AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Mass Central Rail Trail parallel to tracks, Belchertown MA.jpg
John Phelan · CC BY 4.0

Swift River Reservoir–Blood Donor / Night Owl, 7 sights

8.2 mi · ▲ 311 ft · 2 hr 53 min

Swift River Reservoir–Blood Donor / Night Owl, 7 sights is an 8.2-mile out-and-back near Belchertown, MA. The route reaches Swift River Reservoir at the turnaround, 4.1 miles in. It climbs 311 ft. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi371 – 522 ft8.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.25336, -72.38912
Nearest town Belchertown, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Swift River Reservoir–Blood Donor / Night Owl, 7 sights

8.2 mi · ▲ 311 ft · 2 hr 53 min

Elevation 370–523 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 42.25336, -72.38912

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 6:52 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 450 ftSharp right onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading SE.
  3. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  4. 50 ftSharp right onto Ghost Train, heading SE.
  5. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  6. 50 ftBear left onto Mulligan, heading SE.
  7. 0.1 miBear right onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading SE.
  8. 250 ftContinue straight onto Blood Donor / Night Owl, heading SE.
  9. 100 ftContinue straight onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading SE.
  10. 450 ftBear left onto The Wedge/Ridge Line, heading SE.
  11. 450 ftContinue straight onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading SE.
  12. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Bunker Hill, heading SE.
  13. 100 ftContinue straight onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading SE.
  14. 150 ftContinue straight onto The Wedge/Ridge Line, heading SE.
  15. 350 ftBear left onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading SE.
  16. 250 ftBear right onto Out of Bounds, heading SE.
  17. 50 ftBear left onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading S.
  18. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  20. 1.4 miSharp left, heading N.
  21. 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  22. 1.2 miReach Swift River Reservoir, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  23. 1.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  24. 0.4 miSharp right onto Central Massachusetts Branch, heading S.
  25. 1.4 miTurn left, heading NW.
  26. 50 ftTurn right onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading NW.
  27. 0.1 miBear right onto Out of Bounds, heading NW.
  28. 50 ftBear left onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading NW.
  29. 250 ftBear right onto The Wedge/Ridge Line, heading NW.
  30. 400 ftContinue straight onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading N.
  31. 150 ftContinue straight onto Bunker Hill, heading N.
  32. 100 ftContinue straight onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading NW.
  33. 0.2 miContinue straight onto The Wedge/Ridge Line, heading NW.
  34. 450 ftBear right onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading NW.
  35. 450 ftContinue straight onto Blood Donor / Night Owl, heading N.
  36. 50 ftContinue straight onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading NW.
  37. 250 ftBear left onto Mulligan, heading NW.
  38. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  39. 50 ftTurn left onto Ghost Train, heading NW.
  40. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  41. 50 ftTurn right onto Massachusetts Central Rail Trail, heading W.
  42. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  43. 100 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/swift-river-reservoir-out-back-14-km-3b2c

Trail surface

23% dirt77% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:35 AMSunset 6:52 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.8 mi in (~98 min). Leave by 4:55 PM for the 6:52 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:42 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 this trailhead

Hikes near Belchertown, Massachusetts