This was a disappointment. I did not expect the place to be great but often I am pleasantly surprised. Not this time. Saugus was not a good experience. We arrived early, very early, because we had to traverse Boston on a Monday morning so we left Hingham at 5:15 and it still took over 2 hours for the 71 mile drive. We arrived, parked and ate breakfast. Meanwhile a worker arrived and I verified it was ok to park where I was. Then about 8:30 (sign said open at nine, website said 10) two young rangers arrived and began to hang signs around the park, I walked to where they were and they were preparing for a pre-school group. She said park opens at 10 now and sometimes they are early. At 10 a third ranger was at the gate to the small park, she greeted us as we walked to the VC and we waited until 10:15 with no one around, so back to the third ranger. What time is the park open? “We are closed on Monday.” The web site says seven days a week? “Not the Facebook page, you should have checked there.” No apology, no further conversation. I really appreciate the Park Service Rangers and write often of what they do, but…

So we did not get to see inside anything but we did walk the grounds. That is sufficient for Saugus. It is a tiny park hemmed in by housing and urban encroachment. This is a park that would make a nice state park, not a National Park. Yet it is and a new one for us, number 8 on this trip if you are counting.