Looking up at Signal Hill
At the far end of an industrial park, you’ll discover a protected refuge that offers views of the Blue Hills and access to the Neponset River.
The 188-foot summit of this hill may be modest, but the views from the top are grand, taking in nearby Great Blue Hill and stretching to the distant Boston skyline beyond. A short, easy ascent up a former cart path leads to the top, while another, flat trail reaches the banks of the Neponset River. Here you’ll find a small launch site for canoes and kayaks to start your river trip or simply take a break during a day of paddling.
Birders are drawn here by the variety of hawks riding thermal drafts between the Blue Hills and the Neponset River Valley. Signal Hill also offers a glimpse into the region’s post-Pleistocene history, having served as a seasonal home for the Indigenous people who settled what would become the Neponset River Valley as the last glacier retreated.
If you’re heading out for a day of paddling, walk down the flat trail toward the banks of the Neponset River and put in a canoe or kayak. Keep your eyes peeled and ears open: frogs, turtles, and other amphibians take residence in the river’s ecosystem.
When To Visit
Daily, sunrise to sunset.
Admission
FREE to all.
University Road
Canton, MA 02021
Get directions on Google Maps.
From I-95/Rt. 128: Take Exit 13 onto University Avenue. Proceed through large industrial park development to traffic light at Canton Street. Left on Canton St., cross Neponset River and take immediate right onto University Road. Proceed through office park. Parking on right just before last building, also on right.
From Canton: Take Dedham Street and immediately after crossing I-95 and railroad bridges take left on University Road. Follow further directions as above.
Download a trail map before setting out.
Signal Hill was a gift to The Trustees of Reservations in 2005 from George and Nancy Bates.
An easy trail leads to a nice lookout in only about 5 minutes, where you can see the Boston skyline in the distance. There is a good amount of open grass area... There is also a nice easy put-in to the Neponset River for kayaking or canoeing, a longish walk from the lot but you are allowed to drive right to the river and drop off your boat, then return your vehicle to the parking lot. It's the only easy access to the river for quite a distance in either direction.
– Ogdred, TripAdvisor
