AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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John Phelan · CC BY 4.0
Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Gospel Hill–Puffer Pond, 6 sights

13.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 4 hr 30 min

Gospel Hill–Puffer Pond, 6 sights is a 13.5-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Maynard, MA. The route passes Puffer Pond and Gospel Hill. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain. It scores 8/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi180 – 220 ft14.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.42085, -71.45329
Nearest town Maynard, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gospel Hill–Puffer Pond, 6 sights

13.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 4 hr 30 min

Elevation 179–221 ft

Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: 42.42085, -71.45329

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

Transit-accessible: stop 338 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  4. 0.1 miTurn left onto Taylor Way, heading SW.
  5. 0.2 miSharp right onto Otter Alley, heading SE.
  6. 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
  7. 0.1 miPass Puffer Pond.
  8. 150 ftContinue straight onto Harry's Way, heading S.
  9. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Pine Garden Trail, heading SW.
  10. 0.3 miBear left onto Tri-Town Trail, heading W.
  11. 0.5 miBear right, heading S.
  12. 0.5 miTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading SW.
  13. 0.6 miTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading S.
  14. 2.2 miContinue straight onto Mass Central Rail Trail, heading NW.
  15. 0.5 miPass Gospel Hill.
  16. 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  17. 0.6 miReach Gospel Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
  19. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading E.
  20. 2.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  21. 50 ftContinue straight onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
  22. 1 miBear left, heading N.
  23. 350 ftContinue straight onto Tri-Town Trail, heading N.
  24. 0.5 miBear right onto Pine Garden Trail, heading N.
  25. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Harry's Way, heading NE.
  26. 0.5 miTurn right onto Otter Alley, heading NE.
  27. 0.3 miSharp left onto Taylor Way, heading N.
  28. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  29. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  30. 0.2 miSharp right, heading N.
  31. 0.2 miArrive 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-out-back-20-km-e33a

Trail surface

51% paved17% dirt32% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:03 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~50 min). Leave by 6:53 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:09 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: stop 338 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Maynard, Massachusetts