AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Great Cedars Conservation Area

Chalkers Millpond & Crystal Lake via Old Back Highway

2.3 mi · ▲ 55 ft · 48 min

Chalkers Millpond & Crystal Lake via Old Back Highway is a 2.3-mile out-and-back in Great Cedars Conservation Area near Saybrook Manor, CT. The route passes Crystal Lake before reaching Chalkers Millpond at the turnaround, 1.1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 55 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi20 – 75 ft2.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.30374, -72.41712
Nearest town Saybrook Manor, CT
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Chalkers Millpond & Crystal Lake via Old Back Highway

2.3 mi · ▲ 55 ft · 48 min

Elevation 19–76 ft

Out & Back · Great Cedars Conservation Area

Trailhead: 41.30374, -72.41712

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 78°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 1 mph · sunrise 5:48 AM · sunset 8:05 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass Crystal Lake.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  4. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  5. 200 ftBear left, heading SE.
  6. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  7. 150 ftBear right, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  9. 0.2 miTurn right onto Old Back Highway, heading NE.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  11. 500 ftBear left, heading E.
  12. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 150 ftBear right, heading NE.
  14. 0.2 miReach Chalkers Millpond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  15. 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
  16. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  17. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  18. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  19. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  20. 50 ftBear left, heading NW.
  21. 150 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  22. 450 ftBear right, heading SW.
  23. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  24. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  25. 0.1 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/chalkers-millpond-crystal-lake-out-back-4-lakes-4-km

Trail surface

99% dirt1% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 78°F63°
Precip0%Wind1 mphUV7Humidity82%
Rained 2.5″ yesterday (3.3″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 5:48 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:05 PM
Wed 77°62°
Thu 83°72°
Fri 85°72° 15%
Sat 84°71° 20%
Sun 86°70° 17%
Mon 91°73°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.6 mi in (~16 min). Leave by 7:29 PM for the 8:05 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:35 PM — 0 min before dark.

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Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near Saybrook Manor, Connecticut