Bolton Notch Pond & Risley Reservoir is a 3.2-mile out-and-back in John S. Risley Memorial Park near Vernon, CT. The route passes Risley Reservoir before reaching Bolton Notch Pond at the turnaround, 1.5 miles in. It climbs 578 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 10/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi449 – 843 ft · steepest grade: 22%3.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 41.80221, -72.47045
Nearest town Vernon, CT
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Bolton Notch Pond & Risley Reservoir
3.2 mi · ▲ 578 ft · 1 hr 21 min
Elevation 450–843 ft
Out & Back · John S. Risley Memorial Park
Trailhead: 41.80221, -72.47045
Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 78°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 5:47 AM · sunset 8:06 PM
Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Risley Reservoir.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 200 ftBear left, heading SE.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miPass Bolton Notch Pond.
- 150 ftBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
91% dirt9% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 78°F63°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity74%
Rained 1.6″ yesterday (3.6″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 5:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:06 PM
Wed
79°65°
Thu
86°68°
46%
Fri
93°71°
36%
Sat
91°70°
42%
Sun
93°69°
20%
Mon
93°70°
18%
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Box Mountain Forest Viewpoint & Risley Reservoir 2.3 mi · ▲ 403 ft
- Mount Nebo–Bolton Notch Pond, 5 lakes 11.1 mi · ▲ 1,005 ft
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Hikes near Vernon, Connecticut