AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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Blue Hills Reservation

Houghton Hill–Hillside Pond, 7 sights

9.6 mi · ▲ 944 ft · 3 hr 40 min

Houghton Hill–Hillside Pond, 7 sights is a 9.6-mile out-and-back in Blue Hills Reservation near Ponkapoag, MA. The route passes Houghton Hill, Hillside Pond and Kayla's Pond. It climbs 944 ft, with sections as steep as 30% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 4/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi125 – 420 ft · steepest grade: 30%11.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.20718, -71.11194
Nearest town Ponkapoag, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Houghton Hill–Hillside Pond, 7 sights

9.6 mi · ▲ 944 ft · 3 hr 40 min

Elevation 126–420 ft

Out & Back · Blue Hills Reservation

Trailhead: 42.20718, -71.11194

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 84°F / low 64° · precip 0% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:40 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  3. 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  4. 250 ftTurn left, heading N.
  5. 350 ftTurn right onto Accord Path, heading NW.
  6. 0.1 miBear left onto Half Way Path, heading NE.
  7. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  8. 400 ftBear right onto Skyline Trail South, heading NE.
  9. 0.3 miPass Houghton Hill.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left onto Headquarters Path, heading NE.
  11. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  14. 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  16. 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
  17. 0.2 miPass Hillside Pond.
  18. 450 ftBear right, heading NE.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left onto Dark Hollow Path, heading E.
  20. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  21. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  22. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  23. 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
  24. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  25. 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
  26. 0.4 miTurn left onto Red Dot Loop, heading E.
  27. 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  28. 0.6 miBear left, heading NE.
  29. 50 ftBear right onto Headquarters Path, heading NE.
  30. 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  31. 0.3 miSharp right, heading NE.
  32. 0.5 miContinue straight onto Indian Camp Path, heading E.
  33. 350 ftPass Kayla's Pond.
  34. 0.5 miSharp left onto Pipe Line, heading E.
  35. 0.2 miReach Houghton Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  36. 0.2 miSharp right onto Indian Camp Path, heading E.
  37. 1.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  38. 0.3 miTurn left onto Headquarters Path, heading W.
  39. 250 ftBear left, heading SW.
  40. 0.6 miTurn left onto Red Dot Loop, heading W.
  41. 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
  42. 0.4 miBear right, heading SW.
  43. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  44. 400 ftBear right, heading SW.
  45. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  46. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  47. 0.1 miBear right onto Dark Hollow Path, heading S.
  48. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  49. 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
  50. 0.3 miBear right, heading SW.
  51. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  52. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  53. 350 ftBear right, heading W.
  54. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  55. 50 ftTurn right onto Headquarters Path, heading W.
  56. 400 ftTurn right onto Skyline Trail South, heading SW.
  57. 0.5 miBear left, heading W.
  58. 400 ftTurn right onto Half Way Path, heading NW.
  59. 0.2 miBear right onto Accord Path, heading SW.
  60. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SW.
  61. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  62. 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  63. 200 ftTurn left, heading S.
  64. 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/rattlesnake-hill-hillside-pond-out-back-5-lakes-11-km-fd4a

Trail surface

71% dirt29% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 84°F64°
Precip0%Wind8 mphUV7Humidity73%
Rained 0.6″ yesterday (1.2″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 5:40 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:03 PM
Wed 84°65°
Thu 88°70° 26%
Fri 97°73° 29%
Sat 95°72° 36%
Sun 97°72° 15%
Mon 98°77° 15%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~77 min). Leave by 6:26 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:34 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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