Running and swimming?

[Elizabeth Santorella]

Hi,

Anyone know of anywhere accessible by an easy bike ride or by the T where you can run on trails and swim legally? It's too hot to run far without being able to hop in a lake in the middle :p

--Liz

[Alexander Hayman]

You can swim in Houghton Pond located in the Blue Hills, accessible by
Red Line + short bike ride.

Alex

[Tom Laakso]

My roommates likes to swim in the Mystics, which aren't too far by bike. There are contamination warnings occasionally though, so watch out.

Tom

[Philip Kreycik]

I've never done it but you could run in the fells on the same trip as swimming at Mystic Lakes.  Mystic Lakes are so convenient, it's a shame that the water quality is questionable.  It seems to be the same drainage as Horn Pond in Woburn, which apparently is kind of gross, and I've also heard there's a big dog park right upstream of Upper Mystic Lake... never confirmed that though.

Other places:

• Old Lexington Reservoir - no trail running available aside from a short loop around the pond; I used to go there regularly. there are signs that say no swimming when lifeguard is not on duty and there is a relatively short fence that is locked when the lifeguard is not there ...of course there's no particular reason I mention that the fence is short... :)
• Arlington Reservoir - apparently has a swimming beach, so I'm sure you could swim in the whole pond; also very close to Great Meadow, which has trails. I've never swum there.

Beyond those and the ones already mentioned, I don't know of any other legitimate places to go. Anyone else?

Philip 

[Chris Lamie]

Springs Brook Park in Bedford is kind of nice... the best way I can
describe it is as a filtered quasi-pool, quasi-pond. It's set back in
the woods and it has a few lanes for lap swimming. You can get there
by taking the Minuteman bike path to the end, then at the depot, go
north on the narrow gauge rail trail. There's a charge to swim during
the day, but it's free after 5:15 or 5:30 or so.

Arlington res is pretty gross outside of the separate filtered
swimming area, so I wouldn't recommend it!

Chris