AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Heronry Viewpoint via Ovenbird Trail

4.5 mi · ▲ 166 ft · 1 hr 35 min

Heronry Viewpoint via Ovenbird Trail is a 4.5-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Groton, MA. The route reaches Heronry Viewpoint at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 166 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 19/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi259 – 345 ft4.8 mi

Getting there

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

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Heronry Viewpoint via Ovenbird Trail

4.5 mi · ▲ 166 ft · 1 hr 35 min

Elevation 260–343 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: 42.60304, -71.54165

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 83°F / low 61° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 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 right onto Heronry Trail, heading SE.
  11. 0.1 miReach Heronry Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 500 ftTurn left onto Ovenbird Trail, heading S.
  13. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading NW.
  14. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  15. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  16. 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  17. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  18. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  19. 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
  20. 1.4 miTurn left, heading N.
  21. 250 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-viewpoint-out-back-7-km-1b44

Trail surface

100% dirt

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°70° 30%
Fri 95°71° 32%
Sat 94°68° 32%
Sun 94°68°
Mon 92°72°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~51 min). Leave by 6:53 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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