AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Mount Holyoke Range State Park

Mount Hitchcock–Upper Hadley Reservoir, 13 sights

9.9 mi · ▲ 2,313 ft · 4 hr 27 min

Mount Hitchcock–Upper Hadley Reservoir, 13 sights is a 9.9-mile out-and-back in Mount Holyoke Range State Park near South Amherst, MA. The route passes Mount Hitchcock, Upper Hadley Reservoir and Lower Hadley Reservoir. It climbs 2,313 ft, with sections as steep as 37% grade. It scores 20/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi217 – 1,011 ft · steepest grade: 37%10.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Pond Loop Trail access 42.31841, -72.52428
Nearest town South Amherst, MA
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mount Hitchcock–Upper Hadley Reservoir, 13 sights

9.9 mi · ▲ 2,313 ft · 4 hr 27 min

Elevation 217–1,010 ft

Out & Back · Mount Holyoke Range State Park

Trailhead: Pond Loop Trail access · 42.31841, -72.52428

Weather Aug 4: Heavy rain, high 78°F / low 69° · precip 93% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:46 AM · sunset 8:08 PM

Transit-accessible: Atkins Farm Storefront stop 371 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Pond Loop Trail access, heading S.
  2. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  4. 200 ftTurn right onto North Side, heading S.
  5. 250 ftContinue straight onto Brookbank, heading S.
  6. 0.2 miBear left onto Trolley Bed, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miTurn right, heading S.
  8. 50 ftTurn left onto Laurel Loop, heading S.
  9. 50 ftContinue straight onto Trolley Bed, heading S.
  10. 0.1 miBear left onto NET/M&M/RFT Trail (white/blue/orange), heading S.
  11. 0.2 miBear right onto NET/M&M Trail (white), heading SE.
  12. 0.2 miTurn right onto South Side Trail, heading E.
  13. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  14. 150 ftTurn right onto Notch Link, heading S.
  15. 0.4 miBear left onto Trolley Bed Trail, heading W.
  16. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  17. 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
  18. 450 ftTurn left onto Lithia Springs Trail, heading W.
  19. 0.6 miTurn right onto Mt. Hitchcock, heading NW.
  20. 0.5 miPass Mount Hitchcock.
  21. 100 ftTurn left onto NET/M&M Trail (white), heading W.
  22. 0.3 miSharp right onto RFT (Orange), heading W.
  23. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tinker Trail, heading W.
  24. 400 ftBear right onto Northside Road, heading W.
  25. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  26. 350 ftContinue straight onto Tessman Loop, heading NE.
  27. 0.2 miPass Upper Hadley Reservoir.
  28. 50 ftTurn right onto Big Tree Trail, heading N.
  29. 50 ftTurn left onto Northside Road, heading N.
  30. 300 ftTurn left onto Swiss Miss, heading N.
  31. 50 ftContinue straight onto Northside Road, heading N.
  32. 450 ftPass Lower Hadley Reservoir.
  33. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  34. 0.3 miReach Mount Hitchcock, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  35. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Swiss Miss, heading NE.
  36. 50 ftTurn right onto Northside Road, heading N.
  37. 300 ftTurn right onto Big Tree Trail, heading S.
  38. 50 ftTurn left onto Tessman Loop, heading S.
  39. 0.3 miTurn right onto Northside Road, heading S.
  40. 0.2 miBear left onto Tinker Trail, heading SW.
  41. 350 ftContinue straight onto RFT (Orange), heading SW.
  42. 0.1 miSharp left onto NET/M&M Trail (white), heading S.
  43. 0.3 miTurn right onto Mt. Hitchcock, heading SW.
  44. 0.5 miTurn left onto Lithia Springs Trail, heading SE.
  45. 0.6 miTurn right, heading S.
  46. 450 ftBear left, heading S.
  47. 0.2 miTurn left onto Trolley Bed Trail, heading E.
  48. 0.2 miBear right onto Notch Link, heading SE.
  49. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  50. 150 ftTurn left onto South Side Trail, heading NE.
  51. 0.2 miTurn left onto NET/M&M Trail (white), heading NE.
  52. 0.2 miBear left onto NET/M&M/RFT Trail (white/blue/orange), heading E.
  53. 0.2 miBear right onto Trolley Bed, heading E.
  54. 500 ftContinue straight onto Laurel Loop, heading NE.
  55. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  56. 50 ftTurn left onto Trolley Bed, heading NE.
  57. 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
  58. 500 ftContinue straight onto Brookbank, heading NW.
  59. 0.1 miContinue straight onto North Side, heading W.
  60. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  61. 200 ftTurn right onto Pond Loop Trail, heading N.
  62. 0.2 miTurn right onto Pond Loop Trail access, heading N.
  63. 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/mount-hitchcock-upper-hadley-reservoir-out-back-3-lakes-15-km-b1fa

Trail surface

54% dirt46% unspecified

Weather

Heavy rainTemperature 78°F69°
Precip93%Wind7 mphUV4Humidity76%
Rained 3.5″ 3 days ago · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65° 12 AM: 8% rain1 AM: 7% rain2 AM: 26% rain3 AM: 57% rain4 AM: 80% rain5 AM: 85% rain6 AM: 87% rain7 AM: 84% rain8 AM: 93% rain9 AM: 72% rain10 AM: 62% rain11 AM: 47% rain12 PM: 38% rain1 PM: 41% rain2 PM: 48% rain3 PM: 33% rain4 PM: 69% rain5 PM: 38% rain6 PM: 9% rain7 PM: 1% rain
Sunrise 5:46 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:08 PM
Tue 80°64°
Wed 79°63°
Thu 92°66° 54%
Fri 94°69° 39%
Sat 92°69° 28%
Sun 95°69°

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Atkins Farm Storefront stop 371 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Pond Loop Trail access Trailhead

Hikes near South Amherst, Massachusetts