AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Deer Jump Reservation

Bay Circuit Trail–Black Birch Trail, 3 sights

9.6 mi · ▲ 456 ft · 3 hr 26 min

Bay Circuit Trail–Black Birch Trail, 3 sights is a 9.6-mile out-and-back in Deer Jump Reservation near Kenwood, MA. It climbs 456 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi46 – 171 ft11.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Merrimack River Trail 42.65632, -71.25473
Nearest town Kenwood, MA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Bay Circuit Trail–Black Birch Trail, 3 sights

9.6 mi · ▲ 456 ft · 3 hr 26 min

Elevation 45–171 ft

Out & Back · Deer Jump Reservation

Trailhead: Merrimack River Trail · 42.65632, -71.25473

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:41 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Merrimack River Trail, heading NE.
  2. 400 ftContinue straight onto Hemlock Trail, heading NE.
  3. 500 ftSharp right onto Black Birch Trail, heading N.
  4. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  5. 50 ftTurn right onto Hemlock Trail, heading E.
  6. 300 ftContinue straight onto Merrimack River Trail, heading N.
  7. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Bay Circuit Trail, heading NE.
  8. 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
  9. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  10. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  11. 0.2 miTurn right onto Merrimack River Trail, heading E.
  12. 1.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  13. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  14. 150 ftBear right, heading NE.
  15. 1.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  16. 1.2 miReach Merrimack River Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 1.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  18. 1.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  19. 250 ftBear right, heading S.
  20. 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  21. 1.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  22. 0.2 miTurn left onto Bay Circuit Trail, heading SW.
  23. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  24. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Merrimack River Trail, heading SW.
  25. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Hemlock Trail, heading SW.
  26. 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  27. 50 ftBear right onto Black Birch Trail, heading SW.
  28. 0.3 miSharp left onto Hemlock Trail, heading S.
  29. 450 ftContinue straight onto Merrimack River Trail, heading S.
  30. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/bay-circuit-trail-black-birch-trail-out-back-5-sights-13-km-f62c

Trail surface

86% dirt14% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:41 AMSunset 8:03 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~19 min). Leave by 7:24 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:34 PM — 1 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Kenwood, Massachusetts