AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Birch Hill Reservoir Area

Lake Dennison–Otter River, 5 beaches

11.2 mi · ▲ 209 ft · 3 hr 50 min

Lake Dennison–Otter River, 5 beaches is an 11.2-mile out-and-back in Birch Hill Reservoir Area near Baldwinville, MA. The route passes Otter River, Lake Dennison Picnic & Swim Area and Birch Hill Reservoir Area Beach before reaching Lake Dennison at the turnaround, 5.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 209 ft of elevation gain. It scores 15/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi820 – 889 ft11.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.60540, -72.08300
Nearest town Baldwinville, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lake Dennison–Otter River, 5 beaches

11.2 mi · ▲ 209 ft · 3 hr 50 min

Elevation 821–890 ft

Out & Back · Birch Hill Reservoir Area

Trailhead: 42.60540, -72.08300

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:44 AM · sunset 8:06 PM

Transit-accessible: Baldwinville - Route 68 & Route 202 stop 696 m from the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 0.7 miTurn right, heading NW.
  3. 0.8 miTurn right onto Old Royalston Road, heading E.
  4. 0.5 miPass Otter River.
  5. 200 ftBear left, heading NE.
  6. 350 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  7. 1.1 miTurn left onto Elm Street, heading NW.
  8. 1.1 miTurn right onto Boston and Maine Railroad Alignment (1874-1940), heading NE.
  9. 0.2 miTurn left onto New Boston Road, heading SE.
  10. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  11. 450 ftTurn left onto Main Street, heading E.
  12. 0.3 miBear left onto Wilder-McKenzie Trail, heading NE.
  13. 0.4 miPass Lake Dennison Picnic & Swim Area.
  14. 50 ftPass Birch Hill Reservoir Area Beach.
  15. 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  16. 350 ftReach Lake Dennison, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 0.6 miBear right onto Main Street, heading SE.
  18. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  19. 450 ftBear right onto New Boston Road, heading S.
  20. 0.1 miTurn right onto Boston and Maine Railroad Alignment (1874-1940), heading W.
  21. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  22. 1.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  23. 1.1 miSharp right, heading SE.
  24. 350 ftBear right, heading S.
  25. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Old Royalston Road, heading SW.
  26. 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  27. 0.8 miTurn left, heading S.
  28. 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/lake-dennison-otter-river-out-back-5-beaches-18-km

Trail surface

14% dirt86% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:44 AMSunset 8:06 PM

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Baldwinville - Route 68 & Route 202 stop 696 m from the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Baldwinville, Massachusetts