North Reservoir–South Reservoir, 6 sights
5 mi · ▲ 351 ft · 1 hr 51 min
North Reservoir–South Reservoir, 6 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 North Reservoir at the turnaround, 2.3 miles in. It climbs 351 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
North Reservoir–South Reservoir, 6 sights
5 mi · ▲ 351 ft · 1 hr 51 min
Elevation 106–223 ft
Out & Back · Middlesex Fells Reservation
Trailhead: 42.43221, -71.11195
Weather Aug 4: Heavy rain, high 77°F / low 69° · precip 81% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:39 AM · sunset 8:03 PM
Transit-accessible: Fellsway W @ S Border Rd stop 713 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miPass South Reservoir.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading NW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear right onto West Dam Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Molly's Spring Road, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Nanepashemet Road, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading NW.
- 100 ftPass Middle Reservoir.
- 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Middle Reservoir Road, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 200 ftReach North Reservoir, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Middle Reservoir Road, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Nanepashemet Road, heading SE.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Nanepashemet Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Molly's Spring Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto West Dam Road, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Reservoir Trail, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading SW.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.4 miArrive 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 2.4 mi in (~66 min). Leave by 6:38 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Fellsway W @ S Border Rd stop 713 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Quarry Spring–Bellevue Pond Loop, 5 sights 1.1 mi · ▲ 174 ft
- Silver Mine Hill–South Reservoir, 5 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 143 ft
- Ram's Head Road 2.1 mi · ▲ 136 ft
- Whitmore Brook Road 2.3 mi · ▲ 285 ft
- Silver Mine Hill–North Reservoir, 8 sights 5.2 mi · ▲ 337 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Medford, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Medford, Massachusetts