Pepperell Pond & Groton School Pond via Nashua River Rail Trail is a 9.8-mile out-and-back in Shepley Hill near Groton, MA. The route passes Groton School Pond before reaching Pepperell Pond at the turnaround, 4.8 miles in. It is mostly level, with 225 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 3/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi203 – 345 ft10.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 42.59138, -71.58273
Nearest town Groton, MA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Pepperell Pond & Groton School Pond via Nashua River Rail Trail
9.8 mi · ▲ 225 ft · 3 hr 23 min
Elevation 204–346 ft
Out & Back · Shepley Hill
Trailhead: 42.59138, -71.58273
Weather Sep 20: Light rain, high 58°F / low 46° · precip 53% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 6:49 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 50 ftPass Groton School Pond.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 450 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Nashua River Rail Trail, heading NE.
- 2.8 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 250 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 1.1 miPass Pepperell Pond.
- 0.2 miReach Pepperell Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.3 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
- 2.9 miTurn right, heading S.
- 200 ftBear left, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 100 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
80% paved18% dirt2% unspecified
Weather
Light rainTemperature 58°F46°
Precip53%Wind3 mphUV1Humidity97%
Rained 0.1″ 3 days ago (1″ over the last week)
Hourly temperatureRain chance
60°45°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:49 PM
Mon
67°54°
34%
Tue
62°45°
Wed
61°43°
Thu
63°41°
Fri
63°47°
35%
Sat
60°50°
39%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.2 mi in (~54 min). Leave by 5:35 PM for the 6:49 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:00 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
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