AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Nehantic State Forest

Brown Hill–Nickerson Hill, 5 summits

8.2 mi · ▲ 932 ft · 3 hr 12 min

Brown Hill–Nickerson Hill, 5 summits is an 8.2-mile out-and-back in Nehantic State Forest near Sterling City, CT. The route passes Uncas Pond, Brown Hill, Nickerson Hill and Pleasant Valley Preserve Beach. It climbs 932 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 63/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi49 – 381 ft · steepest grade: 16%8.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.37287, -72.32235
Nearest town Sterling City, CT
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Brown Hill–Nickerson Hill, 5 summits

8.2 mi · ▲ 932 ft · 3 hr 12 min

Elevation 48–381 ft

Out & Back · Nehantic State Forest

Trailhead: 41.37287, -72.32235

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 80°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 5:48 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SW.
  2. 50 ftPass Uncas Pond.
  3. 0.3 miTurn right onto Keeny Road, heading E.
  4. 0.9 miTurn left, heading NW.
  5. 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
  6. 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
  7. 0.4 miPass Brown Hill.
  8. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  11. 0.5 miBear left, heading NW.
  12. 0.2 miPass Nickerson Hill.
  13. 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  14. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  15. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
  16. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  17. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  18. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NW.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  20. 0.1 miPass Pleasant Valley Preserve Beach.
  21. 250 ftReach Brown Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  22. 0.8 miTurn left, heading SE.
  23. 0.8 miTurn right, heading E.
  24. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  25. 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
  26. 0.6 miBear right, heading S.
  27. 450 ftTurn left, heading S.
  28. 0.5 miBear left onto Balanced Rock Trail, heading SW.
  29. 300 ftTurn right, heading S.
  30. 0.6 miBear left, heading SW.
  31. 0.1 miTurn left onto Keeny Road, heading SW.
  32. 0.3 miTurn right, heading SW.
  33. 0.2 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/brown-hill-nickerson-hill-out-back-3-summits-13-km

Trail surface

22% gravel78% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 80°F63°
Precip0%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity79%
Rained 3.9″ yesterday (5.2″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 5:48 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:04 PM
Wed 78°62°
Thu 88°71°
Fri 92°72° 18%
Sat 91°71° 23%
Sun 91°71° 16%
Mon 96°73°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.8 mi in (~85 min). Leave by 6:20 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:35 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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