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

Walden Pond–Goose Pond, 7 lakes

4.3 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 1 hr 32 min

Walden Pond–Goose Pond, 7 lakes is a 4.3-mile out-and-back in Walden Pond State Reservation near Concord, MA. The route passes Walden Pond, Walden Pond State Reservation Beach, Red Cross Beach and Goose Pond before reaching Fairyland Pond at the turnaround, 2.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 188 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi148 – 223 ft5.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: connector 42.44635, -71.35015
Nearest town Concord, MA
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Walden Pond–Goose Pond, 7 lakes

4.3 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 1 hr 32 min

Elevation 148–223 ft

Out & Back · Walden Pond State Reservation

Trailhead: connector · 42.44635, -71.35015

Weather Aug 4: 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 W.
  2. 150 ftBear left, heading S.
  3. 0.1 miBear right onto Fire Road North, heading SE.
  4. 0.4 miPass Walden Pond.
  5. 50 ftPass Walden Pond State Reservation Beach.
  6. 150 ftTurn left onto Pond Path, heading SE.
  7. 0.3 miTurn left onto Ridge Path, heading N.
  8. 50 ftPass Red Cross Beach.
  9. 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
  10. 50 ftTurn left onto Lower Woods Path, heading E.
  11. 450 ftPass Goose Pond.
  12. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  13. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  14. 100 ftContinue straight onto Goose Pond Trail, heading NE.
  15. 450 ftBear left onto Pine Hill Spur, heading SE.
  16. 150 ftTurn left onto Goose Pond Spur, heading SE.
  17. 0.3 miSharp left, heading N.
  18. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  19. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Alternate Thoreau's on Path Brister's Hill, heading NW.
  20. 450 ftBear right onto Thoreau's on Path Brister's Hill, heading NW.
  21. 300 ftTurn left onto Main Trail (yellow), heading SW.
  22. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Harry Beyer Assessed Trail, heading W.
  23. 200 ftTurn right onto Secondary Trail (red), heading W.
  24. 250 ftPass Fairyland Pond.
  25. 0.1 miReach Walden Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  26. 0.2 miTurn left onto Harry Beyer Assessed Trail, heading NW.
  27. 200 ftContinue straight onto Main Trail (yellow), heading NW.
  28. 0.1 miTurn right onto Thoreau's on Path Brister's Hill, heading S.
  29. 250 ftBear left onto Alternate Thoreau's on Path Brister's Hill, heading SE.
  30. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  31. 0.1 miSharp right onto Goose Pond Spur, heading E.
  32. 0.3 miTurn right onto Pine Hill Spur, heading SE.
  33. 150 ftBear right onto Goose Pond Trail, heading SE.
  34. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  35. 250 ftTurn left onto Lower Woods Path, heading SW.
  36. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  37. 50 ftBear left onto Ridge Path, heading S.
  38. 0.1 miTurn right onto Pond Path, heading SE.
  39. 0.3 miTurn right onto Fire Road North, heading SW.
  40. 0.4 miBear left, heading SW.
  41. 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
  42. 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/walden-pond-goose-pond-out-back-9-beaches-7-km-0e33

Trail surface

61% dirt7% gravel32% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:41 AMSunset 8:03 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:43 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 8:03 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 8:35 PM.

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 connector Trailhead

Hikes near Concord, Massachusetts