Aaron River Reservoir–Ayer's Lane, 4 sights is a 5.8-mile out-and-back in Wompatuck State Park near Black Rock, MA. The route reaches Aaron River Reservoir. It is mostly level, with 135 ft of elevation gain. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Aaron River Reservoir–Ayer's Lane, 4 sights
5.8 mi · ▲ 135 ft · 2 hr
Elevation 36–119 ft
Out & Back · Wompatuck State Park
Trailhead: Whitney Spur Rail Trail · 42.24196, -70.83706
Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 84°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:40 AM · sunset 8:01 PM
Transit-accessible: Cohasset stop 248 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Whitney Spur Rail Trail, heading S.
- 0.6 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto Ayer's Lane, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Milliken Memorial Path, heading SW.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Doane Street, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miPass Aaron River Reservoir.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftReach Aaron River Reservoir, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Milliken Memorial Path, heading N.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Ayer's Lane, heading NW.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
- 400 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 450 ftSharp right onto Whitney Spur Rail Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.8 mi in (~44 min). Leave by 6:56 PM for the 8:01 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:59 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Cohasset stop 248 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Whitney Spur Rail Trail Trailhead
- Turkey Hill–Turkey Hill Road, 3 sights 2.8 mi · ▲ 169 ft
- James Hill Lane & Whitney Spur Rail Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 56 ft
- Bigelow Boulder–Bancroft Trail, 4 sights 3.5 mi · ▲ 110 ft
- Rooster Rock–Bancroft Trail, 4 sights 3.8 mi · ▲ 168 ft
- Ayer's Lane–Milliken Memorial Path, 3 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Milliken Memorial Path–Rogue Dead Guy, 3 sights 4.8 mi · ▲ 108 ft
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