Benson Mountain–Douglas State Forest Beach, 7 sights is a 10-mile out-and-back in Douglas State Forest near East Thompson, CT. The route passes Kingsbury Pond, Douglas State Forest Beach and Benson Mountain. It climbs 603 ft. It scores 56/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi427 – 761 ft10.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 41.99658, -71.81073
Nearest town East Thompson, CT
Directions
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Benson Mountain–Douglas State Forest Beach, 7 sights
10 mi · ▲ 603 ft · 3 hr 38 min
Elevation 427–760 ft
Out & Back · Douglas State Forest
Trailhead: 41.99658, -71.81073
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 6:50 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Kingsbury Pond.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Border Trail, heading N.
- 1 miContinue straight onto Tri-State Marker Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Southern New England Trunkline Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Midstate Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miPass Douglas State Forest Beach.
- 0.6 miSharp left, heading E.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Southern New England Trunkline Trail, heading W.
- 1 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Midstate Trail, heading E.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Starr Road, heading S.
- 450 ftSharp right onto Benson Mountain Trail, heading SE.
- 0.8 miPass Benson Mountain.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 1.4 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
56% dirt14% other30% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:33 AMSunset 6:50 PM
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.3 mi in (~91 min). Leave by 4:59 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:32 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Dudley Pond–Kingsbury Pond, 4 sights 13 mi · ▲ 659 ft
- Kingsbury Pond & Border Trail 4.3 mi · ▲ 418 ft
- Chamberlain Pond–Kingsbury Pond, 7 sights 12.4 mi · ▲ 775 ft
- Benson Mountain & Kingsbury Pond 2.8 mi · ▲ 319 ft
- Buck Hill Pond & Kingsbury Pond via Benson Mountain Trail 4.4 mi · ▲ 437 ft
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