AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mount Holyoke Range State Park

Groundward Down

3.6 mi · ▲ 887 ft · 1 hr 39 min

Groundward Down is a 3.6-mile out-and-back in Mount Holyoke Range State Park near Hockanum, MA. It climbs 887 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade. It scores 30/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi217 – 686 ft · steepest grade: 25%3.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Halfway House Trail/RFT (Blue/Orange) 42.30983, -72.58442
Nearest town Hockanum, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Groundward Down

3.6 mi · ▲ 887 ft · 1 hr 39 min

Elevation 218–686 ft

Out & Back · Mount Holyoke Range State Park

Trailhead: Halfway House Trail/RFT (Blue/Orange) · 42.30983, -72.58442

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Halfway House Trail/RFT (Blue/Orange), heading SE.
  2. 350 ftContinue straight onto Taylor's Notch Trail/RFT (Yellow/Orange), heading SE.
  3. 250 ftTurn left, heading E.
  4. 0.5 miBear left, heading E.
  5. 0.9 miTurn left, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  7. 0.2 miBear left onto Groundward Down, heading NE.
  8. 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  9. 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
  10. 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
  11. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  12. 0.9 miBear right, heading SW.
  13. 0.5 miTurn right onto Taylor's Notch Trail/RFT (Yellow/Orange), heading N.
  14. 250 ftContinue straight onto Halfway House Trail/RFT (Blue/Orange), heading NW.
  15. 200 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/groundward-down-out-back-6-km-2219

Trail surface

3% dirt97% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:36 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Halfway House Trail/RFT (Blue/Orange) Trailhead

Hikes near Hockanum, Massachusetts