Cedar Swamp, Manchester-by-the-Sea MA

• 3-star hike • 2 mile part-loop • Moderate | Gain 160 feet • Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA | Northeast . On the boardwalk trail spanning the Cedar Swamp. This hike begins with an easy stroll. From the parking lot, head south on a wide flat double-track trail that offers a forgiving comfortable way to warm up your legs. Before long, bear right onto the Founders Boardwalk, which carries you across Cedar Swamp. When we visited in late summer, the lush vegetation crowded in closely on both sides, making views of the swamp somewhat scarce. You will likely spend more time admiring the surrounding greenery at arm's length rather than than gazing across open water and marshland. The boardwalk eventually leads into the Millstone Hill Conservation Area, where the trail network opens up. We chose a loop combining the Cedar Swamp Trail with the Prospect Ledge Trail. Despite its name, the Cedar Swamp Trail offers no further swamp views, but it delivers pleasant hiking under cover of forest. The path…