From May through October, the Conservancy offers a series of free, guided walking and bike tours led by Emerald Necklace Conservancy docents. Visitors can stroll among scented blooms, take a walk into history, discover the hidden gems of the Back Bay Fens landscape or ride along the bicycle paths to explore more of the Necklace.
Tours start from the Shattuck Visitor Center unless otherwise noted. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a refillable water bottle. Check the Conservancy’s website for weather-related cancellations or schedule changes.
June
Forest Bathing Walk
Saturday, June 9 || 9 am – 11 am
Experience the healing benefits of The Emerald Necklace on a forest Bathing Walk. Discover one of Boston’s forested gems on this slow-paced guided therapeutic combination of leisurely walking, sitting and observation led by Tam Willey of Toadstool Walks, a Certified Forest Therapy Guide.
Meet at Wards Pond, Olmsted Park.
Registration Closed.
Bring a refillable water bottle and wear comfortable walking shoes.
Evening Garden Stroll
Tuesday, June 12 and Tuesday, June 19 || 6:30 – 7:30 pm
Summer blooms, scented gardens, and a leisurely stroll all combine to make this one-hour guided walk the perfect antidote to the workday!
Begins and ends at the Shattuck Visitor Center. Free and open to the public. No registration required. Bring a refillable water bottle and wear comfortable walking shoes.
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Hello Muddy! Tour of the Restored Muddy River
Saturday, June 16 || 11 am – 12 pm
After decades spent underground beneath a parking lot, a portion of the Muddy River has been uncovered to see daylight once again. Hear the story of how river and parkland were reclaimed and how the vision of Frederick Law Olmsted’s is being restored for the 21st century.
Meet at REI, Landmark Center, 401 Park Drive, Boston, MA 02215.
Free and open to the public. No registration required. Bring a refillable water bottle and wear comfortable walking shoes.
History and Landscape of the Back Bay Fens
Sunday, June 17 and Saturday, June 30 || 11 am – 12:30 pm
From foul muddy flats to the parkland of today, the Fens has undergone many transformations in the last 125 years. Join Emerald Necklace docents as they talk and walk the historic landscape. Stops include the Kelleher Rose Garden, with its 1,500+ roses and reconstructed fountain and the oldest WWII Victory Gardens in America.
Begins and ends at the Shattuck Visitor Center, 125 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115. Free and open to the public. No registration required. Bring a refillable water bottle and wear comfortable walking shoes.
Shattuck Visitor Center
125 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
Hours
Open year-round Monday-Friday:
9:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday and Sunday (May-October only):
11:00am – 4:00pm
About the Shattuck Visitor Center
Docent Programs
From May through October, docents lead 90-minute tours of the Back Bay Fens every weekend and one-hour evening garden strolls on selected Tuesdays.
Tour schedules are subject to change! Check back before your tour or call 617.522.2700 for updates.
During the winter months, docents lead guided walks and offer a variety of programs at the Shattuck. Check calendar for schedule and details.
Hello Muddy! Guided Walk along the Restored Muddy River
You’ll traverse the footprint of the restored Muddy River in the Back Bay Fens on this docent-led tour and hear the story of the uncovered river and how a piece of Olmsted’s landscape was reclaimed as parkland after spending decades paved over and used as a parking lot.
Evening Garden Stroll
Enjoy a leisurely walk through the gardens of the Fens. You’ll take in the sights and scents of the historic Kelleher Rose Garden with its more than 1,500 roses and recently reconstructed fountain, and meander the paths of the oldest continually operating Victory Garden in America.
