AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Mass Central Rail Trail W, Hudson MA.jpg
John Phelan · CC BY 4.0
Memorial Forest

Gospel Hill–Duck Pond, 4 sights

13.1 mi · ▲ 161 ft · 4 hr 27 min

Gospel Hill–Duck Pond, 4 sights is a 13.1-mile out-and-back in Memorial Forest near Gleasondale Station, MA. The route passes Gospel Hill and Duck Pond. It is mostly level, with 161 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi135 – 220 ft13.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Assabet River Rail Trail 42.39614, -71.53608
Nearest town Gleasondale Station, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gospel Hill–Duck Pond, 4 sights

13.1 mi · ▲ 161 ft · 4 hr 27 min

Elevation 134–221 ft

Out & Back · Memorial Forest

Trailhead: Assabet River Rail Trail · 42.39614, -71.53608

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Assabet River Rail Trail, heading SE.
  2. 150 ftTurn left onto Mass Central Rail Trail, heading E.
  3. 0.6 miPass Gospel Hill.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  5. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading E.
  6. 2.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  7. 50 ftTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  9. 150 ftBear left onto Desert Trail, heading SE.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left onto Desert Loop Trail, heading SE.
  11. 0.3 miTurn left onto Marsh to Desert Trail, heading SE.
  12. 200 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading E.
  13. 350 ftPass Duck Pond.
  14. 2.3 miTurn right onto Framingham and Lowell Branch, heading SE.
  15. 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
  16. 50 ftReach Gospel Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading N.
  19. 2.4 miTurn left onto Marsh to Desert Trail, heading NW.
  20. 200 ftTurn right onto Desert Loop Trail, heading NW.
  21. 0.2 miTurn right onto Desert Trail, heading W.
  22. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  23. 150 ftTurn left onto Fisher Trail, heading NW.
  24. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  25. 100 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading NW.
  26. 2.2 miContinue straight onto Mass Central Rail Trail, heading NW.
  27. 0.5 miTurn right, heading NW.
  28. 0.6 miTurn right onto Assabet River Rail Trail, heading W.
  29. 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/gospel-hill-duck-pond-out-back-3-lakes-19-km

Trail surface

85% paved10% dirt5% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:04 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 5.7 mi in (~143 min). Leave by 5:21 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:40 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Gleasondale Station, Massachusetts