June 10, 2021
I had a doctor’s visit in Cambridge early in the morning, and I decided to stop by Lexington on the way back home afterward. It was a beautiful day; the temperature was in the low 70s and there was a near-constant breeze. The Battle Road Trail therefore seemed like a good idea. This five-mile one-way walk (ten miles out-and-back, as I did it) is nearly flat and consists of much of the route the British soldiers took during the Battle of Lexington and Concord. Historical buildings and information placards abound, and there are a few small rock monuments here and there marking the burial areas of fallen British soldiers.
I did not have time to visit the Visitor Center or the buildings which offer tours (most of which are still closed due to COVID-19). Nor did I hike the few smaller trails that are scattered throughout the Park. I will return later this summer and do the tours (if they resume by then), get my Park stamp, and do the smaller hikes (under a mile or two combined).
Please note I need to remember to take my photos from a distance. They need to be resized to be uploaded to this blog. I forgot to do that this time around, and as a result, the photos below look like someone took them way too up close. Sorry about that. Also, note that I include only a few examples of historical structures and placards – there are many, many more.
This walk was wonderful. It was a nice change from the backcountry White Mountain trails I have lived in for years. I love the White Mountain trails, and I always will, but I am looking forward to finishing my goal of hiking them all so I can move on and start to see the entire rest of the country. Walking the Battle Road Trail felt so casual and enjoyable, and I liked seeing all the different people using it. It was also interesting imagining the skirmishes and marching and gunshots. So many young men died along that route. I wonder if they ever visit the place in spirit and amuse themselves by watching us living folk wander by.
Where Paul Revere was captured 
