Bruce Freeman Rail Trail bridge over the Assabet River June 2025.jpg
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Tarbell Springs Conservation–Warners Pond, 5 sights is a 6-mile out-and-back in Old Rifle Range near East Acton, MA. The route passes Warners Pond and Diamond Crossing before reaching Tarbell Springs Conservation at the turnaround, 3 miles in. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 1/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi118 – 157 ft6.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Bruce Freeman Rail Trail 42.47665, -71.41245
Nearest town East Acton, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Tarbell Springs Conservation–Warners Pond, 5 sights

6 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 2 hr

Elevation 117–156 ft

Out & Back · Old Rifle Range

Trailhead: Bruce Freeman Rail Trail · 42.47665, -71.41245

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, heading SE.
  2. 0.9 miPass Warners Pond.
  3. 100 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  4. 450 ftBear right, heading E.
  5. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  6. 0.5 miBear left, heading SE.
  7. 100 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  9. 50 ftPass Diamond Crossing.
  10. 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
  11. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  12. 0.7 miTurn right, heading S.
  13. 0.4 miTurn right onto Secondary Trail (red), heading W.
  14. 150 ftContinue straight onto Connecting Trail (blue), heading W.
  15. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  16. 250 ftReach Tarbell Springs Conservation, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Secondary Trail (red), heading NE.
  18. 150 ftTurn left onto Target Trail (yellow), heading NW.
  19. 0.4 miTurn left onto Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, heading E.
  20. 0.7 miBear right, heading N.
  21. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  22. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  23. 0.5 miBear left, heading NW.
  24. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  25. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  26. 0.9 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

76% paved21% dirt3% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:03 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.0 mi in (~49 min). Leave by 6:54 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:08 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination