Best Staycation Destination in Medfield: Noon Hill Reservation

If you need a break from the daily grind but want to stay local then there's a perfect staycation destination for you right here in Medfield ... the Noon Hill Reservation.

This past week, we asked readers to fill us in on where the best staycation destination –or stay-at-home vacation – in Medfield is and after days of polling, the results are in! In not much of a race, Noon Hill Reservation has been chosen as the best spot in town.

Our shows the majority of readers will be hiking the trails around Noon Hill Reservation the next time they are in need of a staycation. The 204-acre reservation operated and maintained by the Trustees of Reservation claimed 29 of the 61 poll votes (47 percent). Noon Hill beat out second-place , which claimed 19 of 61 votes (31 percent). came in third place with five of 61 votes (8 percent). 

Noon Hill Reservation covers 204 acres and the viewing point – where you can see Gillette Stadium – can be found off Noon Hill Road. The reservation, according to the Trustees' website:

"[Is] in the heart of historic Medfield, [where] you can discover woodlands, waters-edge views of the Charles River, and abundant wildlife.

Wooded trails wind through the varied terrain of Noon Hill, making it perfect for hiking, cross-country skiing, mountain biking, and horseback riding. At 370 feet, Noon Hill rises gently above the surrounding landscape. Follow the short trail that leads to its peak and you'll be rewarded with sweeping views south across the rolling hills of Walpole and Norfolk. A loop trail around Holt Pond gives you a wonderful opportunity to explore freshwater habitat.

A short trail extension across Causeway Street connects Noon Hill to Shattuck Reservation. Both reservations are managed with adjacent conservation land owned by the Town of Medfield.

Spring brings a variety of migratory songbirds and wildflowers such as pink lady’s slippers and Canada mayflower. The properties and surrounding lands provide habitat for white-tailed deer, red fox, raccoon, and ruffed grouse. During the fall, Noon Hill makes a great place to watch the annual hawk migration, when raptors wing their way south for the winter.

Thousands of years ago, glacial action carved depressions through the hill. Exposed bedrock along the tops of the ridges is further evidence of the glacial activity that shaped the land. The reservation's slopes and ridges are forested with pine, beech, birch, and hemlock; in spring, the forest floor is scattered with wildflowers. From the height of Noon Hill, the land slopes gently toward the Charles River and its tributary, the Stop River. Many lowland areas have become red maple swamps, and much of the land to the north and east of the Reservation is floodplain of the Stop River, a tributary of the Charles River."

To read more about Noon Hill Reservation, check out Richard DeSorgher's story on the massive reservation by .

Thanks to everyone who voted and commented! Starting next Monday morning our Readers' Choice Best Of Patch series will be looking for the best place to order side dishes for Memorial Day.

Note to Medfield business owners: Medfield Patch updates its "Patch Places" directory constantly, so if your business is not linked above, we will add it as soon as possible. If you are a business owner and want to "claim" your free business listing, click on the link to your business and look for instructions on how to claim your listing or watch this how-to video.