Newell Gift–Duck Pond, 7 sights is a 15.7-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Nobscot, MA. The route passes Lilly Pond, Calla Pool, Newell Gift and Duck Pond. It is mostly level, with 109 ft of elevation gain. It scores 10/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi125 – 226 ft16.2 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Weston Aqueduct Walking Trail 42.32873, -71.43158
Nearest town Nobscot, MA
Directions
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Newell Gift–Duck Pond, 7 sights
15.7 mi · ▲ 109 ft · 5 hr 17 min
Elevation 125–226 ft
Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
Trailhead: Weston Aqueduct Walking Trail · 42.32873, -71.43158
Weather Sep 20: Drizzle, high 61°F / low 49° · precip 57% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 6:48 PM
Transit-accessible: Nobscot Fire Station stop 171 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Framingham and Lowell Branch, heading N.
- 0.7 miPass Lilly Pond.
- 50 ftPass Calla Pool.
- 0.6 miPass Newell Gift.
- 0.9 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading NW.
- 2 miPass Duck Pond.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 300 ftBear left, heading N.
- 150 ftBear left onto Ridge Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Marsh to Desert Trail, heading NW.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading N.
- 1.2 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left onto Petapawag Trail, heading NE.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Towhee Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miReach Newell Gift, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.9 miBear left onto Petapawag Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading E.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Fisher Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 450 ftBear left onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Marsh to Desert Trail, heading SE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Ridge Trail, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading SE.
- 2 miTurn right onto Framingham and Lowell Branch, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
- 2.1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
35% paved28% dirt37% unspecified
Weather
DrizzleTemperature 61°F49°
Precip57%Wind3 mphUV1Humidity92%
Rained 0.1″ 3 days ago (1.2″ over the last week)
Hourly temperatureRain chance
65°45°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:48 PM
Mon
67°54°
50%
Tue
60°47°
Wed
62°45°
Thu
63°43°
15%
Fri
62°48°
36%
Sat
59°50°
45%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.5 mi in (~162 min). Leave by 3:47 PM for the 6:48 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:45 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Nobscot Fire Station stop 171 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Weston Aqueduct Walking Trail Trailhead
- Weston Aqueduct Path & Weston Aqueduct Trail 12.9 mi · ▲ 220 ft
- Weston Aqueduct Walking Trail 3.9 mi · ▲ 61 ft
- Weston Aqueduct Walking Trail 3.6 mi · ▲ 54 ft
- Weston Aqueduct Trail via Weston Aqueduct Walking Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 61 ft
- Carol J. Getchell Nature Trail & Hultman Aqueduct Path via Weston Aqueduct Walking Trail 6.2 mi · ▲ 145 ft
- Norton Pond & Carol J. Getchell Nature Trail via Weston Aqueduct Walking Trail 5.1 mi · ▲ 61 ft
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