Stone walls in Aldrich Pond, December 2024.jpg
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Dudley Pond–Border Trail, 3 sights is a 12.8-mile out-and-back in Douglas State Forest near East Thompson, CT. The route reaches Dudley Pond at the turnaround, 6.4 miles in. It climbs 499 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 41/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi515 – 742 ft13.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Benson Mountain Trail 41.98540, -71.78931
Nearest town East Thompson, CT

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Dudley Pond–Border Trail, 3 sights

12.8 mi · ▲ 499 ft · 4 hr 31 min

Elevation 515–740 ft

Out & Back · Douglas State Forest

Trailhead: Benson Mountain Trail · 41.98540, -71.78931

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 6:50 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Benson Mountain Trail, heading SW.
  2. 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  4. 0.2 miTurn left onto Border Trail, heading NW.
  5. 1.6 miContinue straight onto Tri-State Marker Trail, heading N.
  6. 0.3 miBear right onto Southern New England Trunkline Trail, heading NE.
  7. 3.9 miTurn left onto Smith Lane, heading NE.
  8. 0.1 miBear left onto Morse Avenue, heading NE.
  9. 50 ftBear right onto Smith Lane, heading NE.
  10. 350 ftReach Dudley Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 300 ftBear left onto Morse Avenue, heading N.
  12. 50 ftBear right onto Smith Lane, heading N.
  13. 0.1 miTurn right onto Southern New England Trunkline Trail, heading SW.
  14. 3.9 miBear left onto Tri-State Marker Trail, heading SW.
  15. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Border Trail, heading S.
  16. 1.6 miTurn right, heading NE.
  17. 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
  18. 0.2 miTurn left onto Benson Mountain Trail, heading SE.
  19. 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

99% dirt1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:33 AMSunset 6:50 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.6 mi in (~118 min). Leave by 4:32 PM for the 6:50 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:04 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

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