Pitch Pine at Pinnacle Rock 3.jpg
Ragesoss · CC BY-SA 4.0

Porcupine Hole–Rattlesnake Rock, 7 lakes is a 6.9-mile out-and-back in Hill-Stead Museum Grounds near Farmington, CT. The route passes Riddles Pond, Farmington Reservoir, Porcupine Hole and 3 more before reaching Metacomet Pond at the turnaround, 3.4 miles in. It climbs 1,078 ft, with sections as steep as 29% grade. It scores 2/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi312 – 758 ft · steepest grade: 29%8.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Woodland Trail 41.72355, -72.81720
Nearest town Farmington, CT

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Porcupine Hole–Rattlesnake Rock, 7 lakes

6.9 mi · ▲ 1,078 ft · 2 hr 50 min

Elevation 311–758 ft

Out & Back · Hill-Stead Museum Grounds

Trailhead: Woodland Trail · 41.72355, -72.81720

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:49 AM · sunset 8:07 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Woodland Trail, heading E.
  2. 50 ftPass Riddles Pond.
  3. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SE.
  4. 0.9 miPass Farmington Reservoir.
  5. 1.2 miPass Porcupine Hole.
  6. 250 ftPass Green Wall.
  7. 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
  8. 250 ftBear right, heading SE.
  9. 50 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  10. 150 ftPass Rattlesnake Rock.
  11. 50 ftPass Will Warren's Den.
  12. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  13. 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
  14. 50 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  15. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  16. 0.3 miPass Metacomet Pond.
  17. 350 ftBear right, heading SW.
  18. 300 ftBear right, heading S.
  19. 300 ftSharp left, heading S.
  20. 50 ftReach Porcupine Hole, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  22. 300 ftBear left, heading SW.
  23. 350 ftBear left, heading SW.
  24. 0.4 miTurn right, heading SW.
  25. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  26. 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  27. 0.2 miBear right, heading NE.
  28. 0.1 miSharp left, heading N.
  29. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  30. 200 ftBear right, heading N.
  31. 2.4 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

41% dirt1% boardwalk58% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:49 AMSunset 8:07 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.0 mi in (~29 min). Leave by 7:18 PM for the 8:07 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:47 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 Woodland Trail Trailhead