Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 4.9-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Gleasondale Station, MA. It is mostly level, with 110 ft of elevation gain. It scores 23/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi157 – 272 ft5.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 42.38435, -71.50650
Nearest town Gleasondale Station, MA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
4.9 mi · ▲ 110 ft · 1 hr 41 min
Elevation 157–273 ft
Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
Trailhead: 42.38435, -71.50650
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 450 ftBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading N.
- 1.3 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.
- 200 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading SE.
- 350 ftBear left onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading NW.
- 1.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 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 surface
52% paved27% dirt21% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:04 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~21 min). Leave by 7:23 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 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
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 3.4 mi · ▲ 82 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 3.5 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 3.5 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 3.5 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 3.6 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 3.7 mi · ▲ 109 ft
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Hikes near Gleasondale Station, Massachusetts