Lancaster Mill Pond–Clamshell Pond, 6 lakes is a 2.7-mile out-and-back in Rauscher Farm near West Berlin, MA. The route passes Frog Pond, Clamshell Pond, Clinton Tunnel - East Entrance and Clinton Tunnel - West Entrance before reaching Lancaster Mill Pond at the turnaround, 1.3 miles in. It climbs 287 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 9/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Lancaster Mill Pond–Clamshell Pond, 6 lakes
2.7 mi · ▲ 287 ft · 1 hr 3 min
Elevation 376–499 ft
Out & Back · Rauscher Farm
Trailhead: Rich Freel Memorial Overlook · 42.39218, -71.67660
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:43 AM · sunset 8:04 PM
- Start on Rich Freel Memorial Overlook, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Frog Pond.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Hickory Trail, heading W.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Old Clamshell road, heading N.
- 0.1 miPass Clamshell Pond.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Powerline Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 300 ftSharp right, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miPass Clinton Tunnel - East Entrance.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Central Massachusetts Branch, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass Clinton Tunnel - West Entrance.
- 50 ftReach Lancaster Mill Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Powerline Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Old Clamshell road, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Hickory Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 100 ftTurn right onto Rich Freel Memorial Overlook, heading SE.
- 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 0.1 mi in (~5 min). Leave by 7:40 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:24 PM — 12 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint
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