Crystal Lake–Bad Luck Pond Trail, 8 sights
13 mi · ▲ 681 ft · 4 hr 40 min
Crystal Lake–Bad Luck Pond Trail, 8 sights is a 13-mile out-and-back in Douglas State Forest near East Thompson, CT. The route reaches Crystal Lake at the turnaround, 6.4 miles in. It climbs 681 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 51/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Crystal Lake–Bad Luck Pond Trail, 8 sights
13 mi · ▲ 681 ft · 4 hr 40 min
Elevation 515–740 ft
Out & Back · Douglas State Forest
Trailhead: Benson Mountain Trail · 41.98540, -71.78931
Weather Aug 4: Heavy rain, high 75°F / low 66° · precip 88% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 5:43 AM · sunset 8:05 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Benson Mountain Trail, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Border Trail, heading NW.
- 1.6 miContinue straight onto Tri-State Marker Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Southern New England Trunkline Trail, heading NE.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.5 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Saddle Trail, heading N.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Hay Ride Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Saddle Trail, heading N.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Pain in the Pullman, heading N.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Grand Trunk Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Streeter Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn left onto Schmidt Trail, heading NE.
- 450 ftTurn right onto Eagle Bridge Trail, heading NW.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Bad Luck Pond Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miReach Crystal Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Eagle Bridge Trail, heading W.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Schmidt Trail, heading S.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 450 ftBear left onto Streeter Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Grand Trunk Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Pain in the Pullman, heading W.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Saddle Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miSharp right onto Hay Ride Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Saddle Trail, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Southern New England Trunkline Trail, heading SE.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading SW.
- 200 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.7 miBear left onto Tri-State Marker Trail, heading SW.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Border Trail, heading S.
- 1.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Benson Mountain Trail, heading E.
- 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
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Benson Mountain Trail Trailhead
- Wallum Lake–Buck Hill Pond, 3 lakes 3.2 mi · ▲ 167 ft
- Benson Mountain–Buck Hill Pond, 6 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 141 ft
- Kingsbury Pond via Border Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 438 ft
- Buck Hill Pond–Douglas State Forest Beach, 4 sights 7.2 mi · ▲ 280 ft
- Douglas State Forest Beach–Border Trail, 3 sights 9 mi · ▲ 403 ft
- Wallum Pond Hill–Border Trail, 3 sights 9.8 mi · ▲ 471 ft
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