For a short, eventful hike, follow the Green and Blue dots from Shea Rink. As soon as you leave the parking lot behind, you will discover St. Moritz Ponds, two secluded lakes, covered with lily pads in the summer and surrounded by shady woods. Even though you’ve just started, you’ll want to take a moment to enjoy the view and maybe even look for water critters.

A little further down, cross Wampatuck Road – watch out for traffic – and dive into the woods again, following the Blue dots on the Skyline Trail, which leads you to an old quarry. Unlike the Quincy Quarries on Ricciuti Drive to the north, this is smaller and still filled with rainwater. It is framed by the quarry rock behind it. Small fish, giant frogs and tadpoles greet summer walkers. You can climb up to picnic with a view of the quarry pond, but if you continue to follow the Blue dots up and around the Quarry, you’ll treat yourself to a short, but very steep, rocky descent down Rattlesnake Hill. Adventurous children, five years and older, might enjoy this challenge, but they’ll need help from agile adults. It’s actually much easier than it looks. For an easy stroll back to the car, take a left shortly after the rock scramble down, where the Blue Dot path crosses the Green Dot path at marker 4155. Follow the green dot “Pipe Line” path, crossing back over Wampatuck Road back to Shea Rink. Unlike the steep, woodsy walk along the Blue Dot, your walk back will be flat and open

Start from Parking at Shea Memorial Rink, 651 Willard St, Quincy