AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Assabet River Wildlife Sanctuary near Old Marlboro Road entrance in Maynard MA.jpg
Swampyank · CC BY-SA 4.0
Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Cuttings Pond–Rice Tavern Foundation, 9 sights

12 mi · ▲ 116 ft · 4 hr 3 min

Cuttings Pond–Rice Tavern Foundation, 9 sights is a 12-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Pine Rest, MA. The route passes Cuttings Pond, Cuttings Pond, Voss Pond and Rice Tavern Foundation before reaching Thanksgiving Pond at the turnaround, 6 miles in. It is mostly level, with 116 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 21/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi177 – 240 ft12.4 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.40533, -71.43911
Nearest town Pine Rest, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Cuttings Pond–Rice Tavern Foundation, 9 sights

12 mi · ▲ 116 ft · 4 hr 3 min

Elevation 176–239 ft

Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: 42.40533, -71.43911

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 250 ftPass Cuttings Pond.
  3. 0.2 miPass Cuttings Pond.
  4. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  5. 250 ftPass Voss Pond.
  6. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  7. 0.1 miPass Rice Tavern Foundation.
  8. 150 ftContinue straight onto Taylor Way, heading NW.
  9. 0.3 miBear left onto Otter Alley, heading W.
  10. 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
  11. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Harry's Way, heading W.
  12. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Towhee Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.7 miBear right, heading SW.
  14. 150 ftTurn left onto White Pond Road, heading W.
  15. 0.3 miTurn right onto Patrol Road, heading S.
  16. 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
  17. 100 ftSharp right, heading S.
  18. 0.7 miTurn left, heading NE.
  19. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  20. 0.5 miSharp right onto Track Road, heading NW.
  21. 400 ftContinue straight onto Track Road/Assabet River Rail Trail Easement, heading NW.
  22. 1.4 miPass Thanksgiving Pond.
  23. 350 ftReach Cuttings Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  24. 1.4 miContinue straight onto Track Road, heading W.
  25. 350 ftSharp left, heading W.
  26. 0.5 miTurn left, heading S.
  27. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  28. 0.7 miSharp left, heading SE.
  29. 100 ftSharp right onto Patrol Road, heading SE.
  30. 50 ftTurn left onto White Pond Road, heading SE.
  31. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  32. 150 ftBear left onto Towhee Trail, heading NE.
  33. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Harry's Way, heading NE.
  34. 0.5 miSharp left onto Otter Alley, heading E.
  35. 0.3 miBear right onto Taylor Way, heading E.
  36. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SE.
  37. 400 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  38. 0.5 miArrive 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/track-road-assabet-river-rail-trail-easement-viewpoint-puffer-pond-out-back-3-lakes-11-km-c027

Trail surface

72% dirt1% paved27% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:42 AMSunset 8:03 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.8 mi in (~18 min). Leave by 7:25 PM for the 8:03 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:37 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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Hikes near Pine Rest, Massachusetts