AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Heronry Trail

6.9 mi · ▲ 262 ft · 2 hr 26 min

Heronry Trail is a 6.9-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Groton, MA. It climbs 262 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi246 – 345 ft7.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.61682, -71.54234
Nearest town Groton, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Heronry Trail

6.9 mi · ▲ 262 ft · 2 hr 26 min

Elevation 247–343 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: 42.61682, -71.54234

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 61° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.8 miBear left, heading S.
  3. 450 ftBear left, heading S.
  4. 400 ftBear right, heading S.
  5. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  7. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  8. 1.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  9. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  10. 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
  11. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 450 ftBear left onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading SE.
  13. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  14. 150 ftTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.2 miTurn left onto Heronry Trail, heading E.
  16. 150 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading SE.
  17. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading SE.
  18. 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  19. 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  20. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  21. 250 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading NE.
  22. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading W.
  23. 150 ftTurn right onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SW.
  24. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading SW.
  25. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  26. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  27. 450 ftTurn right, heading W.
  28. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  29. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  30. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  31. 1.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  32. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  33. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  34. 100 ftBear left, heading N.
  35. 400 ftBear right, heading N.
  36. 450 ftBear right, heading NE.
  37. 0.8 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/heronry-trail-out-back-11-km-2533

Trail surface

95% dirt5% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 82°F61°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity82%
Rained 1.1″ yesterday (2.1″ 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 87°70° 31%
Fri 95°71° 31%
Sat 94°68° 33%
Sun 94°68°
Mon 92°72°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.3 mi in (~87 min). Leave by 6:17 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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