Wachusett Reservoir Northwest Hike
Quick Facts
- Distance: 4.3 Miles
- Difficult: Easy
- Restrictions: No dogs or bikes, No motorized vehicles
Trailhead
- Sterling, Gate 35, which is close to the intersection of Chace Hill Road and Route 110.
- A ten-car parking area is found just north of the Chace Hill Road entrance. Google Map
Description
- Walk down wide gravel roads to two points on the northwest shore of Wachusett Reservoir. Walk along the shore and back through the woods. Eagles may be sighted on the islands between the two peninsulas.
- Links: Wachusett Reservoir Roads and Gates Map
Route Details
1. Enter Through Gate 35
- Cross the road from the parking area and enter through Gate 35, located just south of the lot.
- Follow the gravel road downhill to the intersection marked #65 (DCR posts these numbers on signs attached to trees).
- At #65, bear left and continue to Greenhalge Point, which offers a nice view toward the Clinton Dam.
2. Follow the Shoreline Route
- From Greenhalge Point, return to intersection #169.
- Turn left and follow the shoreline path to #151.
- Look for the eagle nest in the tall pines on the island just offshore.
- Continue along the shore to #157, then turn right.
3. Return
- When you reach the main gravel road again, turn left to return to Gate 35 and the parking area.
Other Options
This area has an extensive network of gravel roads and informal paths. You can easily extend your hike by exploring additional loops. The woods are open, making it possible to bushwhack behind the tree line along the reservoir’s edge.
Historical Notes
- The Wachusett Reservoir was constructed between 1900 and 1910 to supply drinking water to Boston.
- The project required the relocation of much of West Boylston, whose former town center stood near today’s Old Stone Church, visible across the reservoir from the Route 12 parking area.
