Briar Swamp

Pigeon Hill–Cape Pond, 11 sights

9 mi · ▲ 288 ft · 3 hr 9 min

Pigeon Hill–Cape Pond, 11 sights is a 9-mile out-and-back in Briar Swamp near Lands End, MA. The route passes Cape Pond, Cape Pond, Butman Pit and 3 more before reaching Pigeon Hill at the turnaround, 4.5 miles in. It climbs 288 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 5/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi66 – 203 ft9.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.65038, -70.60597
Nearest town Lands End, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Pigeon Hill–Cape Pond, 11 sights

9 mi · ▲ 288 ft · 3 hr 9 min

Elevation 66–203 ft

Out & Back · Briar Swamp

Trailhead: 42.65038, -70.60597

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:38 AM · sunset 8:01 PM

Transit-accessible: South Street & Jerdens Lane stop 495 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 0.6 miTurn right onto Old Joppa Road, heading N.
  3. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Rum Runner, heading NW.
  4. 0.3 miPass Cape Pond.
  5. 250 ftBear left, heading W.
  6. 0.4 miTurn left, heading W.
  7. 0.1 miPass Cape Pond.
  8. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  9. 0.2 miTurn right onto Rocky Rd, heading NW.
  10. 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  11. 450 ftTurn right onto Tarr Trail, heading NW.
  12. 0.5 miBear right, heading N.
  13. 150 ftSharp right, heading N.
  14. 0.2 miBear left onto Dinosaur, heading NE.
  15. 0.5 miTurn right onto Squam Path, heading NW.
  16. 250 ftTurn left onto Bad Dog, heading NW.
  17. 0.6 miPass Butman Pit.
  18. 0.1 miPass Steel Derrick Quarry.
  19. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 0.1 miPass Big Parker Pit.
  21. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  22. 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  24. 450 ftPass Little Parker Pit.
  25. 200 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  26. 0.1 miReach Pigeon Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  27. 0.1 miSharp right, heading E.
  28. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  29. 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  30. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  31. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  32. 0.8 miTurn right onto Squam Path, heading SW.
  33. 250 ftTurn left onto Dinosaur, heading S.
  34. 0.5 miBear right, heading SE.
  35. 0.3 miSharp left onto Tarr Trail, heading S.
  36. 0.5 miTurn left, heading E.
  37. 450 ftTurn right onto Rocky Rd, heading E.
  38. 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
  39. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  40. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  41. 0.4 miBear right onto Rum Runner, heading NE.
  42. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Old Joppa Road, heading E.
  43. 500 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  44. 0.6 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

64% dirt2% other34% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:38 AMSunset 8:01 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.5 mi in (~114 min). Leave by 5:47 PM for the 8:01 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:07 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: South Street & Jerdens Lane stop 495 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead