Franklin Park is Boston’s largest park, a roughly 527-acre expanse designed by Frederick Law Olmsted as the grand culminating jewel of his Emerald Necklace chain of green spaces. Bordering the Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Dorchester neighborhoods, it blends rolling meadows, wooded ridges, rocky outcrops, and winding carriage paths into a landscape that feels remarkably wild for an inner-city park.
Within its bounds are the Franklin Park Zoo, founded in 1912 and home to gorillas, lions, giraffes, and more, plus a historic public golf course and the ruins of the old bear dens. The park hosts walking, running, cycling, and community events throughout the year, and its varied terrain rewards exploration on foot. As the keystone of Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace, it remains one of the most ambitious examples of 19th-century American park design.
Good to know
- Boston’s largest park (about 527 acres) and the final link in Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace
- The park grounds are free; the Franklin Park Zoo is separately ticketed
- Includes a public golf course, walking and cycling paths, and open meadows
- Large and spread out; pick an entrance near your destination (zoo, golf, or trails)
Getting there
- Address: 1 Franklin Park Road, Boston, MA 02121 (bordered by Blue Hill Ave., Seaver St., and Forest Hills St.)
- Neighborhood: Bordering Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Dorchester
- Nearest T: Forest Hills (MBTA Orange Line) is the nearest rapid-transit station; MBTA bus route 16 connects to the zoo area. Check mbta.com for the best routing to your destination within the park.