Mount Hood Memorial Park and Golf Course, situated in the southeastern portion of Melrose next to the Saugus town line, was completed by the U.S. Works Progress Administration in 1937.
The hilly surroundings of the park make it an attractive spot for cross-country skiing and sledding during winter months. Mount Hood features an 18-hole golf course, clubhouse with function rooms, picnic areas, a tot lot, numerous ponds, and an observation tower.
A walk through the park reveals a number of small ponds and several large ponds including brooks, and streams. Long Pond is its largest body of water. Together, these ponds offer ample opportunity throughout the year for fishing, ice skating, picnics, and provides a serene environment in which to enjoy the wonders of nature.
Mount Hood Golf Course, owned by the city and managed by Golf Management, was built in the 1930s and has since been upgraded to modern conditions. In the midst of the wooded 300-acre Mount Hood Memorial Park are the generous fairways, smallish greens and natural topography that make Mount Hood a legacy of the classic era of golf design. While the course is playable and rewarding to golfers of all abilities, 8 of 18 tees are dramatically elevated, allowing soaring tee shots as well as commanding views from Boston to New Hampshire.