Walden Pond–Goose Pond, 12 lakes is a 6.7-mile out-and-back in Walden Pond State Reservation near Baker Bridge, MA. The route passes Andromeda Pond (south), Andromeda Pond (north), Andromeda Pond (middle) and 5 more before reaching Fairyland Pond at the turnaround, 3.3 miles in. It climbs 280 ft. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Walden Pond–Goose Pond, 12 lakes
6.7 mi · ▲ 280 ft · 2 hr 22 min
Elevation 118–223 ft
Out & Back · Walden Pond State Reservation
Trailhead: Bay Circuit Trail · 42.41771, -71.35332
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:03 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Bay Circuit Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Adams Woods - Mt Misery Path, heading NW.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miPass Andromeda Pond (south).
- 0.1 miPass Andromeda Pond (north).
- 50 ftPass Andromeda Pond (middle).
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftPass Walden Pond.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Walden Pond State Reservation Beach.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Esker Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Pond Path, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass Walden Pond State Reservation Beach.
- 0.2 miPass Red Cross Beach.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Ridge Path, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Lower Woods Path, heading SE.
- 300 ftPass Goose Pond.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Goose Pond Trail, heading E.
- 400 ftBear left onto Pine Hill Spur, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Goose Pond Spur, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn left onto Connecting Trail (blue), heading NE.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Main Trail (yellow), heading NW.
- 400 ftTurn right onto Red Dot Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Fairyland Pond.
- 0.2 miReach Walden Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Main Trail (yellow), heading NW.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Connecting Trail (blue), heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 400 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Goose Pond Spur, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Pine Hill Spur, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right onto Goose Pond Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 250 ftTurn left onto Lower Woods Path, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left onto Ridge Path, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Pond Path, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
- 350 ftSharp right onto Esker Trail, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 450 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Adams Woods - Mt Misery Path, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 400 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Bay Circuit Trail, 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 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:42 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:19 PM — 16 min before dark.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Bay Circuit Trail Trailhead
- Lincoln Ridge Conservation Trust–Farrar Pond, 4 lakes 2.5 mi · ▲ 55 ft
- Fairhaven Bay–Andromeda Pond (south), 4 lakes 3.5 mi · ▲ 170 ft
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Hikes near Baker Bridge, Massachusetts