AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Walter Cowls Jones Working Forest

Bates Sanctuary & Middle Access Road

8.6 mi · ▲ 939 ft · 3 hr 20 min

Bates Sanctuary & Middle Access Road is an 8.6-mile out-and-back in Walter Cowls Jones Working Forest near East Leverett, MA. The route reaches Bates Sanctuary. It climbs 939 ft. It scores 55/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi459 – 846 ft9.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.43742, -72.48070
Nearest town East Leverett, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Bates Sanctuary & Middle Access Road

8.6 mi · ▲ 939 ft · 3 hr 20 min

Elevation 461–846 ft

Out & Back · Walter Cowls Jones Working Forest

Trailhead: 42.43742, -72.48070

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miPass Bates Sanctuary.
  3. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  4. 0.2 miTurn right onto M&M Trail (Old Route), heading S.
  5. 1.8 miBear left, heading SE.
  6. 450 ftBear right, heading E.
  7. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  8. 350 ftBear left, heading SE.
  9. 200 ftBear right, heading SE.
  10. 300 ftSharp left, heading W.
  11. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  12. 500 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  13. 100 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  15. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Middle Access Road, heading S.
  16. 1.2 miReach Bates Sanctuary, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 1.6 miTurn left, heading N.
  18. 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  20. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  21. 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
  22. 350 ftBear left, heading NW.
  23. 200 ftBear right, heading NW.
  24. 350 ftBear right, heading N.
  25. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  26. 450 ftBear right, heading E.
  27. 1.3 miContinue straight onto M&M Trail (Old Route), heading N.
  28. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  29. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  30. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/bates-sanctuary-middle-access-road-out-back

Trail surface

34% gravel66% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:36 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:33 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:53 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:21 PM.

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