Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 6.4-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Gleasondale Station, MA. It is mostly level, with 53 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi157 – 220 ft6.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 42.39689, -71.51584
Nearest town Gleasondale Station, MA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
6.4 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 2 hr 10 min
Elevation 157–219 ft
Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
Trailhead: 42.39689, -71.51584
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 450 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading SE.
- 1.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 300 ftSharp right, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miBear right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Marsh to Desert Trail, heading E.
- 250 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 200 ftTurn right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading E.
- 350 ftBear left onto Fisher Trail, heading E.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading NW.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 350 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 1.6 miBear right, heading NW.
- 150 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
63% paved25% dirt12% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:04 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.5 mi in (~37 min). Leave by 7:07 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:54 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Other ways to reach this destination
- 2.4 mi · out & back · via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
- 2.8 mi · out & back · via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
- 5.9 mi · out & back · via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
- 6.6 mi · out & back · via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
- 3.4 mi · out & back · via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
- 2.5 mi · out & back · via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
More from this trailhead
- Gospel Hill & Mass Central Rail Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 2.7 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 4.8 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 4.9 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 7 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 7 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 7.1 mi · ▲ 27 ft
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