Northeast

Weir Hill

North Andover

194 acres

Photo Credit: T. Reichard

Trace the western shoreline of a sparkling lake or enjoy a woodsy ascent to scenic views of the Merrimack Valley.

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Plan Your Visit
  • Overview
  • Ideas for Your Visit
  • Admission & Hours
  • Directions & Contact Info
  • What You'll Find
  • Property Map
  • Regulations & Advisories

Overview

The rewards of Weir Hill—pronounced “wire hill”—include a shimmering lake shoreline, an expansive panorama of the Merrimack Valley, and the diversity of ten different types of plant communities. Generations of agricultural use, a history of fire, and cutting and mowing regimes have created a patchwork landscape of a 60-acre oak-hickory forest to hillside seeps, intermittent streams, wet meadows, and other plant communities. Several threatened state-listed and watch-listed species—including the white bog orchid (Habenaria dilitata), violet bush clover (Lespedeza violacea), and butternut trees (Juglans nigra)—are subtle signs of Weir Hill’s past that reveal themselves along the way.

Ideas for Your Visit

Hiking up Weir Hill begins with selecting from two main routes.

Follow the 0.75-mile Edgewood Farm Trail and reach the meandering shore of Lake Cochichewick, which dominates the east and south edges of this reservation. The hill and the two-mile-long lake are scenic, prominent features in the northeast part of town—Great Pond Road was laid out on the east shore to take advantage of the views across the lake as well as the hill rising just beyond—and ambling on the Edgewood Farm and 0.4-mile Cochichewick trails opens to memorable water-level views. (If you’re hiking in winter, beware of ice underfoot.)

Or, you can ascend the 0.71-mile Stevens Trail, up the spine of Weir Hill to a scenic overlook that opens to a broad view that, with clear skies, gazes out to Mount Wachusett as well as New Hampshire’s Mount Monadnock.

Admission & Hours

This property is FREE to all.

Year-round, daily, sunrise to sunset. Allow a minimum of 1 hour.

Directions & Contact Info

65 Stevens Street
North Andover, MA 01845

Get directions on Google Maps.

From I-93 Exit 41, take Rt. 125 North 7.3 mi. Merge left onto Rt. 114 West and then right back onto Rt. 125. Follow for 0.2 mi. and turn right onto Andover St. Continue for 0.6 mi., bear right at fork, and continue 0.2 mi. to intersection. Proceed straight for 0.1 mi., turn left onto Stevens St., and continue for 0.8 mi. to entrance and roadside parking on right.

From I-495 Exit 42, take Rt. 114 East 1 mi. Turn left onto Rt. 133 East and follow for 0.2 mi. to traffic light. Proceed straight onto Andover St. Continue as above.

What You'll Find

Trails
Four miles of trails, easy to moderate hiking, strenuous in places.

Property Map

Free trail map distributed from bulletin board in the parking area. Please understand that supplies periodically run out.

We recommend that you take a photo of the map on your phone so you can refer to it during your visit, or download a trail map before you head out.

Regulations & Advisories

  • Hunting is not permitted at this reservation. Learn more about hunting on Trustees properties.
  • Lake Cochichewick is part of the Town of North Andover’s public drinking water supply; public access is not permitted.
  • Due to the dry condition of the woodlands, wild fires are not uncommon. Please do not drop cigarette butts or use fire in any form.
  • PHOTOGRAPHY: We ask that photographers or their clients become Supporting Level Members before conducting portrait sessions at this property.  Click here for more information, and to request permission for any portrait sessions. The Trustees of Reservations reserves the right, and may give permission to its designated photographers and videographers, or to outside media, to photograph or video visitors and program participants at all its facilities and properties.
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History

Prior to settlement, Weir Hill was the site of Pennacook activity. A 1968 archaeology survey identified a campsite at the southeast end of the reservation.

For the past 100 years, Lake Cochichewick has provided North Andover’s main supply of drinking water (public access to the lake is not permitted).

Original acreage a gift, with endowment, of the Estate of Abbot Stevens in 1968.

Learn More
The View From Here
See What People Say

This is a jewel of a hiking trail nestled in north of Boston just off of I-495. As a resident of this area I frequent this hill whenever I want to enjoy the outdoors. Weir Hill surrounds a beautiful lake with crystal clear New England water. It offers steep climbing which can provide an excellent cardio exercise, or training for runners.

Trip Advisor Reviewer, Andover, MA resident

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