AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Horse Hill Woods Open Space

Messerschmidt Pond & Horse Pond

6.6 mi · ▲ 571 ft · 2 hr 29 min

Messerschmidt Pond & Horse Pond is a 6.6-mile out-and-back in Horse Hill Woods Open Space near Kelseytown, CT. The route passes Horse Pond before reaching Messerschmidt Pond at the turnaround, 3.3 miles in. It climbs 571 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 14/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi36 – 312 ft7.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 41.30801, -72.49935
Nearest town Kelseytown, CT
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Messerschmidt Pond & Horse Pond

6.6 mi · ▲ 571 ft · 2 hr 29 min

Elevation 37–311 ft

Out & Back · Horse Hill Woods Open Space

Trailhead: 41.30801, -72.49935

Weather Sep 20: sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 6:53 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
  4. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  5. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  7. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
  8. 500 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  9. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  10. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  11. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  12. 0.9 miTurn right, heading N.
  13. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  14. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  15. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  16. 0.1 miTurn left, heading NE.
  17. 0.2 miSharp right, heading N.
  18. 0.3 miPass Horse Pond.
  19. 300 ftBear left, heading E.
  20. 0.1 miReach Messerschmidt Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
  22. 0.3 miSharp left, heading NW.
  23. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  24. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  25. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  26. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  27. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  28. 0.9 miBear right, heading S.
  29. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  30. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  31. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  32. 500 ftTurn right, heading S.
  33. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
  34. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  35. 0.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
  36. 350 ftBear left, heading E.
  37. 0.1 miTurn right, heading S.
  38. 0.3 miArrive 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/messerschmidt-pond-horse-pond-out-back-3-lakes-11-km

Trail surface

63% dirt37% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:36 AMSunset 6:53 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~60 min). Leave by 5:32 PM for the 6:53 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:01 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Kelseytown, Connecticut