Old Limestone Quarry–Groton School Pond, 4 lakes is a 12.3-mile out-and-back in The General Field near West Groton, MA. The route passes Dead River and Groton School Pond before reaching Old Limestone Quarry at the turnaround, 6.1 miles in. It climbs 363 ft. It scores 6/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi200 – 338 ft13.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Dead River Road 42.59715, -71.60527
Nearest town West Groton, MA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Old Limestone Quarry–Groton School Pond, 4 lakes
12.3 mi · ▲ 363 ft · 4 hr 17 min
Elevation 199–337 ft
Out & Back · The General Field
Trailhead: Dead River Road · 42.59715, -71.60527
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:05 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Town Forest Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear right onto Ames Pond Road, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Town Forest Road, heading SW.
- 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Wharton Road, heading S.
- 0.3 miPass Dead River.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Gardner Terrace, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miPass Groton School Pond.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 450 ftBear right, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn left onto Nashua River Rail Trail, heading N.
- 2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.8 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miReach Old Limestone Quarry, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Gardner Terrace, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Wharton Road, heading W.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Town Forest Road, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn right onto Ames Pond Road, heading N.
- 100 ftBear left onto Town Forest Road, heading N.
- 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 surface
45% paved35% dirt20% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:05 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.3 mi in (~60 min). Leave by 6:45 PM for the 8:05 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:17 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Dead River Road Trailhead
- Dead River–Loop Trail Loop, 3 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 26 ft
- Town Forest Road Loop 2.1 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Town Forest Road Loop 2.2 mi · ▲ 89 ft
- Town Forest Road Loop 2.4 mi · ▲ 111 ft
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