Bay Circuit Trail & Black Birch Trail via Merrimack River Trail
5.4 mi · ▲ 395 ft · 2 hr
Bay Circuit Trail & Black Birch Trail via Merrimack River Trail is a 5.4-mile out-and-back in Deer Jump Reservation near Marsh Corner, MA. It climbs 395 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Bay Circuit Trail & Black Birch Trail via Merrimack River Trail
5.4 mi · ▲ 395 ft · 2 hr
Elevation 47–171 ft
Out & Back · Deer Jump Reservation
Trailhead: 42.68918, -71.21979
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:40 AM · sunset 8:03 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Merrimack River Trail, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Bay Circuit Trail, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Merrimack River Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Hemlock Trail, heading S.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right onto Black Birch Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miReach Bay Circuit Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Hemlock Trail, heading NW.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto Merrimack River Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Bay Circuit Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Merrimack River Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftArrive 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 2.3 mi in (~60 min). Leave by 6:43 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Merrimack River Trail 3.7 mi · ▲ 191 ft
- Merrimack River Trail 4.3 mi · ▲ 217 ft
- Merrimack River Trail 4.3 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Merrimack River Viewpoint–Bay Circuit Trail, 3 sights 4.3 mi · ▲ 302 ft
- Merrimack River Trail 4.3 mi · ▲ 53 ft
- Merrimac River Trail via Merrimack River Trail 5.2 mi · ▲ 53 ft
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