Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Snake Hill–Rock Meadow Pond, 3 summits

7 mi · ▲ 614 ft · 2 hr 38 min

Snake Hill–Rock Meadow Pond, 3 summits is a 7-mile out-and-back in Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary near Willows, MA. The route passes Snake Hill before reaching Rock Meadow Pond at the turnaround, 3.5 miles in. It climbs 614 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade. It scores 24/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi249 – 446 ft · steepest grade: 15%7.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Fireroad 42.57829, -71.52325
Nearest town Willows, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Snake Hill–Rock Meadow Pond, 3 summits

7 mi · ▲ 614 ft · 2 hr 38 min

Elevation 250–446 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Hill Wildlife Sanctuary

Trailhead: Fireroad · 42.57829, -71.52325

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Fireroad, heading SW.
  2. 0.6 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 0.5 miTurn left onto Fire Road, heading W.
  4. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Heronry Trail, heading SW.
  5. 150 ftTurn right onto Ovenbird Trail, heading W.
  6. 0.2 miTurn left onto Chestnut Oak Loop Trail, heading SW.
  7. 450 ftPass Snake Hill.
  8. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SW.
  9. 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
  10. 0.8 miPass Rock Meadow Pond.
  11. 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
  12. 200 ftReach Snake Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 200 ftSharp right, heading S.
  14. 0.8 miTurn left, heading E.
  15. 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
  16. 0.7 miTurn right onto Ovenbird Trail, heading SE.
  17. 0.2 miTurn left onto Heronry Trail, heading SE.
  18. 150 ftContinue straight onto Fire Road, heading SE.
  19. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  20. 0.5 miTurn left onto Fireroad, heading SE.
  21. 0.6 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

58% dirt42% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:04 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~28 min). Leave by 7:16 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:47 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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