Hale Reservation

Hale Reservation is DEFINITELY one of the best places to walk /​jog /​hike in the immediate Westwood area. (Noanet Woodlands (which is accessible right from Hale!) is the other good one). The paths are market (some other reviews have said they are not, but all of the MANY paths I have walked are always marked, and at some path intersections there are «mini» signs.
The Beach at Hale Reservation (Membership Beach) is also a great place to go, and the other beach here at Hale. Everything is pretty, everything is nature-​like, and the entire Hale Reservation campus is a non-​crowded, great place to go. Just take CAUTION on Carby Street, it’s really a one lane road, and is dangerous! And if you’re going to Membership Beach (with a membership, or getting one of course), I would suggest turning at Brune Way instead of Carby.

I am always looking for new places to hike/​walk locally. It’s well organized, perhaps best for hiking newbies or young families. You’re never too far from the main park road.
For my purposes, I won’t be coming back to Hale because it is more of a campground than fit for feeling like you’re out in the middle of nature. That is the context for my rating.

Great place to walk? The trails are clean and people are generally respectful of the #wildlife

This place is a hidden gem. A great place for a hike, walk, or bike. It is one of our favorite places to fish and have a cookout. Bring a grill, some food, and spend the day.

After reading the other two reviews, which weren’t great, I want to add my experience, which is only for Membership Beach, where my family and I spend a lot of time in the summer. This marks our fifth year at Hale and we still love it, from the lifeguards to the volunteers to the administrators, this place runs like clockwork and has become one of the happiest memories in my kids’ lives. Hale is great.

I have to echo Nick B.‘s comment about the poorly marked trails. If you asked me to recreate the route that we took through the woods, there is no way I could do it. We actually had to resort to my friend’s iphone to get us back to the car because we were completely lost and we were losing light.
I do have to say that we saw some cool animals along the way — turtles and frogs, and I do like how much forest there is.
Hale reservation is not a place to hike, but it is a nice place for a nature walk or bike (we saw a bunch of mountain bikers). This place would be great if there wasn’t the danger of getting lost in the woods.

I am not sure where to begin with the Hale. I think it would be best to set the scene. It was a spectacular Sunday in September — the day before I started a new job. I thought what better way to destress from the new job jitters then to go for a hike. I had become acquainted with Hale from a
feature on local hiking spots. Given its proximity I decided to try it.
Getting to the Hale is relatively easy, but that is when the easiness ends. We tried to hike on several trails. I use the hike loosely as you could have easily gone barefoot– Masai style. So I guess we ought to classify this as a «walk».
Regardless, the trails were poorly marked. Actually, they weren’t marked at all. You could be following a well blazed path and then it would disappear and then you suddenly come to an intersection of roughly 6 choices. I was fine with the poorly marked trails. I am all for exploring and bushwhacking and even the occasional geocache, but only if the scenery is visually appealing. The Hale consists mainly of trails under high-​tension power lines and sand. There is no natural fauna to speak of. In fact, I didn’t even see an insect or chipmunk or other similar rodents. The Hale seems devoid of life. Although it would be perfect for a light stroll or dog walk — I would not go there expecting a grand communion with nature. Sorry to all the Westwoodians who I may have offended.