AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Heronry Trail

5 mi · ▲ 167 ft · 1 hr 45 min

Heronry Trail is a 5-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Groton, MA. It is mostly level, with 167 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi259 – 345 ft5.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.60304, -71.54165
Nearest town Groton, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Heronry Trail

5 mi · ▲ 167 ft · 1 hr 45 min

Elevation 260–343 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: 42.60304, -71.54165

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 6:49 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  3. 1.4 miBear right, heading SE.
  4. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  5. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  6. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  7. 450 ftBear left onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading SE.
  8. 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  9. 150 ftTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SE.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left onto Fire Road, heading SE.
  11. 50 ftContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading SE.
  13. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading E.
  14. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  15. 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  16. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  17. 250 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading W.
  18. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading W.
  19. 50 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading W.
  20. 100 ftTurn right onto Ovenbird Trail, heading W.
  21. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading NW.
  22. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  23. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  24. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  25. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  26. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  27. 100 ftBear left, heading NW.
  28. 1.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  29. 300 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/heronry-trail-out-back-8-km-427a

Trail surface

94% dirt6% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:32 AMSunset 6:49 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~31 min). Leave by 5:58 PM for the 6:49 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:34 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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