AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Half Moon Pond via Heronry Trail

3.1 mi · ▲ 144 ft · 1 hr 6 min

Half Moon Pond via Heronry Trail is a 3.1-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Willows, MA. The route reaches Half Moon Pond at the turnaround, 1.6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 144 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 30/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi259 – 351 ft3.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Heronry Trail 42.58083, -71.53143
Nearest town Willows, MA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Half Moon Pond via Heronry Trail

3.1 mi · ▲ 144 ft · 1 hr 6 min

Elevation 260–350 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: Heronry Trail · 42.58083, -71.53143

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 Heronry Trail, heading W.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 250 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading W.
  4. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading SW.
  5. 150 ftTurn right onto Ovenbird Trail, heading NW.
  6. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading NW.
  7. 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
  8. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  9. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  10. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  11. 0.1 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 NE.
  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 SE.
  23. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading NE.
  24. 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  25. 0.1 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-out-back-5-km

Trail surface

90% dirt10% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 83°F62°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity76%
Rained 0.8″ yesterday (1.7″ 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°63°
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 0.1 mi in (~4 min). Leave by 7:40 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:22 PM — 14 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Heronry Trail Trailhead

Hikes near Willows, Massachusetts