AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
R, Reformatory Branch Rail Trail, Concord MA.jpg
John Phelan · CC BY-SA 4.0
Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Lower Impoundment–Upper Impoundment, 3 lakes

2.1 mi · ▲ 30 ft · 43 min

Lower Impoundment–Upper Impoundment, 3 lakes is a 2.1-mile out-and-back in Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge near West Bedford, MA. The route passes Lower Impoundment, Upper Impoundment and Moore's Swamp. It is mostly level, with 30 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi118 – 177 ft2.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Edge Trail 42.47497, -71.32784
Nearest town West Bedford, MA · Official trailhead info (fws.gov)
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lower Impoundment–Upper Impoundment, 3 lakes

2.1 mi · ▲ 30 ft · 43 min

Elevation 117–177 ft

Out & Back · Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: Edge Trail · 42.47497, -71.32784

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 61° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:41 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Great Meadows Entrance, heading SW.
  2. 50 ftPass Lower Impoundment.
  3. 50 ftPass Upper Impoundment.
  4. 50 ftTurn right onto Reformatory Branch Trail, heading SW.
  5. 0.6 miPass Moore's Swamp.
  6. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  7. 0.1 miTurn right onto Old Flooded Trail, heading W.
  8. 0.2 miTurn right onto Chestnut Hollow, heading SW.
  9. 50 ftTurn left onto Author's Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  10. 50 ftTurn left onto Chestnut Path, heading SW.
  11. 50 ftContinue straight onto Author's Ridge Trail, heading SW.
  12. 150 ftContinue straight onto Hillside Avenue, heading S.
  13. 50 ftSharp right onto Glen Avenue, heading S.
  14. 50 ftReach Lower Impoundment, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 50 ftSharp left onto Hillside Avenue, heading SE.
  16. 50 ftContinue straight onto Author's Ridge Trail, heading SE.
  17. 150 ftContinue straight onto Chestnut Path, heading SE.
  18. 50 ftTurn right onto Author's Ridge Trail, heading SE.
  19. 50 ftTurn right onto Chestnut Hollow, heading SE.
  20. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  21. 350 ftContinue straight onto Old Flooded Trail, heading S.
  22. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  23. 0.1 miTurn right onto Reformatory Branch Trail, heading NE.
  24. 0.7 miTurn left onto Great Meadows Entrance, heading NE.
  25. 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/moses-pond-moses-pond-out-back-3-lakes-5-km-01fd

Trail surface

86% dirt6% gravel2% paved6% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 82°F61°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity85%
Rained 1″ yesterday (1.8″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 5:41 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:03 PM
Wed 84°63°
Thu 88°70° 26%
Fri 96°72° 30%
Sat 94°70° 33%
Sun 96°68°
Mon 92°73° 15%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~26 min). Leave by 7:17 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:44 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Edge Trail Trailhead

Hikes near West Bedford, Massachusetts