Thanksgiving Rocks–Russell Mill Pond, 5 sights is a 2.6-mile out-and-back in Great Brook Farm State Park near Carlisle, MA. The route passes Meadow Pond and Russell Mill Pond before reaching Thanksgiving Rocks at the turnaround, 1.1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain. It scores 16/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Thanksgiving Rocks–Russell Mill Pond, 5 sights
2.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 52 min
Elevation 154–188 ft
Out & Back · Great Brook Farm State Park
Trailhead: 42.55646, -71.34740
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:41 AM · sunset 8:03 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Maple Ridge, heading SE.
- 0.1 miPass Meadow Pond.
- 100 ftTurn left onto Pine Point Loop, heading N.
- 200 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto East Farm Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miPass Russell Mill Pond.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left onto Blue Loop, heading NE.
- 0.2 miPass Thanksgiving Rocks.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Purple Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miReach Thanksgiving Rocks, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Blue Loop, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn right onto East Farm Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Pine Point Loop, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Maple Ridge, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 250 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.1 mi in (~27 min). Leave by 7:16 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:46 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Drinking water at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Acorn Trail 1.9 mi · ▲ 88 ft
- Wolf Rock–Meadow Pond, 4 sights 2.8 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Meadow Pond & Tophet East 3 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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