Southwest Corridor Park

November 23, 2019 Sunny/Cold

Southwest Corridor Park is linear urban park in Boston that goes from the South End and Back Bay, stretching toward Forest Hills in nearby Jamaica Plain. It’s about 5 miles each way and is situated on land that was originally cleared in the 1960’s to make way for section of I-95 going into Boston. After protests, the work was halted, and this strip of land eventually became a state park in the 1980’s.

The picture below shows how it looked before the land became a park.

We walked about 2.5 miles each way, starting at the Mass Ave station of the Orange Line, heading west toward Northeastern and then west to the Stony Brook station.

Near the Mass Ave station and along the way are tablets with inscribed poetry.

The path is well marked throughout and sometimes diverges for pedestrians and cyclists.

Along the way are numerous parks, playgrounds, tennis courts, and more.

The kids loved the first playground by Northeastern University. Maybe it was the golden arches?

The Northeastern University section is especially well-kept and has all sorts of interesting architecture.

Although the day we visited was cold and clear, the park is largely open and sunny, with great views east towards downtown Boston.

One of the more striking buildings along the way is the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center, shown below.

Some of the playgrounds like the one by Jackson Square were really unusual and fun for the kids. This one had a huge climbing structure (the kind you usually find indoors and have to pay for).

It even had dual ziplines, which the kids enjoyed. This was a really cool park and the highlight of the trip.

Continuing west we finally came to the Stony Brook station and looked for a cafe to enjoy some hot drinks to warm up. We found one that’s next to the original Sam Adams Boston Brewery.

After a good rest, we headed back toward Boston, retracing our route, as the sun dipped in the sky. We want to walk the remainder of the trail toward Forest Hills in the spring.

• This park makes a good walk on a sunny day, with great views of the Boston skyline and playgrounds for the kids. If your feet get tired, you can always take the T.
• Great urban park to walk or bike. We will sure to come back.
• It’s this path that runs by the train tracks of Boston, straight into the hood and gangsta territory. Thank you Boston, very cool!
• There were so many playgrounds and one had a zip line!
• There’s 500 billion parks and playgrounds!

For more information: Southwest Corridor Park official site.