Buckingham Reservoir Watershed
Gay City State Park Viewpoint & Upper Case Pond via Carriage Path
10.5 mi · ▲ 1,570 ft · 4 hr 17 min
Gay City State Park Viewpoint & Upper Case Pond via Carriage Path is a 10.5-mile out-and-back in Buckingham Reservoir Watershed near Highland Park, CT. The route passes Upper Case Pond before reaching Gay City State Park Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.3 miles in. It climbs 1,570 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade. It scores 47/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Gay City State Park Viewpoint & Upper Case Pond via Carriage Path
10.5 mi · ▲ 1,570 ft · 4 hr 17 min
Elevation 448–860 ft
Out & Back · Buckingham Reservoir Watershed
Trailhead: Charter Oak Greenway · 41.76765, -72.48452
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 6:53 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Charter Oak Greenway, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 450 ftPass Upper Case Pond.
- 150 ftBear left onto Carriage Path, heading SW.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading S.
- 500 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 400 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading S.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Coop Road, heading S.
- 50 ftBear right, heading S.
- 1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 100 ftBear right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 100 ftSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 1.4 miBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftReach Gay City State Park Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 1.4 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 100 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 1 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading N.
- 250 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn right onto Carriage Path, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Charter Oak Greenway, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 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
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 6:32 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 6:53 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:20 PM.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Charter Oak Greenway Trailhead
- Charter Oak Greenway 5.9 mi · ▲ 355 ft
- Upper Case Pond–Strombery Pond, 3 lakes 7.6 mi · ▲ 1,041 ft
- Charter Oak Greenway 2.6 mi · ▲ 189 ft
- Charter Oak Greenway 2.6 mi · ▲ 189 ft
- Charter Oak Greenway 2.1 mi · ▲ 189 ft
- Mount Nebo & Globe Hollow via Charter Oak Greenway 3.3 mi · ▲ 216 ft
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