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 Sep 20: Drizzle, high 60°F / low 47° · precip 53% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 6:49 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 1.6 mi in (~39 min). Leave by 5:50 PM for the 6:49 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:43 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
- Ocean By-Pass–Petapawag Trail, 3 sights 9 mi · ▲ 28 ft
- Desert Loop Trail–Desert Trail, 3 sights 7.3 mi · ▲ 27 ft
- Old Concord Road & Petapawag Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 6.7 mi · ▲ 0 ft
- Duck Pond–Desert Trail, 3 sights 7.9 mi · ▲ 28 ft
- French Road Pond & Petapawag Trail via Mass Central Rail Trail -- Wayside 9.3 mi · ▲ 138 ft
- French Road Pond–Ocean By-Pass, 4 sights 9.3 mi · ▲ 138 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Lower Village, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Lower Village, Massachusetts