AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Assabet River Wildlife Sanctuary near Old Marlboro Road entrance in Maynard MA.jpg
Swampyank · CC BY-SA 4.0
Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Rice Tavern Foundation–Thanksgiving Pond, 8 sights

10.3 mi · ▲ 87 ft · 3 hr 29 min

Rice Tavern Foundation–Thanksgiving Pond, 8 sights is a 10.3-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Pine Lake, MA. The route passes Rice Tavern Foundation and Voss Pond before reaching Thanksgiving Pond at the turnaround, 5.1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 87 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 24/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi177 – 246 ft10.6 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Taylor Way 42.40934, -71.44914
Nearest town Pine Lake, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Rice Tavern Foundation–Thanksgiving Pond, 8 sights

10.3 mi · ▲ 87 ft · 3 hr 29 min

Elevation 177–244 ft

Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: Taylor Way · 42.40934, -71.44914

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Taylor Way, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftPass Rice Tavern Foundation.
  3. 50 ftPass Voss Pond.
  4. 0.3 miBear left onto Otter Alley, heading W.
  5. 0.3 miSharp right, heading N.
  6. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Harry's Way, heading W.
  7. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Towhee Trail, heading SW.
  8. 0.8 miBear right, heading W.
  9. 150 ftTurn left onto White Pond Road, heading S.
  10. 0.3 miTurn right onto Patrol Road, heading S.
  11. 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
  12. 100 ftSharp right, heading SW.
  13. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NE.
  14. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  15. 0.5 miSharp right onto Track Road, heading NW.
  16. 350 ftContinue straight onto Track Road/Assabet River Rail Trail Easement, heading E.
  17. 1.4 miPass Thanksgiving Pond.
  18. 450 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  19. 50 ftReach Rice Tavern Foundation, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  21. 1.5 miContinue straight onto Track Road, heading W.
  22. 400 ftSharp left, heading W.
  23. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  24. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  25. 0.7 miSharp left, heading SE.
  26. 150 ftSharp right onto Patrol Road, heading SE.
  27. 50 ftTurn left onto White Pond Road, heading SE.
  28. 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
  29. 150 ftBear left onto Towhee Trail, heading NE.
  30. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Harry's Way, heading NE.
  31. 0.5 miSharp left onto Otter Alley, heading E.
  32. 0.3 miBear right onto Taylor Way, heading E.
  33. 0.2 miArrive 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-voss-pond-out-back-3-lakes-11-km-9c64

Trail surface

78% dirt1% paved21% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:03 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.9 mi in (~119 min). Leave by 5:44 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:18 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Taylor Way Trailhead

Hikes near Pine Lake, Massachusetts