AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Mass Central Rail Trail W, Hudson MA.jpg
John Phelan · CC BY 4.0
Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside

6.6 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 2 hr 13 min

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 6.6-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Gleasondale Station, MA. It is mostly level, with 26 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 9/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi180 – 220 ft6.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.39299, -71.51468
Nearest town Gleasondale Station, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside

6.6 mi · ▲ 26 ft · 2 hr 13 min

Elevation 179–219 ft

Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: 42.39299, -71.51468

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 200 ftTurn right, heading E.
  3. 400 ftContinue straight onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading E.
  4. 2.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  5. 50 ftContinue straight onto Fisher Trail, heading N.
  6. 1 miBear left, heading NE.
  7. 350 ftReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  8. 350 ftBear right, heading N.
  9. 1 miTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading S.
  10. 2.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  11. 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/puffer-pond-puffer-pond-out-back-14-km-4899

Trail surface

71% paved17% dirt12% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:04 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.0 mi in (~74 min). Leave by 6:30 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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