Lynn Woods

Lynn Woods Reservation is the City of Lynn's forest park, not a state park: 2,200 acres, founded in 1881, with over 30 miles of trails for hiking, running, horseback riding, mountain biking (not in winter), cross-country skiing and nature walks. Three active reservoirs inside it supply Lynn's water. The main entrances and parking are at Pennybrook Road and Great Woods Road. Dungeon Rock, the woods' famous tunnel, is open May 1 to October 31 on a limited schedule.

Who Runs It

Lynn Woods belongs to the City of Lynn, which lists it under its Parks & Recreation department. That matters for planning: DCR's parking passes, hours and rules apply at Breakheart, but not here. The city describes Lynn Woods as a 2,200-acre municipal forest park; Visit Lynn Woods, a site about the park, calls it the second largest municipal park in the United States.

Trails

The city lists over 30 miles of scenic trails. Allowed uses, per the city:

• Hiking and running.
• Horseback riding.
• Mountain biking, not allowed during the winter.
• Cross-country skiing.
• Nature walks.

Visit Lynn Woods adds that visitors must stay on officially marked trails only.

Hours and Entrances

• Hours: sunrise to sunset every day; the reservation is closed at night (Visit Lynn Woods).
• Entrances and parking: Pennybrook Road and Great Woods Road (City of Lynn).

The City of Lynn's page lists City Hall hours of Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., phone (781) 598-4000. The city's parks permit page says applications are heard by the Board of Park Commissioners and are due 30 days before the event.

The Reservoirs

The city notes that three active reservoirs give the woods pond-like scenery among the forest, and also supply clean water to the City of Lynn. Treat them as drinking-water sources and follow posted rules at the shoreline.

Dungeon Rock

Dungeon Rock is an underground tunnel with a long history of pirate lore and treasure seekers, as the city puts it. Visit Lynn Woods tells the legend: a pirate named Thomas Veal is said to have hidden in the woods, trading silver for iron goods from the Saugus Iron Works, and to have been trapped in a cave by an earthquake in 1658. In 1851 Hiram Marble bought the rock and some land around it, consulted psychic mediums, spent large sums and used explosives to dig 175 feet into it. The treasure has never been found. Visit Lynn Woods lists Dungeon Rock as open to the public from May 1 to October 31, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, subject to change, and advises contacting the ranger for the weekly schedule. The iron works in the legend is today's Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site.

The Gardens

The city lists the Rose Garden, the Houghton Horticultural Garden and the Amphitheater as the more formal corners of the woods. Visit Lynn Woods says the Rose Garden was created in the 1920s by park superintendent John P. Morrissey and is being restored by volunteers, with roses planted among perennials and native plants inside a deer fence. Latch the gate behind you.

Lynn Woods or Breakheart?

• Lynn Woods: bigger (2,200 acres) with over 30 miles of trails, mountain biking outside winter, Dungeon Rock and the gardens. No swimming beach listed by the city.
• Breakheart: over 600 acres with two lakes, a lifeguarded beach at Pearce Lake in summer, paved car-free loops for strollers and bikes, a fenced off-leash dog area and free DCR parking. See Breakheart's trails.

Before You Go

Check the City of Lynn's Lynn Woods page for current rules, and Visit Lynn Woods for Dungeon Rock's schedule. For more in the area, see things to do in Saugus.