Quabbin Hill & Observation Tower Trail is a 3.6-mile out-and-back in Quabbin Park near West Ware, MA. The route reaches Quabbin Hill at the turnaround, 1.7 miles in. It climbs 605 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi397 – 1,024 ft · steepest grade: 19%3.9 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 42.27699, -72.33457
Nearest town West Ware, MA
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Quabbin Hill & Observation Tower Trail
3.6 mi · ▲ 605 ft · 1 hr 30 min
Elevation 396–1,025 ft
Out & Back · Quabbin Park
Trailhead: 42.27699, -72.33457
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 6:52 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Spillway Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Observation Tower Trail, heading E.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miReach Quabbin Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Spillway Trail, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 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 surface
83% dirt4% paved13% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:35 AMSunset 6:52 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~55 min). Leave by 5:37 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Quabbin Reservoir & Spillway Trail 1.4 mi · ▲ 118 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near West Ware, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near West Ware, Massachusetts