AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Mass Central Rail Trail W, Hudson MA.jpg
John Phelan · CC BY 4.0
Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside

6.6 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 2 hr 14 min

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 6.6-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Gleasondale Station, MA. It is mostly level, with 54 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi157 – 220 ft7.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.39636, -71.52007
Nearest town Gleasondale Station, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside

6.6 mi · ▲ 54 ft · 2 hr 14 min

Elevation 157–219 ft

Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: 42.39636, -71.52007

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  4. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  6. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  7. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading E.
  8. 2.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  9. 50 ftTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
  10. 0.7 miBear right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading E.
  11. 350 ftTurn left onto Marsh to Desert Trail, heading E.
  12. 200 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  13. 250 ftTurn right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading SE.
  14. 350 ftBear left onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
  15. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
  16. 50 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading NW.
  17. 2.3 miBear left, heading W.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  20. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  21. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  22. 50 ftArrive 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/mass-central-rail-trail-wayside-out-back-11-km-3e44

Trail surface

63% paved20% dirt17% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:04 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~41 min). Leave by 7:03 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:59 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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