Mystic River State Reservation

December 15, 2019 Cold

The Mystic River State Reservation consists of 4 different parks along the Mystic River near Boston. This review covers the Torbert Macdonald Park, off of I-93 near Assembly Square. It was constructed in the 1970s and has a rolling landscape with more than 1 mile of trails.

The trail meanders through a marshy area with view of the Boston skyline to the south, and then follows the river.

To enjoy a longer loop we crossed the Fellsway to the opposite side of the river and then headed west along the shore so we could survey the park.

A boardwalk passes under the roadway and provides access to the shore path and neighborhoods.

Continuing along we passed a boat rental and then the path was squeezed by I-93 to the west and the river to the east. Apart from the road noise it was a pretty scene.

Along the way we saw a surprising number of swans in the water.

We then crossed over the river on Rte. 16 and rejoined the other side of the Torbert Macdonald Park.

An observation tower invited a climb to see the views of the park and Boston to the south.

As we headed back, the path led through rolling grassy areas with benches and sculptures. The kids stopped for a few minutes to play songs and bang on the organ pipes.

Just beyond was a long sculpture showing the wildlife of the area. There were also a few picnic tables overlooking the water from a sunny slope.

With a final view across the river, we entered a more marshy stretch and returned to the parking lot along Rte. 16.

Although we visited on a chilly winter day, I can see this would be a great place to relax and read in the sun on a lazy summer afternoon. If you’re interested in more wildlife and natural scenery, consider this instead of the nearby Mary O’Malley State Park, which is also part of the Mystic River State Reservation.

The scenery along the river banks is fine and the rolling slopes would make for a good picnic, but there is lot of noise from I-93.
This park is right next to I-93, so it’s rather noisy.
The park was nice. The river was cool. But 5 Guys was EPIC.
The watchtower was cool to look out onto the river.
I like the swans, and I like the tower, and I like the sculpture.