AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Brooks Woodland Preserve

Johnson Hill Trail–Old Town Road, 3 sights

5.8 mi · ▲ 642 ft · 2 hr 15 min

Johnson Hill Trail–Old Town Road, 3 sights is a 5.8-mile out-and-back in Brooks Woodland Preserve near Petersham, MA. It climbs 642 ft, with sections as steep as 21% grade. It scores 22/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi751 – 978 ft · steepest grade: 21%6.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.49107, -72.17061
Nearest town Petersham, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Johnson Hill Trail–Old Town Road, 3 sights

5.8 mi · ▲ 642 ft · 2 hr 15 min

Elevation 750–978 ft

Out & Back · Brooks Woodland Preserve

Trailhead: 42.49107, -72.17061

Weather Aug 4: Partly cloudy, high 77°F / low 60° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:45 AM · sunset 8:07 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  3. 0.4 miTurn left onto Jerry's Trail, heading S.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  5. 200 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  6. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  7. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  8. 0.2 miTurn right onto Tumbledown North, heading NE.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left onto Tumbledown East, heading S.
  10. 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
  11. 400 ftBear right, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  13. 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  14. 150 ftBear left, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  16. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  17. 100 ftTurn left onto Quaker Drive, heading E.
  18. 0.5 miReach Johnson Hill Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 450 ftBear left onto Old Town Road, heading NE.
  20. 0.7 miSharp right onto Rutland Brook Trail, heading S.
  21. 0.3 miSharp left onto Quaker Drive, heading N.
  22. 0.2 miSharp right, heading SW.
  23. 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
  24. 150 ftSharp left, heading N.
  25. 1.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  26. 450 ftBear right, heading NE.
  27. 300 ftContinue straight onto Johnson Hill Trail, heading W.
  28. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  29. 250 ftTurn left onto Jerry's Trail, heading W.
  30. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  31. 0.4 miSharp left, heading N.
  32. 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/connor-pond-out-back-10-km-4b71

Trail surface

33% dirt67% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 77°F60°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity76%
Rained 3.4″ yesterday (5.4″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 5:45 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:07 PM
Wed 77°61°
Thu 87°64° 52%
Fri 92°68° 38%
Sat 88°69° 39%
Sun 92°67°
Mon 89°67° 18%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~78 min). Leave by 6:29 PM for the 8:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:39 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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Hikes near Petersham, Massachusetts