AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
NorthernEndOfBreakneckPondfacingsouth.jpg
Morrowlong · CC BY-SA 3.0
Nipmuck State Forest

Cat Rocks–Breakneck Pond, 5 sights

4.2 mi · ▲ 338 ft · 1 hr 34 min

Cat Rocks–Breakneck Pond, 5 sights is a 4.2-mile out-and-back in Nipmuck State Forest near Mashapaug, CT. The route passes Breakneck Pond before reaching Cat Rocks at the turnaround, 2.1 miles in. It climbs 338 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 65/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi686 – 915 ft · steepest grade: 18%4.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Hatchet Road 42.00600, -72.10348
Nearest town Mashapaug, CT
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Cat Rocks–Breakneck Pond, 5 sights

4.2 mi · ▲ 338 ft · 1 hr 34 min

Elevation 685–916 ft

Out & Back · Nipmuck State Forest

Trailhead: Hatchet Road · 42.00600, -72.10348

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 78°F / low 60° · precip 0% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 5:46 AM · sunset 8:05 PM

  1. Start on Hatchet Road, heading N.
  2. 1.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  3. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Snow Sled Road, heading N.
  4. 0.2 miPass Breakneck Pond.
  5. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  6. 0.1 miBear left onto Cat Rocks Road, heading W.
  7. 0.2 miReach Cat Rocks, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  8. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  9. 450 ftBear right, heading NE.
  10. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  11. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Snow Sled Road, heading S.
  12. 0.6 miTurn right onto Hatchet Road, heading SE.
  13. 1 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/cat-rocks-breakneck-pond-out-back-9-km-4bdc

Trail surface

71% dirt29% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 78°F60°
Precip0%Wind6 mphUV8Humidity81%
Rained 0.8″ yesterday (2.4″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 5:46 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:05 PM
Wed 80°62°
Thu 88°67° 51%
Fri 92°69° 38%
Sat 90°68° 41%
Sun 91°66° 15%
Mon 92°70° 20%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.1 mi in (~2 min). Leave by 7:43 PM for the 8:05 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:22 PM — 14 min before dark. Trailhead visible from the viewpoint

More sunset hikes nearby

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Mashapaug, Connecticut