Selectmen's Stones–Coginchaug Cave, 5 sights
8.6 mi · ▲ 897 ft · 3 hr 19 min
Selectmen's Stones–Coginchaug Cave, 5 sights is an 8.6-mile out-and-back in Cockaponset State Forest near Durham Center, CT. The route passes Coginchaug Cave and Whitney Pond before reaching Selectmen's Stones at the turnaround, 4.3 miles in. It climbs 897 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade. It scores 30/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Selectmen's Stones–Coginchaug Cave, 5 sights
8.6 mi · ▲ 897 ft · 3 hr 19 min
Elevation 333–590 ft
Out & Back · Cockaponset State Forest
Trailhead: 41.45972, -72.66180
Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 79°F / low 65° · precip 0% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 5:48 AM · sunset 8:07 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miPass Coginchaug Cave.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 1 miTurn left onto New England Trail, heading W.
- 1.2 miContinue straight onto Poole Road, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Mag-5, heading NW.
- 100 ftBear left onto Dead Hill Road, heading W.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Mag-5, heading SW.
- 100 ftBear right onto Dead Hill Road, heading SW.
- 150 ftBear right onto Whitney Road, heading SW.
- 0.4 miPass Whitney Pond.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Selectmen's Path, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Mica Ledges Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Selectmen's Path, heading NW.
- 0.2 miReach Selectmen's Stones, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Mica Ledges Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Selectmen's Path, heading W.
- 150 ftBear right onto Whitney Road, heading SW.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Dead Hill Road, heading SE.
- 150 ftBear left onto Mag-5, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dead Hill Road, heading S.
- 150 ftBear right onto Mag-5, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Poole Road, heading SE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto New England Trail, heading NE.
- 1.2 miTurn right, heading E.
- 1 miSharp left, heading NE.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.9 mi in (~107 min). Leave by 6:00 PM for the 8:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
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