Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside

4 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 21 min

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 4-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Gleasondale Station, MA. It is mostly level, with 27 ft of elevation gain. It scores 26/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi157 – 233 ft4.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.38862, -71.49600
Nearest town Gleasondale Station, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside

4 mi · ▲ 27 ft · 1 hr 21 min

Elevation 157–233 ft

Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: 42.38862, -71.49600

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

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  3. 500 ftTurn left onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading SE.
  4. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  5. 300 ftSharp right, heading E.
  6. 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
  7. 0.7 miTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
  9. 0.7 miBear right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading E.
  10. 350 ftTurn left onto Marsh to Desert Trail, heading E.
  11. 250 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  12. 250 ftTurn right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading SE.
  13. 350 ftBear left onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
  14. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
  15. 50 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading NW.
  16. 0.7 miTurn right, heading NW.
  17. 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  18. 350 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  19. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
  20. 500 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  21. 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

48% paved43% dirt9% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:04 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.3 mi in (~8 min). Leave by 7:36 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:26 PM — 9 min before dark.

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