Messerschmidt Pond & Horse Pond
6.7 mi · ▲ 369 ft · 2 hr 25 min
Messerschmidt Pond & Horse Pond is a 6.7-mile out-and-back in Cockaponset State Forest near Lake View, CT. The route passes Horse Pond before reaching Messerschmidt Pond at the turnaround, 3.3 miles in. It climbs 369 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 12/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Messerschmidt Pond & Horse Pond
6.7 mi · ▲ 369 ft · 2 hr 25 min
Elevation 179–427 ft
Out & Back · Cockaponset State Forest
Trailhead: 41.37395, -72.50446
Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 6:53 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
- 500 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading SW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading SE.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.3 miPass Horse Pond.
- 400 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miReach Messerschmidt Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 200 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading N.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.6 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 500 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.2 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~25 min). Leave by 6:07 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:31 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Horse Hill Woods Open Space Viewpoint 9.7 mi · ▲ 513 ft
- Spuce Ledge Road 3.1 mi · ▲ 83 ft
- Star Lake & Dennison Pond 2.7 mi · ▲ 138 ft
- Parmelee Road via Spuce Ledge Road 4.6 mi · ▲ 252 ft
- Tower Hill Road via Spuce Ledge Road 7.4 mi · ▲ 422 ft
- Star Lake 2.2 mi · ▲ 81 ft
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