AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Shelter Ledge–Upper Long Pond, 3 rocks

6.8 mi · ▲ 225 ft · 2 hr 23 min

Shelter Ledge–Upper Long Pond, 3 rocks is a 6.8-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Willows, MA. The route passes Heronry Viewpoint and Shelter Ledge before reaching Upper Long Pond at the turnaround, 3.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 225 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 19/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi259 – 345 ft7.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.59663, -71.53204
Nearest town Willows, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Shelter Ledge–Upper Long Pond, 3 rocks

6.8 mi · ▲ 225 ft · 2 hr 23 min

Elevation 260–343 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: 42.59663, -71.53204

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 83°F / low 61° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  3. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  4. 250 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  5. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  6. 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  8. 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
  9. 500 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  10. 450 ftBear right, heading SW.
  11. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  12. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  13. 1.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  14. 100 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  15. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  16. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  17. 450 ftBear left onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading S.
  18. 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  19. 150 ftTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SE.
  20. 0.2 miTurn right onto Heronry Trail, heading E.
  21. 450 ftPass Heronry Viewpoint.
  22. 0.2 miPass Upper Long Pond.
  23. 50 ftReach Shelter Ledge, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  24. 0.3 miTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading NE.
  25. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading NW.
  26. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  27. 350 ftBear right, heading NW.
  28. 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  29. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  30. 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
  31. 100 ftBear left, heading NW.
  32. 1.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  33. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  34. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  35. 450 ftTurn right, heading N.
  36. 500 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  37. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  38. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  39. 150 ftBear right, heading E.
  40. 0.2 miSharp left, heading SE.
  41. 250 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  42. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  43. 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/heronry-viewpoint-out-back-10-km-53a2

Trail surface

75% dirt25% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 83°F61°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity75%
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°69° 30%
Fri 95°71° 32%
Sat 93°68° 32%
Sun 94°67°
Mon 92°72°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.9 mi in (~74 min). Leave by 6:30 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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Hikes near Willows, Massachusetts