24-635: Blue Hills Reservation is a 7,000-acre (2,800 ha) state park in Norfolk County, Massachusetts in the United States. 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
48-469: A humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfa ), typical of most of New England . Summers are short but very warm with mild nights. Winters are short, very snowy, and very cloudy. Precipitation is heavy and very consistent year round. The highest point within the reservation, Great Blue Hill in Milton, is the site of the historic Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory . The observatory was founded in 1885 and
72-526: A land lease from the U.S. government , while Mackinac National Park was handed down to become the first of the Michigan state parks . As with national parks, facilities at state parks are often leased to concessionaires to operate. Breaks Interstate Park is operated under an interstate compact by Virginia state parks , although it is also one of the Kentucky state parks , straddling both sides of
96-507: A ski area . Houghton's Pond and nearby Ponkapoag Pond are popular swimming and recreation areas during the summer. Other recreational opportunities include non-motorized boating, camping, fishing, picnicking, playing fields, ice skating, interpretive programs, and a children's playground is accessible from the Hillside St entrance to Houghton's Pond . State park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at
120-589: A few exceptions such as Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, and Wood-Tikchik State Park in Alaska, the largest state park in the United States . In addition to preserving natural landscapes and providing recreational opportunities, many state parks also serve as important educational resources . They often offer guided tours, interpretive programs, and exhibits that help visitors learn about
144-699: A restaurant) for lodging at some parks. These typically use "Resort" in the name, such as "_____ Resort State Park" in West Virginia state parks and "_____ State Resort Park" in neighboring Kentucky state parks , which has 17 such resort parks, the most of any state. Other states use the Resort name inconsistently (like DeGray Lake Resort State Park , the only one out of three resorts in Arkansas state parks ), or have only one such park ( South Carolina state parks ' Hickory Knob State Resort Park ), or do not use
168-591: Is served by a double chairlift , while the beginner area has three magic carpet lifts. The hill is popular with high school ski teams and often hosts races on Big Blue. The ski area was founded in 1949 after the Metropolitan District Commission received US$ 65,000 to develop a ski area on Great Blue Hill. It officially opened in 1950. In the early 1960s, the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC, now
192-568: Is the oldest continuous weather recording station in the United States. Its tower offers views of Boston and the surrounding area. The tower and observatory are among numerous reservation features listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The Blue Hills Trailside Museum, which is operated by the Massachusetts Audubon Society , offers indoor and outdoor animal exhibits. The museum opened in 1959, and
216-660: The Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales . The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa, and Belgium, is provincial park . Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies. State parks are thus similar to national parks , but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, local government entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., regional parks or county parks . In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with
240-642: The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration . Blue Hills Ski Area Blue Hills Ski Area is located on the western face of Great Blue Hill in Canton, Massachusetts . This land is part of the Blue Hills Reservation , a state park managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation . Blue Hills has eight trails covering a vertical drop of 309 feet (94 m). The summit
264-585: The Greater Boston metropolitan area . The park's varied terrain and scenic views make it a popular destination for hikers from the Boston area. Sailors along on the coastline noticed the bluish hue of the mountains, which is caused by the presence of riebeckite , giving the area its modern name. The name of the state of Massachusetts derives from the Massachusett Indian tribe's name of
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#1732793461139288-568: 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 and copperhead snake , reside in the reservation. Other flora and fauna include dogwood , lady's slipper , white-tailed deer , coyotes , wild turkey , red fox , and turkey vultures . The reservation experiences
312-457: The DCR) operated the ski area. There were only two lifts – both rope tows – one on the main slope and one on the "bunny" slope. During that time, the lift tickets cost fifty cents a day. In approximately 1965, the area was leased to an outside company called Larchmont Engineering, which constructed a double chair lift and installed snow-making equipment on the main slope and the bunny slope . Larchmont
336-675: The country's state parks. The NASPD further counts over 43,000 miles (69,000 km) of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks. The largest state park system in the United States is Alaska State Parks , with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres. Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems. Other designations might be state recreation areas , state beaches, and state nature reserves . Some state park systems include long-distance trails and historic sites . To encourage tourism in rural areas, several states have simple lodges, inns, hotels, or motels (usually with
360-478: The designation at all (such as the lodges of Georgia state parks ). The term "lodge" may also refer to a hiking lodge , essentially a large cabin for hikers rather than a large facility with private rooms and a restaurant. Other lodging may include yurts and tipis . Not all parks owned by a state are necessarily part of its state-park system, such as Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta. Some Texas state parks are
384-511: 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 practice of First Day Hikes to mark New Year's Day with an outdoor activity began in 1992 at Blue Hills Reservation. By the 2010s, the idea had spread and such hikes were taking place in state parks nationwide. The ecology of
408-493: The local flora , fauna , geology , and cultural history of the area. These programs are designed not only to enhance the visitor experience but also to promote conservation awareness and encourage responsible enjoyment of natural resources. There are 6,792 state park units in the United States, according to the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD). There are some 813 million annual visits to
432-463: The management of Campgaw Mountain , located in northern New Jersey , started a 5-year lease. Currently, there is one double chairlift leading up the main slope and three beginner magic carpets There are 12 trails: 6 green, 5 blue and 4 black. Despite the high trail count, there are four top to bottom lines, with the rest being connectors. While the lift line ("Beer's Bluff", which is named after two brothers, Stuart and Stanley Beers, who managed
456-474: The state line. Other multi-state parks are legally two separate parks with the same name and more informal cooperation between them. The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by Niagara Falls State Park in New York , established in 1885. Several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it. Indian Springs State Park has been operated continuously by
480-454: The state of Georgia as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931. In 1864 Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were ceded by the federal government to California until Yosemite National Park was proclaimed in 1890. In 1878 Wisconsin set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years. Mackinac National Park
504-506: The sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each U.S. state , some of the Mexican states , and in Brazil . The term is also used in
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#1732793461139528-539: Was an early innovator in the snow-making business and experimented with various hose and gun/nozzle designs at Blue Hills. In February 1969, the area was hit with three 2+ foot snow storms, each a week apart. The snow was so deep that skiing down the "face" of Big Blue (the side facing Massachusetts Route 128 ) was possible. The 2006–07 season was the 6th year of a 6-year "lease" to the owners and operators of Ragged Mountain Resort in New Hampshire . In 2007,
552-473: Was established in 1875 as the second U.S. national park before being converted to a state park in 1895. The first state park with the designation of "state park" was Itasca State Park in Minnesota , established in 1891. Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks (and several national ones) across the country were developed with assistance from federal job-creation programs like
576-635: Was initially operated by the Museum of Science . Mass Audubon began operating the museum in 1974. Houghton's Pond is located within Blue Hills Reservation. Blue Hills Reservation is primarily used for hiking and mountain biking . It is also used for snowshoeing , downhill skiing , snowboarding , and cross country skiing during winter, and rock climbing (in certain areas) and horseback riding during permissible months. Between approximately December and March, Great Blue Hill offers
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