AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Brooks Woodland Preserve

Johnson Hill Trail & Ledges Trail

7.5 mi · ▲ 789 ft · 2 hr 54 min

Johnson Hill Trail & Ledges Trail is a 7.5-mile out-and-back in Brooks Woodland Preserve near Petersham, MA. It climbs 789 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 24/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi764 – 1,047 ft · steepest grade: 18%7.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.48894, -72.18191
Nearest town Petersham, MA
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Directions

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Johnson Hill Trail & Ledges Trail

7.5 mi · ▲ 789 ft · 2 hr 54 min

Elevation 764–1,047 ft

Out & Back · Brooks Woodland Preserve

Trailhead: 42.48894, -72.18191

Weather Aug 4: Partly cloudy, high 76°F / low 59° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:45 AM · sunset 8:07 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 0.6 miBear right, heading E.
  3. 0.1 miBear left onto Ledges Trail, heading NE.
  4. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  5. 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
  6. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
  7. 0.4 miTurn left onto Jerry's Trail, heading S.
  8. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  9. 200 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  10. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  11. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  12. 0.2 miTurn right onto Tumbledown North, heading NE.
  13. 0.2 miTurn left onto Tumbledown East, heading S.
  14. 0.3 miTurn right, heading E.
  15. 400 ftBear right, heading SE.
  16. 1.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  17. 450 ftBear left, heading W.
  18. 0.8 miTurn right onto Johnson Hill Trail, heading E.
  19. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  20. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  21. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
  22. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  23. 0.6 miTurn left, heading W.
  24. 450 ftTurn right onto Ledges Trail, heading S.
  25. 150 ftBear right, heading S.
  26. 0.1 miBear left, heading SW.
  27. 0.6 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/johnson-hill-trail-ledges-trail-out-back

Trail surface

26% dirt74% unspecified

Weather

Partly cloudyTemperature 76°F59°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity76%
Rained 3.4″ yesterday (5.4″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°55°
Sunrise 5:45 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:07 PM
Wed 77°61°
Thu 86°67° 52%
Fri 91°68° 38%
Sat 89°67° 39%
Sun 91°65°
Mon 88°68° 18%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.1 mi in (~29 min). Leave by 7:18 PM for the 8:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:51 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp. Car visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Petersham, Massachusetts