Bear Swamp

Orchard View & Ford Road

3 mi · ▲ 444 ft · 1 hr 13 min

Orchard View & Ford Road is a 3-mile out-and-back in Bear Swamp near Watson, MA. The route reaches Orchard View at the turnaround, 1.5 miles in. It climbs 444 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 74/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi1,558 – 1,768 ft · steepest grade: 18%3.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Ford Road 42.53560, -72.84697
Nearest town Watson, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Orchard View & Ford Road

3 mi · ▲ 444 ft · 1 hr 13 min

Elevation 1,557–1,770 ft

Out & Back · Bear Swamp

Trailhead: Ford Road · 42.53560, -72.84697

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:37 AM · sunset 6:54 PM

  1. Start on Ford Road, heading NE.
  2. 1 miBear right, heading E.
  3. 0.5 miReach Orchard View, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  4. 1.5 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

67% dirt33% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:37 AMSunset 6:54 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.7 mi in (~20 min). Leave by 6:14 PM for the 6:54 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:25 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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