AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Middlesex Fells Reservation

Grinding Rock Hill–South Reservoir, 5 sights

5 mi · ▲ 286 ft · 1 hr 49 min

Grinding Rock Hill–South Reservoir, 5 sights is a 5-mile out-and-back in Middlesex Fells Reservation near Medford, MA. The route passes South Reservoir and Middle Reservoir before reaching Grinding Rock Hill at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It climbs 286 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi46 – 223 ft5.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.42557, -71.11572
Nearest town Medford, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Grinding Rock Hill–South Reservoir, 5 sights

5 mi · ▲ 286 ft · 1 hr 49 min

Elevation 46–223 ft

Out & Back · Middlesex Fells Reservation

Trailhead: 42.42557, -71.11572

Weather Aug 3: Heavy rain, high 77°F / low 69° · precip 81% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:39 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

Transit-accessible: High St @ Rural Ave - Winthrop Circle stop 497 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
  3. 250 ftBear left, heading N.
  4. 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  5. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right onto Ram's Head Road, heading NW.
  7. 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
  8. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  9. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  10. 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
  11. 0.4 miPass South Reservoir.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading NW.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading W.
  14. 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading W.
  15. 250 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading W.
  16. 0.8 miTurn right onto Nanepashemet Road, heading N.
  17. 0.1 miTurn left onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
  18. 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading N.
  19. 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
  20. 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading NW.
  21. 150 ftPass Middle Reservoir.
  22. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  23. 200 ftBear left, heading NW.
  24. 350 ftReach Grinding Rock Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  25. 0.1 miTurn left onto Nanepashemet Road, heading NE.
  26. 200 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading NW.
  27. 50 ftTurn right onto Nanepashemet Road, heading NW.
  28. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  29. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading S.
  30. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading S.
  31. 250 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading S.
  32. 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading S.
  33. 100 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading S.
  34. 0.3 miBear right, heading SW.
  35. 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  36. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  37. 150 ftBear left onto Ram's Head Road, heading SW.
  38. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  39. 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
  40. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  41. 300 ftBear right, heading SW.
  42. 250 ftBear left, heading SW.
  43. 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/grinding-rock-hill-out-back-8-km-6bf0

Trail surface

90% dirt10% unspecified

Weather

Heavy rainTemperature 77°F69°
Precip81%Wind7 mphUV2Humidity84%
Rained 0.7″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65° 12 AM: 3% rain2 AM: 1% rain3 AM: 11% rain4 AM: 33% rain5 AM: 57% rain6 AM: 63% rain7 AM: 52% rain8 AM: 60% rain9 AM: 41% rain10 AM: 78% rain11 AM: 80% rain12 PM: 74% rain1 PM: 81% rain2 PM: 66% rain3 PM: 59% rain4 PM: 41% rain5 PM: 39% rain6 PM: 30% rain7 PM: 28% rain8 PM: 21% rain
Sunrise 5:39 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:03 PM
Tue 82°63°
Wed 84°63°
Thu 91°70° 15%
Fri 97°73° 27%
Sat 93°72° 41%
Sun 96°70°

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: High St @ Rural Ave - Winthrop Circle stop 497 m from the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Medford, Massachusetts