AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Heronry Viewpoint–Half Moon Pond, 4 sights

5.1 mi · ▲ 168 ft · 1 hr 47 min

Heronry Viewpoint–Half Moon Pond, 4 sights is a 5.1-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Willows, MA. The route passes Heronry Viewpoint and Half Moon Pond. It is mostly level, with 168 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 40/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi259 – 351 ft5.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Off Westford Road 42.57158, -71.53465
Nearest town Willows, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Heronry Viewpoint–Half Moon Pond, 4 sights

5.1 mi · ▲ 168 ft · 1 hr 47 min

Elevation 260–350 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: Off Westford Road · 42.57158, -71.53465

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

  1. Start on Off Westford Road, heading NW.
  2. 0.4 miBear left onto Rocky Hill Trail, heading NW.
  3. 400 ftPass Heronry Viewpoint.
  4. 50 ftTurn right onto Heronry Trail, heading N.
  5. 0.1 miTurn left 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 miPass Half Moon Pond.
  13. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  14. 50 ftContinue straight onto Half Moon Road, heading SW.
  15. 0.7 miReach Heronry Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  16. 1.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  17. 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  19. 450 ftBear left onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading SE.
  20. 350 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  21. 150 ftTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SE.
  22. 0.2 miTurn right onto Heronry Trail, heading NE.
  23. 0.1 miTurn left onto Rocky Hill Trail, heading SE.
  24. 450 ftBear right onto Off Westford Road, heading S.
  25. 0.4 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-viewpoint-half-moon-pond-out-back-4-sights-8-km

Trail surface

93% dirt7% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 83°F62°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity78%
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 2.3 mi in (~60 min). Leave by 6:44 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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