Pocumtuck Ridge Trail.JPG
Tom Walsh · CC BY-SA 3.0

County Road & Vernal Pool is a 10.7-mile out-and-back in Connecticut River Greenway State Park near Cheapside, MA. It climbs 1,416 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade. It scores 44/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi262 – 846 ft · steepest grade: 22%11.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 42.55613, -72.58177
Nearest town Cheapside, MA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

County Road & Vernal Pool

10.7 mi · ▲ 1,416 ft · 4 hr 16 min

Elevation 263–847 ft

Out & Back · Connecticut River Greenway State Park

Trailhead: 42.55613, -72.58177

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:46 AM · sunset 8:08 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.1 miTurn right onto Rices Ferry Road, heading S.
  3. 1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  4. 0.2 miContinue straight onto Fridge, heading SW.
  5. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  6. 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  8. 1.1 miSharp right, heading S.
  9. 0.5 miBear right, heading W.
  10. 400 ftSharp right onto County Road, heading W.
  11. 0.6 miReach County Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.8 miTurn left, heading NE.
  13. 0.5 miTurn right, heading N.
  14. 300 ftBear left, heading SE.
  15. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
  16. 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
  17. 1.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  18. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  19. 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
  20. 500 ftBear left, heading NE.
  21. 50 ftBear right onto Vernal Pool, heading NE.
  22. 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
  23. 0.2 miBear right onto Fridge, heading W.
  24. 0.4 miTurn left onto Rices Ferry Road, heading N.
  25. 1 miTurn left, heading N.
  26. 250 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

23% dirt77% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:46 AMSunset 8:08 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.2 mi in (~68 min). Leave by 6:40 PM for the 8:08 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:19 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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