AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Heronry Trail

2.7 mi · ▲ 141 ft · 58 min

Heronry Trail is a 2.7-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Willows, MA. It is mostly level, with 141 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 27/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi259 – 351 ft2.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Half Moon Road 42.58493, -71.55379
Nearest town Willows, MA
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Directions

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Heronry Trail

2.7 mi · ▲ 141 ft · 58 min

Elevation 260–350 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: Half Moon Road · 42.58493, -71.55379

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 62° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
  3. 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  5. 450 ftBear left onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading SE.
  6. 350 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  7. 150 ftTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.2 miTurn left onto Heronry Trail, heading SE.
  9. 150 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading NE.
  10. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading E.
  11. 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
  12. 0.1 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  13. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  14. 250 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading SW.
  15. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading W.
  16. 150 ftTurn right onto Ovenbird Trail, heading W.
  17. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading NW.
  18. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  19. 350 ftBear right, heading W.
  20. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  21. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  22. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  23. 0.3 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-4-km-6e93

Trail surface

90% dirt10% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 82°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° 30%
Fri 95°71° 32%
Sat 93°70° 32%
Sun 96°69°
Mon 95°73°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.2 mi in (~33 min). Leave by 7:11 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:53 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 Half Moon Road Trailhead

Hikes near Willows, Massachusetts