's. Often I am at Belmont Wheelworks when I am waiting for my car to be washed and waxed at Belmont Car Wash and Detailing so now I know where to get a snack too.

[Bobonli]

Maybe I'll make the trip about donuts instead of the Freedom Trial (for my kids).

[NYCfixie]

Maybe I'll make the trip about donuts instead of the Freedom Trial (for my kids).

If you are going to walk the Freedom Trail and will be downtown, try this this place for lunch (Washington Street location is open on weekends): Falafel King
* kid friendly food and a well known lunch spot for office workers. Dine in or take-out right now. You do not need to order take-out online if you do not want too.

[Bobonli]

Thanks. Will keep it in mind/add to our list of eateries. We're doing the AirBnB thing (actually right on the edge of the Fells) so we can cook for ourselves and not rely on restaurants and limited seating. But Casa Romero is on the short list for this trip. We stumbled upon it in 2018, we were weary from walking and hungry and they were nice enough to squeeze us in w/o rezzy if we promised to eat in an hour or less. We're NYers....and eat fast, we were done in about 35 mins. Outstanding mole.

[Tyler Evans]

We're doing the AirBnB thing (actually right on the edge of the Fells)

Yo! I live right on (almost in) the Fells on the Malden side! Where is your air BNB?

Even if you don't bike, you should hit the east side Rock Circuit Trail for a hike to the waterfall and some killer views of Boston. Or at least the Skyline trail on the west side and up to Wright's tower for the views.

Union Square Donuts is really good, but lately, I've been more partial to Blackbird Donuts.

Casa Romero is awesome. Have fun.

[Bobonli]

Yo! I live right on (almost in) the Fells on the Malden side! Where is your air BNB?

Even if you don't bike, you should hit the east side Rock Circuit Trail for a hike to the waterfall and some killer views of Boston. Or at least the Skyline trail on the west side and up to Wright's tower for the views.

Union Square Donuts is really good, but lately, I've been more partial to Blackbird Donuts.

Casa Romero is awesome. Have fun.

Fellsway West in Medford. It looks like it’s a hop skip and a jump away from Wrights Beach

[davids]

What Tyler said on the trails. Please stay out of the woods until it's legal!

Re donuts: Anna's I have no idea where you're staying and West Roxbury ain't exactly a tourist mecca. But Anna's Donuts...

Re excellent lunch food downtown: Chacarero Yeah Falafel King is really good but this place is unique and wonderful. I mean, Chilean sandwiches? They are fantastic. Plus it's family-owned and run and I am doing everything I can to get people to patronize them and keep them in business. For the last year it's the only lunch place I've gone to when I'm at my office. If you go tell them David sent you.

[Bob Ross]

More importantly, is Union Square Donuts open?

try this place as well (depending on where you are staying): Twin Dounts

Wait... Twin Donuts in Union Square is not the same thing as Union Square Donuts? Okay, I'm definitely out of the loop.

[NYCfixie]

Wait... Twin Donuts in Union Square is not the same thing as Union Square Donuts? Okay, I'm definitely out of the loop.

Twin Donuts in Allston with 1 location.
Union Square Donuts with multiple locations.
Blackbird Doughnuts with multiple locations.

All good.

[Bobonli]

What Tyler said on the trails. Please stay out of the woods until it's legal!

Re donuts: Anna's I have no idea where you're staying and West Roxbury ain't exactly a tourist mecca. But Anna's Donuts...

Re excellent lunch food downtown: Chacarero Yeah Falafel King is really good but this place is unique and wonderful. I mean, Chilean sandwiches? They are fantastic. Plus it's family-owned and run and I am doing everything I can to get people to patronize them and keep them in business. For the last year it's the only lunch place I've gone to when I'm at my office. If you go tell them David sent you.

Thank you for the suggestion. Chacarero was excellent according to 3/4 of my family. I think it’s the first time I had a sandwich with green beans on it! And I know I would not have gone there without the recommendation.
My daughter wasn’t so impressed:
Daughter “ I would have preferred Panera. Where did you hear about this place?”
Me “From a man named David on Vsalon”
Daughter “ I don’t trust David. Too spicy!”

Several miles and hours of walking later I rehabilitated the situation with dinner at Casa Romero.

[Bobonli]

Yo! I live right on (almost in) the Fells on the Malden side! Where is your air BNB?

Even if you don't bike, you should hit the east side Rock Circuit Trail for a hike to the waterfall and some killer views of Boston. Or at least the Skyline trail on the west side and up to Wright's tower for the views.

Union Square Donuts is really good, but lately, I've been more partial to Blackbird Donuts.

Casa Romero is awesome. Have fun.

The waterfalls were nice, though our first attempt at finding them failed. The trail markings are a bit different from what I’m accustomed to; easy to get onto a side trail moving in the wrong direction. The tower is on the agenda tomorrow evening if it’s not raining.

[j44ke]

David, you are just too spicy.

[davids]

Thank you for the suggestion. Chacarero was excellent according to 3/4 of my family. I think it’s the first time I had a sandwich with green beans on it! And I know I would not have gone there without the recommendation.
My daughter wasn’t so impressed:
Daughter “ I would have preferred Panera. Where did you hear about this place?”
Me “From a man named David on Vsalon”
Daughter “ I don’t trust David. Too spicy!”

Several miles and hours of walking later I rehabilitated the situation with dinner at Casa Romero.

Fantastic!

Please give your daughter my apologies. And her Panera reference was perfect - it's my foodie wife's guilty pleasure.