Mt. Misery Loop

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Wildlife

This corner of the forest provides visitors with a peaceful network of trails to escape the crowds at nearby Walden Pond. Though the name Mt. Misery may conjure images of stormy crags above treeline, this one stays covered year-round. As such, it isn't a run for those looking for sweeping views, but if you know that coming in, it's a beautiful place to explore.

All trails at Mt. Misery can be traveled in either direction so this recommended loop can be done in reverse or adapted to accommodate groups of varying ages or abilities.

Find the parking area on South Great Road (Rte 117) to the north of Farrar Pond. From there, continue east on the Bay Circuit Trail: Mt. Misery section around the large ponds to the eastern property boundary.

At the edge of the woods, head north to find the Bay Circuit Trail: Mt. Misery section again, this time heading left (west) and then left again to make the final snaking path to the summit of Mt. Misery. From the top, find the narrow, steeper trail to head southwest toward Terrapin Lake, a kettle hole pond that was used to grow cranberries toward the 1990s.

Head west and then south along the wider paths to return to the parking area and trailhead. Check out the Trail Run Project mobile app for on-trail navigation.

Scotch pines (Pinus sylvestris), eastern white pines (Pinus strobus), and European larches (Larix decidua).

Explore a few great examples of kettle hole ponds, which are deep depressions created by glacial ice blocks. If the hole goes deep enough to intersect the water table, it fills with water creating a small pond or even lake.