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

5 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 1 hr 44 min

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 5-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Gleasondale Station, MA. It is mostly level, with 133 ft of elevation gain. It scores 23/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi157 – 295 ft5.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.38349, -71.50435
Nearest town Gleasondale Station, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside

5 mi · ▲ 133 ft · 1 hr 44 min

Elevation 157–297 ft

Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: 42.38349, -71.50435

Weather Sep 21: sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 6:47 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  3. 300 ftTurn right, heading N.
  4. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  5. 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  8. 450 ftBear left, heading N.
  9. 50 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading N.
  10. 1.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
  11. 50 ftTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
  12. 0.7 miBear right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading E.
  13. 350 ftTurn left onto Marsh to Desert Trail, heading E.
  14. 200 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  15. 250 ftTurn right onto Pitch Pine Trail, heading E.
  16. 350 ftBear left onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
  17. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NW.
  18. 50 ftTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading NW.
  19. 1.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  20. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  21. 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  22. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  23. 50 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  24. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  25. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  26. 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
  27. 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-8-km-ff2d

Trail surface

52% paved27% dirt21% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:33 AMSunset 6:47 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.8 mi in (~19 min). Leave by 6:08 PM for the 6:47 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:22 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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