Buckingham Reservoir–Bolton Notch Pond, 5 lakes is a 15.5-mile out-and-back in Buckingham Reservoir Watershed near Vernon Center, CT. The route passes Valley Falls Park Beach, Bolton Notch Pond, Bolton Notch State Park Viewpoint and 2 more. It climbs 1,398 ft. It scores 35/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi351 – 774 ft19.4 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: connector 41.82336, -72.44288
Nearest town Vernon Center, CT
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Buckingham Reservoir–Bolton Notch Pond, 5 lakes
15.5 mi · ▲ 1,398 ft · 5 hr 52 min
Elevation 351–776 ft
Out & Back · Buckingham Reservoir Watershed
Trailhead: connector · 41.82336, -72.44288
Weather Aug 4: Heavy showers, high 77°F / low 67° · precip 100% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:46 AM · sunset 8:07 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 50 ftPass Valley Falls Park Beach.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Hop River Linear Park, heading W.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miPass Bolton Notch Pond.
- 250 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 350 ftPass Bolton Notch State Park Viewpoint.
- 300 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Charter Oak Greenway, heading SW.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miPass Upper Case Pond.
- 300 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Carriage Path, heading SW.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading W.
- 450 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 200 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading SW.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Coop Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 100 ftBear right, heading S.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miPass Buckingham Reservoir.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Mountain Road, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftReach Buckingham Reservoir, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.3 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 150 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 200 ftBear left, heading W.
- 100 ftSharp right, heading W.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Coop Road, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 250 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 450 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading E.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 500 ftSharp left onto Carriage Path, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 100 ftBear right onto Charter Oak Greenway, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Hop River Linear Park, heading NE.
- 0.5 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 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
40% dirt17% paved13% gravel30% unspecified
Weather
Heavy showersTemperature 77°F67°
Precip100%Wind8 mphUV4Humidity74%
Rained 2.6″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65°
Sunrise 5:46 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:07 PM
Tue
78°65°
Wed
82°64°
Thu
87°67°
47%
Fri
93°70°
45%
Sat
91°70°
41%
Sun
94°69°
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.8 mi in (~79 min). Leave by 6:29 PM for the 8:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:34 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from connector Trailhead
- Hop River Linear Park Viewpoint & Valley Falls Park Beach 1.3 mi · ▲ 203 ft
- Rambling Ridge Open Space Viewpoint & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park 3 mi · ▲ 477 ft
- Box Mountain Forest Viewpoint & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park 3.9 mi · ▲ 480 ft
- Risley Reservoir & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park 4.9 mi · ▲ 923 ft
- Box Mountain Forest Viewpoint–Risley Reservoir, 3 beaches 5.7 mi · ▲ 820 ft
- Case Mountain–Bolton Notch Pond, 5 lakes 10.7 mi · ▲ 966 ft
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