Walden pond December 2013.jpg
victorgrigas · CC BY-SA 3.0

Farrar Pond–Walden Pond, 12 lakes is a 7.6-mile out-and-back in Walden Pond State Reservation near Nine Acre Corner, MA. The route passes Sudbury River, Farrar Pond, Andromeda Pond (south) and 7 more. It climbs 290 ft. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi118 – 223 ft8.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.41951, -71.36285
Nearest town Nine Acre Corner, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Farrar Pond–Walden Pond, 12 lakes

7.6 mi · ▲ 290 ft · 2 hr 41 min

Elevation 117–223 ft

Out & Back · Walden Pond State Reservation

Trailhead: 42.41951, -71.36285

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftPass Sudbury River.
  3. 400 ftTurn left, heading E.
  4. 50 ftPass Farrar Pond.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  6. 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  7. 50 ftTurn left onto Bay Circuit Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.6 miBear left, heading NE.
  9. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  10. 350 ftTurn left onto Adams Woods - Mt Misery Path, heading NE.
  11. 0.6 miTurn right, heading N.
  12. 0.1 miPass Andromeda Pond (south).
  13. 0.1 miPass Andromeda Pond (north).
  14. 50 ftPass Andromeda Pond (middle).
  15. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  16. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  17. 250 ftPass Walden Pond.
  18. 100 ftPass Walden Pond State Reservation Beach.
  19. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  20. 150 ftContinue straight onto Esker Trail, heading N.
  21. 50 ftSharp left onto Pond Path, heading N.
  22. 0.2 miPass Walden Pond State Reservation Beach.
  23. 0.2 miPass Red Cross Beach.
  24. 250 ftTurn left onto Ridge Path, heading NE.
  25. 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
  26. 50 ftTurn left onto Lower Woods Path, heading NE.
  27. 250 ftPass Goose Pond.
  28. 300 ftTurn right, heading S.
  29. 250 ftTurn left, heading E.
  30. 100 ftContinue straight onto Goose Pond Trail, heading E.
  31. 400 ftBear left onto Pine Hill Spur, heading SE.
  32. 150 ftTurn left onto Goose Pond Spur, heading NE.
  33. 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
  34. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  35. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Alternate Thoreau's on Path Brister's Hill, heading E.
  36. 450 ftBear right onto Thoreau's on Path Brister's Hill, heading NE.
  37. 250 ftBear left, heading E.
  38. 0.2 miReach Farrar Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  39. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  40. 350 ftBear left onto Alternate Thoreau's on Path Brister's Hill, heading NW.
  41. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  42. 0.1 miSharp right onto Goose Pond Spur, heading N.
  43. 0.3 miTurn right onto Pine Hill Spur, heading NE.
  44. 150 ftBear right onto Goose Pond Trail, heading NE.
  45. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  46. 250 ftTurn left onto Lower Woods Path, heading SE.
  47. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  48. 50 ftBear left onto Ridge Path, heading SW.
  49. 0.1 miTurn right onto Pond Path, heading SE.
  50. 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  51. 350 ftSharp right onto Esker Trail, heading NW.
  52. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  53. 450 ftBear right, heading NW.
  54. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  55. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  56. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Adams Woods - Mt Misery Path, heading SW.
  57. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
  58. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  59. 0.3 miBear right onto Bay Circuit Trail, heading SE.
  60. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  61. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  62. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  63. 200 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  64. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  65. 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

54% dirt9% gravel37% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:03 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.5 mi in (~14 min). Leave by 7:30 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:31 PM — 3 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead