Grinding Rock Hill–South Reservoir, 6 sights
4.4 mi · ▲ 439 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Grinding Rock Hill–South Reservoir, 6 sights is a 4.4-mile out-and-back in Middlesex Fells Reservation near West Medford, MA. The route passes South Reservoir and Middle Reservoir before reaching Grinding Rock Hill at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It climbs 439 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Grinding Rock Hill–South Reservoir, 6 sights
4.4 mi · ▲ 439 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Elevation 97–223 ft
Out & Back · Middlesex Fells Reservation
Trailhead: 42.43142, -71.12453
Weather Aug 4: Heavy rain, high 77°F / low 69° · precip 81% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:40 AM · sunset 8:03 PM
Transit-accessible: Winthrop St @ Medford HS stop 415 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading E.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miPass South Reservoir.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading W.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear right onto West Dam Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Molly's Spring Road, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Nanepashemet Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Middle Reservoir.
- 150 ftBear left, heading N.
- 200 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 350 ftReach Grinding Rock Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Nanepashemet Road, heading NW.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Nanepashemet Road, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Molly's Spring Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto West Dam Road, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Reservoir Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading E.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Nanepashemet Road, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.2 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
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Winthrop St @ Medford HS stop 415 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Pasture Hill & Rock Hill Loop via Ram's Head Road 1.9 mi · ▲ 174 ft
- East Dam Road 2.2 mi · ▲ 376 ft
- Wenepoykin Hill via East Dam Road 2.3 mi · ▲ 386 ft
- Pine Hill–Skyline Viewpoint, 4 sights 2.5 mi · ▲ 394 ft
- Quarry Spring–Bellevue Pond, 3 sights 2.5 mi · ▲ 314 ft
- Rock Hill–Bellevue Pond Loop, 3 sights 2.9 mi · ▲ 284 ft
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