Porter Lake, Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts - panoramio.jpg
davidpinter · CC BY 3.0

Porter Lake–Forest Park Viewpoint, 4 lakes is a 2-mile out-and-back in Forest Park near Forest Park, MA. The route passes Porter Lake, Forest Park Viewpoint and Fountain Lake before reaching Barney Pond at the turnaround, 1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 176 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi92 – 177 ft2.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.08034, -72.56870
Nearest town Forest Park, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Porter Lake–Forest Park Viewpoint, 4 lakes

2 mi · ▲ 176 ft · 45 min

Elevation 92–178 ft

Out & Back · Forest Park

Trailhead: 42.08034, -72.56870

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:47 AM · sunset 8:07 PM

Transit-accessible: SUMNER / FOREST PARK stop 400 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  3. 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  5. 50 ftTurn left onto Snake Hill Road, heading W.
  6. 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  7. 150 ftTurn right onto Bowling Green Path, heading E.
  8. 150 ftBear left, heading SE.
  9. 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
  10. 300 ftTurn right, heading E.
  11. 50 ftPass Porter Lake.
  12. 0.3 miPass Forest Park Viewpoint.
  13. 50 ftPass Fountain Lake.
  14. 50 ftPass Barney Pond.
  15. 50 ftReach Porter Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  16. 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
  17. 300 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  18. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  19. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  20. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Snake Hill Road, heading W.
  21. 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  22. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  23. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  24. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  25. 0.1 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

100% dirt

Weather

Sunrise 5:47 AMSunset 8:07 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.8 mi in (~23 min). Leave by 7:25 PM for the 8:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: SUMNER / FOREST PARK stop 400 m from the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination