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

Gay City Pond & Gay City State Park Beach

6.2 mi · ▲ 953 ft · 2 hr 33 min

Gay City Pond & Gay City State Park Beach is a 6.2-mile out-and-back in Buckingham Reservoir Watershed near Buckingham, CT. The route passes Gay City State Park Beach and Gay City Pond before reaching Gay City State Park Beach at the turnaround, 3 miles in. It climbs 953 ft. It scores 32/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi512 – 860 ft7.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.71246, -72.49822
Nearest town Buckingham, CT
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gay City Pond & Gay City State Park Beach

6.2 mi · ▲ 953 ft · 2 hr 33 min

Elevation 511–860 ft

Out & Back · Buckingham Reservoir Watershed

Trailhead: 41.71246, -72.49822

Weather Sep 22: Overcast, high 62°F / low 50° · precip 13% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:38 AM · sunset 6:49 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 0.2 miSharp left, heading N.
  3. 0.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  4. 0.5 miSharp left, heading NE.
  5. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  6. 450 ftTurn left, heading E.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  8. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  9. 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
  10. 150 ftBear right, heading E.
  11. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  12. 0.2 miBear right, heading SE.
  13. 300 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  14. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  16. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  17. 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
  18. 150 ftSharp left, heading E.
  19. 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
  20. 300 ftSharp left, heading E.
  21. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  22. 350 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  23. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  24. 100 ftTurn left, heading E.
  25. 100 ftSharp right, heading E.
  26. 50 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  27. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  28. 0.9 miPass Gay City State Park Beach.
  29. 500 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  30. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  31. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  32. 200 ftPass Gay City State Park Beach.
  33. 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
  34. 200 ftTurn left, heading E.
  35. 250 ftBear right, heading E.
  36. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  37. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  38. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  39. 50 ftReach Gay City Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  40. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  41. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  42. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  43. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  44. 250 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  45. 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  46. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
  47. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  48. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  49. 1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  50. 50 ftSharp right, heading W.
  51. 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
  52. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  53. 100 ftBear right, heading W.
  54. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  55. 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
  56. 50 ftSharp right, heading W.
  57. 300 ftTurn left, heading W.
  58. 250 ftSharp right, heading W.
  59. 150 ftBear right, heading W.
  60. 350 ftTurn right, heading W.
  61. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  62. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  63. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  64. 300 ftBear left, heading SW.
  65. 0.2 miBear right, heading SW.
  66. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  67. 150 ftBear right, heading SW.
  68. 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  69. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  70. 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  71. 450 ftTurn left, heading W.
  72. 0.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
  73. 0.5 miTurn left, heading W.
  74. 0.2 miSharp right, heading W.
  75. 250 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/golf-course-pond-golf-course-pond-out-back-12-km-4641

Trail surface

5% dirt95% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 62°F50°
Precip13%Wind7 mphUV6Humidity70%
Rained 0.4″ 2 days ago · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
65°50°
Sunrise 6:38 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:49 PM
Wed 61°48°
Thu 65°44°
Fri 59°51° 45%
Sat 55°51° 54%
Sun 59°52° 50%
Mon 65°52° 17%

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Buckingham, Connecticut