AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Walden Pond Fall 2021.jpg
Todd Van Hoosear · CC BY-SA 2.0
Walden Pond State Reservation

Thoreau Street Conservation Restriction–Walden Pond, 11 sights

6.3 mi · ▲ 262 ft · 2 hr 14 min

Thoreau Street Conservation Restriction–Walden Pond, 11 sights is a 6.3-mile out-and-back in Walden Pond State Reservation near Concord, MA. The route passes Fairyland Pond, Goose Pond, Walden Pond State Reservation Beach and 4 more before reaching Thoreau Street Conservation Restriction at the turnaround, 3.1 miles in. It climbs 262 ft. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi118 – 223 ft7.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.45372, -71.34243
Nearest town Concord, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Thoreau Street Conservation Restriction–Walden Pond, 11 sights

6.3 mi · ▲ 262 ft · 2 hr 14 min

Elevation 119–223 ft

Out & Back · Walden Pond State Reservation

Trailhead: 42.45372, -71.34243

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 82°F / low 62° · precip 0% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:41 AM · sunset 8:03 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miBear right onto Emerson Thoreau Amble, heading E.
  3. 0.4 miPass Fairyland Pond.
  4. 450 ftTurn left onto Fairyland Pond Loop (yellow), heading E.
  5. 150 ftTurn right onto (blue), heading SE.
  6. 100 ftContinue straight onto Connecting Trail (blue), heading S.
  7. 150 ftTurn left onto Red Dot Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.2 miTurn left onto Main Trail (yellow), heading SE.
  9. 350 ftSharp right onto Connecting Trail (blue), heading NE.
  10. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  11. 400 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
  13. 400 ftPass Goose Pond.
  14. 150 ftSharp right onto Goose Pond Spur, heading SE.
  15. 0.3 miPass Walden Pond State Reservation Beach.
  16. 150 ftTurn right onto Pine Hill Spur, heading SE.
  17. 150 ftBear right onto Goose Pond Trail, heading S.
  18. 250 ftPass Red Cross Beach.
  19. 50 ftPass Walden Pond.
  20. 250 ftTurn right, heading W.
  21. 250 ftTurn left onto Lower Woods Path, heading W.
  22. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  23. 50 ftBear left onto Ridge Path, heading NW.
  24. 400 ftPass Walden Pond State Reservation Beach.
  25. 250 ftTurn right onto Pond Path, heading SW.
  26. 0.2 miPass Walden Pond State Reservation Beach.
  27. 0.1 miTurn right onto Fire Road North, heading SW.
  28. 0.4 miBear left, heading NW.
  29. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
  30. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  31. 450 ftReach Thoreau Street Conservation Restriction, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  32. 400 ftTurn right, heading W.
  33. 0.3 miSharp right, heading NW.
  34. 0.7 miTurn left onto Pond Path, heading SE.
  35. 0.3 miTurn left onto Ridge Path, heading SE.
  36. 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
  37. 50 ftTurn left onto Lower Woods Path, heading NE.
  38. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  39. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  40. 150 ftContinue straight onto Goose Pond Trail, heading NE.
  41. 400 ftBear left onto Pine Hill Spur, heading NE.
  42. 150 ftTurn left onto Goose Pond Spur, heading E.
  43. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NE.
  44. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  45. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  46. 400 ftTurn left onto Connecting Trail (blue), heading E.
  47. 0.2 miSharp left onto Main Trail (yellow), heading N.
  48. 350 ftTurn right onto Red Dot Trail, heading NE.
  49. 0.2 miTurn right onto Connecting Trail (blue), heading W.
  50. 150 ftContinue straight onto (blue), heading NW.
  51. 100 ftTurn left onto Fairyland Pond Loop (yellow), heading NW.
  52. 150 ftTurn right onto Emerson Thoreau Amble, heading N.
  53. 0.4 miBear left, heading NW.
  54. 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/thoreau-street-conservation-restriction-walden-pond-out-back-8-beaches-10-km

Trail surface

45% dirt3% gravel52% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 82°F62°
Precip0%Wind5 mphUV7Humidity83%
Rained 1″ yesterday (1.7″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
85°60°
Sunrise 5:41 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:03 PM
Wed 84°63°
Thu 88°70° 26%
Fri 96°72° 30%
Sat 94°70° 33%
Sun 96°68°
Mon 92°73° 15%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.7 mi in (~70 min). Leave by 6:33 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:26 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Concord, Massachusetts