AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Half Moon Pond via Fireroad

5.1 mi · ▲ 310 ft · 1 hr 51 min

Half Moon Pond via Fireroad is a 5.1-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Willows, MA. The route reaches Half Moon Pond at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It climbs 310 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 18/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi256 – 390 ft5.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Fireroad 42.57829, -71.52325
Nearest town Willows, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Half Moon Pond via Fireroad

5.1 mi · ▲ 310 ft · 1 hr 51 min

Elevation 257–392 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: Fireroad · 42.57829, -71.52325

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 83°F / low 62° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Fireroad, heading SW.
  2. 0.6 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 0.5 miTurn left onto Fire Road, heading W.
  4. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading SW.
  5. 150 ftTurn right onto Ovenbird Trail, heading W.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading W.
  7. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  8. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  9. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  10. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  12. 0.5 miBear left, heading SW.
  13. 50 ftReach Half Moon Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 50 ftBear right onto Half Moon Road, heading SW.
  15. 0.5 miTurn right, heading E.
  16. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  17. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  18. 450 ftBear left onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading S.
  19. 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  20. 150 ftTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SE.
  21. 0.2 miTurn left onto Heronry Trail, heading SE.
  22. 150 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading E.
  23. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  24. 0.5 miTurn left onto Fireroad, heading SE.
  25. 0.6 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/half-moon-pond-half-moon-pond-out-back-8-km-9665

Trail surface

81% dirt19% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 83°F62°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity79%
Rained 0.7″ yesterday (1.4″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 5:42 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:04 PM
Wed 84°62°
Thu 89°68° 29%
Fri 95°72° 32%
Sat 93°71° 32%
Sun 96°69°
Mon 96°74°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~28 min). Leave by 7:16 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Fireroad Trailhead

Hikes near Willows, Massachusetts