AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rockland Preserve

Dirt Church–Eratica, 6 sights

3.5 mi · ▲ 408 ft · 1 hr 22 min

Dirt Church–Eratica, 6 sights is a 3.5-mile out-and-back in Rockland Preserve near Rockland, CT. It climbs 408 ft. It scores 18/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi335 – 554 ft5.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.44429, -72.65671
Nearest town Rockland, CT
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Dirt Church–Eratica, 6 sights

3.5 mi · ▲ 408 ft · 1 hr 22 min

Elevation 333–555 ft

Out & Back · Rockland Preserve

Trailhead: 41.44429, -72.65671

Weather Aug 4: Heavy showers, high 79°F / low 69° · precip 95% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 5:48 AM · sunset 8:07 PM

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 50 ftTurn right onto New England Trail, heading W.
  3. 1 miTurn left, heading S.
  4. 250 ftContinue straight onto Summit Belt, heading S.
  5. 0.1 miContinue straight onto The Darkside, heading S.
  6. 50 ftTurn right onto Summit Belt, heading S.
  7. 200 ftContinue straight onto Dirt Churh, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto Summit Belt, heading SE.
  9. 250 ftContinue straight onto Thunderdome, heading SE.
  10. 50 ftContinue straight onto Dirt Church, heading SE.
  11. 100 ftBear left onto Thunderdome, heading SE.
  12. 50 ftBear right onto Dirt Church, heading SE.
  13. 50 ftContinue straight onto Summit Belt, heading SE.
  14. 150 ftTurn left onto Dirt Church, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftContinue straight onto Summit Belt, heading SE.
  16. 350 ftBear left, heading W.
  17. 150 ftTurn right onto Rockland Loop, heading SW.
  18. 50 ftBear left onto Rishy, heading SW.
  19. 50 ftContinue straight onto Rockland Loop, heading W.
  20. 50 ftBear left onto Rishy, heading SW.
  21. 50 ftContinue straight onto Rockland Loop, heading SW.
  22. 50 ftTurn left onto Eratica, heading SW.
  23. 50 ftBear right onto Dead Hill Road, heading SW.
  24. 50 ftBear right onto Eratica, heading W.
  25. 0.1 miTurn left onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading SW.
  26. 250 ftContinue straight onto Eratica, heading S.
  27. 50 ftBear left onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading S.
  28. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  29. 150 ftBear right onto Eratica, heading SW.
  30. 400 ftTurn right onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading W.
  31. 50 ftContinue straight onto Eratica, heading W.
  32. 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading W.
  33. 50 ftBear right onto Bee Line, heading W.
  34. 50 ftBear left onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading W.
  35. 250 ftReach Summit Belt, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  36. 250 ftBear right onto Bee Line, heading S.
  37. 50 ftBear left onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading S.
  38. 50 ftContinue straight onto Eratica, heading S.
  39. 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading S.
  40. 50 ftTurn left onto Eratica, heading S.
  41. 400 ftBear left, heading SW.
  42. 150 ftBear left onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading SW.
  43. 250 ftBear right onto Eratica, heading S.
  44. 50 ftContinue straight onto Old Crooked Hill Road, heading S.
  45. 250 ftTurn right onto Eratica, heading S.
  46. 0.1 miBear left onto Dead Hill Road, heading SW.
  47. 50 ftBear left onto Eratica, heading SW.
  48. 50 ftTurn right onto Rockland Loop, heading SW.
  49. 50 ftContinue straight onto Rishy, heading SW.
  50. 50 ftBear right onto Rockland Loop, heading SW.
  51. 50 ftContinue straight onto Rishy, heading W.
  52. 50 ftBear right onto Rockland Loop, heading W.
  53. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  54. 150 ftBear right onto Summit Belt, heading S.
  55. 350 ftContinue straight onto Dirt Church, heading W.
  56. 50 ftTurn right onto Summit Belt, heading W.
  57. 150 ftContinue straight onto Dirt Church, heading SW.
  58. 50 ftBear left onto Thunderdome, heading SW.
  59. 50 ftBear right onto Dirt Church, heading SW.
  60. 100 ftContinue straight onto Thunderdome, heading NW.
  61. 50 ftContinue straight onto Summit Belt, heading NW.
  62. 250 ftContinue straight onto Dirt Churh, heading W.
  63. 50 ftContinue straight onto Summit Belt, heading W.
  64. 200 ftTurn left onto The Darkside, heading W.
  65. 50 ftContinue straight onto Summit Belt, heading W.
  66. 0.1 miTurn right onto New England Trail, heading SE.
  67. 1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  68. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/dirt-church-out-back

Trail surface

53% dirt47% unspecified

Weather

Heavy showersTemperature 79°F69°
Precip95%Wind6 mphUV5Humidity75%
Rained 1.5″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65° 12 AM: 17% rain1 AM: 33% rain2 AM: 44% rain3 AM: 51% rain4 AM: 53% rain5 AM: 84% rain6 AM: 52% rain7 AM: 95% rain8 AM: 91% rain9 AM: 85% rain10 AM: 81% rain11 AM: 80% rain12 PM: 75% rain1 PM: 77% rain2 PM: 64% rain3 PM: 43% rain4 PM: 48% rain5 PM: 49% rain6 PM: 38% rain7 PM: 14% rain
Sunrise 5:48 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:07 PM
Tue 80°65°
Wed 78°64°
Thu 88°69° 16%
Fri 93°71° 31%
Sat 91°69° 35%
Sun 91°70° 19%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.1 mi in (~30 min). Leave by 7:17 PM for the 8:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:54 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

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