Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
White Pond & Petapawag Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
9 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 3 hr
White Pond & Petapawag Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside is a 9-mile out-and-back in Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge near Lower Village, MA. The route reaches White Pond. It is mostly level, with 0 ft of elevation gain. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
White Pond & Petapawag Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside
9 mi · ▲ 0 ft · 3 hr
Elevation 186–214 ft
Out & Back · Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge
Trailhead: White Pond Road · 42.41888, -71.47415
Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:42 AM · sunset 8:04 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on White Pond Road, heading S.
- 1.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Towhee Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Petapawag Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading S.
- 400 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.5 miTurn right onto Fisher Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miPass White Pond.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 300 ftReach White Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.7 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Fisher Trail, heading SE.
- 1 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left onto Petapawag Trail, heading N.
- 0.8 miBear right onto Towhee Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto White Pond Road, heading NW.
- 1 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.2 mi in (~54 min). Leave by 6:49 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:13 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from White Pond Road Trailhead
- Towhee Trail Loop via White Pond Road 2.5 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Lake Boon & White Pond Road via Patrol Road 3.4 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Harry's Way–Pine Garden Trail Loop, 3 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Rice Tavern Foundation–Voss Pond, 5 sights 4.1 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Track Road/Assabet River Rail Trail Easement Viewpoint–Track Road/Assabet River Rail Trail Easement, 3 sights 4.5 mi · ▲ 193 ft
- Cuttings Pond–Rice Tavern Foundation, 5 sights 4.6 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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