High Rock–Cape Pond, 8 sights
9.8 mi · ▲ 337 ft · 3 hr 26 min
High Rock–Cape Pond, 8 sights is a 9.8-mile out-and-back in Briar Swamp near Pigeon Cove, MA. The route passes Bay State Quarry, Cape Pond and High Rock before reaching Superman Viewpoint at the turnaround, 4.9 miles in. It climbs 337 ft. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
High Rock–Cape Pond, 8 sights
9.8 mi · ▲ 337 ft · 3 hr 26 min
Elevation 73–187 ft
Out & Back · Briar Swamp
Trailhead: 42.67353, -70.63504
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:38 AM · sunset 8:01 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Old Rail Track, heading W.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Bay State Quarry.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Anne's Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Squam Path, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn right onto Dinosaur, heading SE.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miPass Cape Pond.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Rum Runner, heading E.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Old Joppa Road, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Superman Extended, heading NE.
- 100 ftBear left onto Old Joppa Road, heading SE.
- 100 ftSharp left, heading SE.
- 300 ftSharp right onto Superman, heading SE.
- 0.2 miPass Superman Viewpoint.
- 250 ftReach High Rock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading S.
- 300 ftSharp right onto Old Joppa Road, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear right onto Superman Extended, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Old Joppa Road, heading NE.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Rum Runner, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Rocky Rd, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Dinosaur, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Squam Path, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Anne's Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Old Rail Track, heading N.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~10 min). Leave by 7:30 PM for the 8:01 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:26 PM — 7 min before dark.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Nickerson Pit–Pine Pit, 3 lakes 2.2 mi · ▲ 84 ft
- Barker Co Quarries–Bay State Quarry, 6 lakes 2.6 mi · ▲ 82 ft
- Upper Pit / Carlson's Reservoir–Steel Derrick Quarry, 4 lakes 3.9 mi · ▲ 175 ft
- Spring Pit–Bay State Quarry, 3 lakes 5.6 mi · ▲ 205 ft
- Goose Cove Resevoir–Bay State Quarry, 3 lakes 6.5 mi · ▲ 287 ft
- Be On Time/Study–Prosperity Follows Service, 13 sights 7.2 mi · ▲ 90 ft
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