Prospect Hill Park — Attraction in Waltham

I wish I had come earlier because the gate to drive to the summit closes at 7, but I was delighted to find how built up this place has become!

There is a splash pad, complete with covered seating along the sides. There is a massive gated playground area. There is a gated basketball court write one hoop. There is that low-walled pit game where you bounce the ball…can’t remember what that’s called, there are bathrooms and it looks like a changing area.

There are even carnival rides!!!! No idea when they are open but I’ve never heard of such a thing!

That isn’t even counting the actual trail, which, God bless the forgers of it, is not only paved, but you can drive up!!!! I love that I can see a summit even when my legs don’t function well!!!!

So much parking, and handicap spots are close to the activities.

Also, I appreciate the good signage reminding everyone to LEASH dogs. Please do this!!!! Even on the trails!!! It keeps fragile people like me safe! Your dog may be friendly, but even friendly dogs are dangerously for fragile people. One jump from a friendly dog dislocated my hip because I had EDS. Please, leash...

Prospect Hill Park is truly a hidden gem nestled amidst the hustle and bustle of city life! The viewpoint offers an absolutely breathtaking panorama that leaves you in awe. As you approach, you’ll marvel at how everything seems to shrink into miniature versions of themselves—tiny houses, playgrounds, churches, and even the bustling skyline. Watching the sunset from this spot is nothing short of magical, and the peaceful ambiance, with only a handful of visitors, makes it even more special.

Walking to the viewpoint is a delightful experience, though it can be a bit of a challenge for beginners due to the hill climbing. However, it’s perfect for anyone who enjoys a good trek and the natural beauty around you. For those who prefer a more leisurely ascent, you can easily drive partway and park a short distance from the viewpoint. This flexibility ensures everyone can enjoy the incredible sights.

Overall, Prospect Hill Park is an ideal location for a scenic walk, a peaceful retreat, or simply to soak in the beauty of the city and its surroundings from above. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a...

Lovely hike with a fantastic view of Boston. It has some steeper parts to get your blood pumping but nothing too difficult, more periodic bursts of invigoration. There are some less pretty / more pedestrian parts (hint: these are the paved parts) but it's easy to engineer a route that makes less use of these areas.

Do watch out for black ice as there was a fair amount of it and I imagine that we went in a time where it would be the least we'd expect to see. So maybe have crampons in your kit just as a CYA in case it's more pervasive than when we went. Could easily navigate around it but I could also see more of it being a bit dicey. That said, we did go sledding down it on my rucksack so there's always that as an option as well!

And the playground (appears fairly new btw) off the parking lot at Totten Pond Rd. is a great bribing tool for getting the kiddos to acquiesce to the hike (that and a thermos of hot chocolate and gorp they concocted with goldfish, kettle corn, mallows, M&Ms, pretzels, fruit...