Museum, which serves as the interpretive center for the reservation (though the reservation itself is run by the Department of Conservation and Recreation). There you can get oriented to the area, pick up maps, and view both indoor and outdoor exhibits that feature native wildlife. In the outdoor pens, you can see rescued injured animals, such as deer, turkey, hawks, and owls. Kids will adore watching the river otter, which seems to love performing for an audience by diving and flipping in a pool.

Take Red Dot Trail, which starts behind the museum. This 2-mile loop is great for snowshoes in winter. You’ll see a signpost with maps at the trailhead. Hiking up to the summit of Great Blue Hill, which at 635 feet high is the highest point in the Blue Hills, is a moderate challenge for kids, but the payoff is worth it. They’ll love first getting to the stone Eliot Tower, which they can climb for wonderful views. The picnic tables in the shade are a great spot for asnack break. Afterward, hike up to the Weather Observatory (you’ll see a sign pointing the way next to the tower). The observatory is a National Historic Landmark; here, incidentally, you’ll find a bathroom, a water fountain, and a gift shop selling snacks and drinks. Special programs are offered here throughout the year—check with the reservation for details. (If you have a stroller, you can take the paved Summit Road to get to the top. If you take the trail up and worry that the kids may get tired on the descent, take the road back down.) In winter, downhill skiing and sledding is allowed at the William F. Rogers ski slopes on Great Blue Hill (781-828-5070).

An interesting fact to tell the kids is that the Blue Hills were named by early European explorers who noticed the bluish hue on the slopes when viewed from a distance. Long before that, native peoples who lived here referred to themselves as Massachusett, or “people of the great hills.”

Remember: If you want to spend more time at the Blue Hills, why not spend the night? You can stay at the Appalachian Mountain Club cabins on Ponkapoag Pond (see Trip 27); for reservations call 781-961-7007 or visit outdoors.org. Keep your dog on a leash and clean up after it.

If it is a hot summer day, take a dip in Houghton’s Pond (Trip 28) or walk around the pond to look for wildlife.
 

The Trailside Museum sells a variety of snacks, drinks, and ice cream.