Best of Boston
2017 Best Urban Hike
Torbert MacDonald State Park
Enjoy lush greenery on the banks of the Mystic at Torbert MacDonald State Park. / Photograph by PJ Couture
No need for hiking boots and day packs at this nexus of nature and urbanity. A stroll through Medford’s Torbert MacDonald State Park provides ample fodder for urban birders, with sightings of red-tail hawks common. And though the stresses of the daily grind are just a few steps away, the sweeping views of the Mystic River and winding walking paths will make them feel a world away.