Last week my mom and I took a trip to a place called ‘Purgatory Chasm’ in Sutton, Massachusetts. It’s a short hike - only about half a mile round trip - but you have to descend 70 feet into a chasm of granite bedrock.

The creation of the chasm is officially unknown, but there have been theories proposed that the chasm was created when glacial meltwater from a burst ice dam ripped out blocks of bedrock at the end of the last Ice Age about 14,000 years ago.

The main reason we went here was because I wanted to try out my brand new hiking boots! Obviously one should break in their boots before heading off on as long a hike as Everest Base Camp so that’s just what I did. And it was the perfect place to do so.

I also wore my backpack to get a little more hiking time under my belt while wearing it. I packed it full of a lot of the things I’ll be bringing with me on my trip as well as a few books (and later rocks) to add some extra weight.

There are all sorts of fun hidden caves and drop offs as well that, while cool to find and take a peek down into, you do have to be careful not to slip and fall in. Inevitably someone doesn’t listen or pay attention and there is sadly usually a death at least once a year.

One of my favorite places to go as a kid (we used to go a lot with school and camps when I was younger) was ‘Fat Man’s Squeeze’. It’s a small opening between two rocks that you can try squeeze your way through. Thankfully I still fit!

It’s a really fun hike to do almost any time of the year - though it’s closed in the winter for safety - and if you’re in the area go check it out! There’s also a rather large rock at the beginning of the trail that’s a lot of fun to run up and slide down and is a bit hit with the kids…and me.

Have you ever been to Purgatory Chasm? Have a favorite hiking place near your hometown?