AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
PD35322-NEF green heron.jpg
Paul Danese · CC BY-SA 4.0
Buckingham Reservoir Watershed

Strombery Pond–Gay City Pond, 4 lakes

5.5 mi · ▲ 769 ft · 2 hr 13 min

Strombery Pond–Gay City Pond, 4 lakes is a 5.5-mile out-and-back in Buckingham Reservoir Watershed near Bolton, CT. The route passes Gay City Pond, Gay City State Park Beach and Strombery Pond before reaching Bestor Pond at the turnaround, 2.8 miles in. It climbs 769 ft. It scores 31/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi522 – 860 ft7.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.72272, -72.44539
Nearest town Bolton, CT
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Strombery Pond–Gay City Pond, 4 lakes

5.5 mi · ▲ 769 ft · 2 hr 13 min

Elevation 521–860 ft

Out & Back · Buckingham Reservoir Watershed

Trailhead: 41.72272, -72.44539

Weather Aug 3: Heavy showers, high 77°F / low 68° · precip 99% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:47 AM · sunset 8:07 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftPass Gay City Pond.
  3. 50 ftPass Gay City State Park Beach.
  4. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  5. 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
  6. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  7. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  8. 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
  9. 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  10. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  11. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  12. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  13. 1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  14. 50 ftSharp right, heading SW.
  15. 100 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  16. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  17. 100 ftBear right, heading NW.
  18. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  19. 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
  20. 50 ftSharp right, heading W.
  21. 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
  22. 200 ftSharp right, heading SW.
  23. 200 ftBear right, heading SW.
  24. 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  25. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  26. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  28. 250 ftBear left, heading NW.
  29. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  30. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  31. 150 ftBear right, heading NW.
  32. 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
  33. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  34. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  35. 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  36. 0.1 miBear left, heading W.
  37. 0.3 miPass Strombery Pond.
  38. 350 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  39. 0.1 miPass Bestor Pond.
  40. 400 ftReach Strombery Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  41. 0.2 miSharp right, heading S.
  42. 0.4 miBear right, heading SE.
  43. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  44. 450 ftTurn left, heading W.
  45. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  46. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  47. 400 ftBear left, heading E.
  48. 150 ftBear right, heading E.
  49. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  50. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  51. 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
  52. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  53. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  54. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  55. 350 ftBear left, heading NW.
  56. 150 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  57. 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  58. 300 ftSharp left, heading NW.
  59. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  60. 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
  61. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  62. 100 ftTurn left, heading E.
  63. 100 ftSharp right, heading E.
  64. 50 ftSharp left, heading E.
  65. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  66. 1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  67. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  68. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SE.
  69. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  70. 200 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  71. 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
  72. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  73. 100 ftBear left, heading NE.
  74. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  75. 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/gay-city-pond-strombery-pond-out-back-5-lakes-8-km-14c2

Trail surface

6% dirt94% unspecified

Weather

Heavy showersTemperature 77°F68°
Precip99%Wind8 mphUV4Humidity72%
Rained 1.7″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
80°65° 12 AM: 6% rain1 AM: 27% rain2 AM: 21% rain3 AM: 39% rain4 AM: 55% rain5 AM: 87% rain6 AM: 62% rain7 AM: 99% rain8 AM: 97% rain9 AM: 90% rain10 AM: 80% rain11 AM: 78% rain12 PM: 72% rain1 PM: 75% rain2 PM: 67% rain3 PM: 51% rain4 PM: 44% rain5 PM: 49% rain6 PM: 47% rain7 PM: 11% rain
Sunrise 5:47 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:07 PM
Tue 80°64°
Wed 79°64°
Thu 86°68° 33%
Fri 93°70° 33%
Sat 91°70° 43%
Sun 93°69° 21%

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Bolton, Connecticut