Ruggles Pond in Wendell State Forest.jpg
Morrowlong · CC BY-SA 4.0

Humphry Preserve–Ruggles Pond, 4 beaches is a 6.6-mile out-and-back in Wendell State Forest near Grounts Corner, MA. The route passes Wendell State Forest Beach and Ruggles Pond before reaching Humphry Preserve at the turnaround, 3.3 miles in. It climbs 391 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 50/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi820 – 1,076 ft7.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.54996, -72.45282
Nearest town Grounts Corner, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Humphry Preserve–Ruggles Pond, 4 beaches

6.6 mi · ▲ 391 ft · 2 hr 24 min

Elevation 819–1,077 ft

Out & Back · Wendell State Forest

Trailhead: 42.54996, -72.45282

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftPass Wendell State Forest Beach.
  3. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  4. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  5. 50 ftPass Ruggles Pond.
  6. 250 ftBear left, heading E.
  7. 150 ftSharp right, heading E.
  8. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  9. 250 ftBear right onto NET/M&M Trail (white), heading S.
  10. 0.5 miTurn left onto Carlton Road, heading SE.
  11. 50 ftTurn right onto NET/M&M Trail (white), heading SE.
  12. 2.2 miSharp left, heading S.
  13. 0.5 miReach Humphry Preserve, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 2.6 miTurn left onto Carlton Road, heading N.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto NET/M&M Trail (white), heading N.
  16. 0.5 miBear left, heading N.
  17. 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
  18. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  19. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  20. 250 ftBear right, heading N.
  21. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  22. 400 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

72% dirt28% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:36 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~42 min). Leave by 5:51 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:50 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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