Carriage Viewpoint–Bolton Notch Pond, 7 lakes is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Hop River State Park Trail near Talcottville, CT. The route passes Talcottville Pond, Valley Falls Park Beach, Bolton Notch Pond and 3 more before reaching Carriage Viewpoint at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 1,427 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade. It scores 13/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Carriage Viewpoint–Bolton Notch Pond, 7 lakes
16.1 mi · ▲ 1,427 ft · 6 hr 5 min
Elevation 208–723 ft
Out & Back · Hop River State Park Trail
Trailhead: Hop River Connector · 41.82195, -72.49796
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 6:53 PM
Transit-accessible: stop 592 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Hop River Connector, heading E.
- 50 ftPass Talcottville Pond.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Hop River Linear Park, heading NE.
- 2.5 miPass Valley Falls Park Beach.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
- 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.
- 400 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 200 ftPass Bolton Notch State Park Viewpoint.
- 450 ftSharp left, heading SE.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 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.
- 450 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Carriage Path, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 250 ftPass Cases Machine Shop Pond.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.3 miPass Carriage Viewpoint.
- 0.2 miReach Carriage Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 100 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right onto Charter Oak Greenway, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 1.8 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 250 ftSharp right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Hop River Linear Park, heading N.
- 0.5 miSharp left, heading N.
- 150 ftBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 2.5 miTurn right onto Hop River Connector, heading W.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.4 mi in (~11 min). Leave by 6:21 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:17 PM — 4 min before dark.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: stop 592 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Hop River Connector Trailhead
- Lookout Mountain–Bolton Notch Pond, 6 lakes 16.1 mi · ▲ 1,424 ft
- Case Falls–Bolton Notch Pond, 7 lakes 15.6 mi · ▲ 1,255 ft
- Hop River Linear Park Viewpoint–Valley Falls Park Beach, 3 beaches 6.4 mi · ▲ 584 ft
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