Massachusetts · Hiking

Raptor

RaptorPhoto: Mehrashk, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
0.5 mi
round trip
213 ft
climb
510 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr, Jun–Oct
best months

Raptor is a short, easy hike in western Massachusetts, about 1.6 miles from the town of Aldrich Mills. The route is an out-and-back of roughly 0.9 miles, with a total climb of about 213 feet from a low point near 400 feet to a high of about 510 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, around 0.09 miles in, with a grade of about 11 percent. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Belchertown weather station show May highs around 68°F and September highs around 73°F, with July the warmest month at about 82°F. Mountain bikers will find several trails close by, including South Side Trail about 0.1 mile away and T-Rex and Jacob's Ladder each about 0.2 mile away. For time on the water, the Fort River offers canoeing about 5 miles off.

  • Best time to go · Apr, Jun–Oct

    Best time to visit Raptor

    Best months: April and June–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      33° / 15°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      35° / 15°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      44° / 24°

      11 wet

    4. Apr

      57° / 34°

      11 wet

    5. May

      68° / 45°

      13 wet

    6. Jun

      77° / 54°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      82° / 60°

      11 wet

    8. Aug

      80° / 58°

      11 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 51°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      60° / 40°

      11 wet

    11. Nov

      49° / 31°

      10 wet

    12. Dec

      38° / 22°

      11 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Belchertown, MA, 8.8 mi away at 550 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

South Side TrailPhoto: Qfamily, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

South Side Trail

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2.5-mile out-and-back trail in Massachusetts with 494 ft elevation gain.

Robert Frost TrailPhoto: 6SN7, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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HIKE

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T-RexPhoto: Qfamily, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

T-Rex

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Em’s GemPhoto: Qfamily, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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0.47-mile out-and-back trail in Massachusetts with 34 ft of elevation gain.

Roller CoasterPhoto: Qfamily, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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LowerPhoto: Qfamily, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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MainPhoto: Mehrashk, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Main

~2 min drive

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BetterPhoto: Mehrashk, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Better

~2 min drive

0.42-mile out-and-back trail in Massachusetts with 67 ft of elevation gain.

Lithia Springs TrailPhoto: allenran 917, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

Lithia Springs Trail

~4 min drive

3.54-mile out-and-back hike in Massachusetts with 720 ft elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors