The Hill Reservoir hike in Pelham, Massachusetts is an easy 2.3-mile out-and-back scenic hike that leads to Hill Reservoir, features a 15-foot tall spillway waterfall, and turns-around at Amethyst Brook.
Hiking to Hill Reservoir
This hike begins along the skinny dirt road of Meetinghouse Road in Pelham. Hikers will find parking near the edge of the
Buffam Falls Conservation Area where you'll find a couple of small turnouts.
To reach the trailhead, hike north on Meetinghouse Road from the parking turnout and be on the lookout for a wide trail that leads due-east. Once you're on the trail, it leads through a white pine and hemlock forest as it makes its way toward the reservoir.
Hill Reservoir Falls - Mile 0.5
Around mile 0.5 from the parking area, hikers will reach a right-hand turn that leads downhill to reach the banks of Amethyst Brook. Head down to the water's edge to find a ~15-foot tall, 50-foot long waterfall that tumbles down from Hill Reservoir — Hill Reservoir Falls. While this human-made waterfall, specifically a spillway, isn't naturally occurring, the scenic tumbling water is a nice addition to the walk.
Hill Reservoir Views - Mile 0.6
Just uphill from the waterfall sits the tranquil Hill Reservoir where hikers will find beautiful views of the water from the trail. Lining its banks are tall white pine trees and small hills. Before hiking onward, note that Hill Reservoir is the last truly scenic spot along this route. There are some small cascades in Amethyst Brook located at the turn-around point for this hike; however, if you don't wish to continue further, turning around at Hill Reservoir is not a bad option. If you wish to follow this guide, you can hike further to Amethyst Brook where you'll find a creek crossing.
Hiking to Amethyst Brook's Crossing - Mile 0.6 to 1.1
From Hill Reservoir, the trail leads up a small but steep hill. You can get more views of the reservoir from the top of this hill where you'll find a different perspective of the water. The trail, however, doesn't have much to offer once you leave the reservoir. It leads through the forest and eventually leads downhill to reach Amethyst Brook once more. At mile 1.1, you'll find a creek crossing at the brook. During our hike here in mid-May, the water level was way too high for us to consider crossing, so we hiked upstream a bit to explore the scenic, but small, cascades of water in the brook. Then we hiked out and back to parking for a 2.3-mile out-and-back hike.
Hiking Out - Mile 1.1 to 2.3
While you can certainly skip heading upstream along Amethyst Brook, the water and surrounding hemlocks are a scenic way to enjoy this part of Western Mass. The hike back to parking is simple — just follow the same path you hiked in on. Note that there's a bit of an uphill walk from Amethyst Brook to reach Hill Reservoir, but it's short lived and not difficult. Complete the 2.3-mile hike at the parking turnout along Meetinghouse Road.
Parking
Hikers will find small parking turnouts along Meetinghouse Road in Pelham. The turnouts are large enough to fit a couple of vehicles each. Note that Meetinghouse Road is a skinny dirt road where, in some places, opposing vehicles have to wait for one another. This road might not be maintained during the winter.
Pets
Dogs are not allowed in the reservoir or any of its tributaries. If you simply plan to keep your dog on-trail at all times, then dogs are allowed. It's illegal to allow your dog in the reservoir or upstream in Amethyst Brook according to the signage as of May 2025.
Prohibited
State law prohibits recreational use of the reservoir. No swimming, fishing, boating, skating, etc. Domestic animals are not allowed in the reservoir or its tributaries.
