Cockaponset State Forest

Messerschmidt Pond–Tower Hill Lake, 3 lakes

6.7 mi · ▲ 342 ft · 2 hr 24 min

Messerschmidt Pond–Tower Hill Lake, 3 lakes is a 6.7-mile out-and-back in Cockaponset State Forest near Lake View, CT. The route passes Tower Hill Lake, Horse Pond and Messerschmidt Pond. It climbs 342 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi180 – 407 ft7.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Spuce Ledge Road 41.35929, -72.50603
Nearest town Lake View, CT

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Messerschmidt Pond–Tower Hill Lake, 3 lakes

6.7 mi · ▲ 342 ft · 2 hr 24 min

Elevation 179–407 ft

Out & Back · Cockaponset State Forest

Trailhead: Spuce Ledge Road · 41.35929, -72.50603

Weather Sep 20: Rain, high 64°F / low 57° · precip 85% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Spuce Ledge Road, heading N.
  2. 50 ftPass Tower Hill Lake.
  3. 0.4 miTurn left, heading S.
  4. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  5. 150 ftBear right, heading W.
  6. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  7. 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
  8. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
  9. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  10. 0.1 miSharp left, heading S.
  11. 0.1 miSharp right, heading E.
  12. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  13. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  14. 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
  15. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  16. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  17. 0.3 miPass Horse Pond.
  18. 250 ftBear left, heading E.
  19. 0.1 miReach Messerschmidt Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  20. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  21. 0.3 miSharp right, heading S.
  22. 0.5 miTurn right, heading SW.
  23. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  24. 0.4 miBear left, heading N.
  25. 0.2 miBear right, heading N.
  26. 0.2 miBear left, heading SW.
  27. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  28. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  29. 0.8 miTurn right, heading N.
  30. 0.1 miBear left, heading NW.
  31. 150 ftTurn left, heading W.
  32. 0.7 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

RainTemperature 64°F57°
Precip85%Wind5 mphUV1Humidity96%
Rained 0.7″ 7 days ago
Hourly temperatureRain chance
70°55° 12 AM: 1% rain1 AM: 10% rain2 AM: 1% rain3 AM: 1% rain4 AM: 9% rain5 AM: 1% rain6 AM: 1% rain7 AM: 3% rain8 AM: 2% rain9 AM: 9% rain10 AM: 40% rain11 AM: 69% rain12 PM: 71% rain1 PM: 85% rain2 PM: 72% rain3 PM: 54% rain4 PM: 57% rain5 PM: 49% rain6 PM: 30% rain7 PM: 26% rain8 PM: 24% rain9 PM: 24% rain10 PM: 32% rain11 PM: 27% rain
Sunrise 6:36 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM9 PMSunset 6:53 PM
Mon 67°59° 22%
Tue 59°49° 28%
Wed 66°48°
Thu 66°45° 15%
Fri 61°50° 38%
Sat 60°52° 38%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.5 mi in (~64 min). Leave by 5:28 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:15 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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