Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
3.9 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 1 hr 20 min
Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 3.9-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Pine Lake, MA. It is mostly level, with 53 ft of elevation gain. It scores 4/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
3.9 mi · ▲ 53 ft · 1 hr 20 min
Elevation 187–247 ft
Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
Trailhead: 42.39858, -71.48284
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Patrol Road, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 350 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading SW.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading S.
- 50 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Fisher Trail, heading S.
- 1 miBear left, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 100 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Patrol Road, heading NW.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.5 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 1.3 mi in (~32 min). Leave by 7:12 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:51 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
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
- Tri-Town Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 56 ft
- Tri-Town Trail 2.4 mi · ▲ 56 ft
- Petapawag Trail–Pine Garden Trail, 5 sights 3.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Track Road/Assabet River Rail Trail Easement Viewpoint–Track Road/Assabet River Rail Trail Easement, 3 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 3.9 mi · ▲ 56 ft
- Hill Trail & Pine Garden Trail via Tri-Town Trail 4.2 mi · ▲ 82 ft
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