Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
French Road Pond & Petapawag Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
9.3 mi · ▲ 138 ft · 3 hr 10 min
French Road Pond & Petapawag Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 9.3-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Lower Village, MA. The route reaches French Road Pond at the turnaround, 4.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 138 ft of elevation gain. It scores 26/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
French Road Pond & Petapawag Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
9.3 mi · ▲ 138 ft · 3 hr 10 min
Elevation 169–269 ft
Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
Trailhead: White Pond Road · 42.41888, -71.47415
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on White Pond Road, heading S.
- 1.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Towhee Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Petapawag Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading S.
- 400 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Pipeline Pass, heading S.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 350 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miReach French Road Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Ocean By-Pass, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Fisher Trail, heading NW.
- 1 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left onto Petapawag Trail, heading NE.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Towhee Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto White Pond Road, heading NW.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.5 mi in (~110 min). Leave by 5:54 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from White Pond Road Trailhead
- Towhee Trail Loop via White Pond Road 2.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Lake Boon & White Pond Road via Patrol Road 3.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Harry's Way–Pine Garden Trail Loop, 3 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Rice Tavern Foundation–Voss Pond, 5 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Track Road/Assabet River Rail Trail Easement Viewpoint–Track Road/Assabet River Rail Trail Easement, 3 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 193 ft
- Cuttings Pond–Rice Tavern Foundation, 5 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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