AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Nehantic State Park Nayantaquit Trail Large Erratic Boulder.jpg
Morrowlong · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nehantic State Forest

Nickerson Hill & Pleasant Valley Preserve Beach via Keeny Road

5.3 mi · ▲ 606 ft · 2 hr 4 min

Nickerson Hill & Pleasant Valley Preserve Beach via Keeny Road is a 5.3-mile out-and-back in Nehantic State Forest near North Lyme, CT. The route passes Pleasant Valley Preserve Beach and Nickerson Hill. It climbs 606 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 65/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi69 – 440 ft · steepest grade: 18%5.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Keeny Road 41.39865, -72.30436
Nearest town North Lyme, CT
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Nickerson Hill & Pleasant Valley Preserve Beach via Keeny Road

5.3 mi · ▲ 606 ft · 2 hr 4 min

Elevation 71–439 ft

Out & Back · Nehantic State Forest

Trailhead: Keeny Road · 41.39865, -72.30436

Weather Aug 4: Overcast, high 79°F / low 63° · precip 0% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 5:48 AM · sunset 8:04 PM

  1. Start on Keeny Road, heading S.
  2. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  3. 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
  4. 0.4 miTurn right, heading NW.
  5. 0.8 miTurn right, heading W.
  6. 0.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  8. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  9. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  10. 0.2 miPass Pleasant Valley Preserve Beach.
  11. 50 ftReach Nickerson Hill, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  12. 0.8 miTurn right, heading SE.
  13. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  14. 0.1 miPass Nickerson Hill.
  15. 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
  16. 1.3 miBear left, heading E.
  17. 0.2 miSharp right, heading SW.
  18. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/nickerson-hill-moulsons-pond-out-back-9-km-d568

Trail surface

6% gravel94% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 79°F63°
Precip0%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity81%
Rained 4.2″ yesterday (5.5″ over the last week) · trails may be muddy
Hourly temperature
80°60°
Sunrise 5:48 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PM6 PMSunset 8:04 PM
Wed 78°63°
Thu 90°71°
Fri 93°72° 19%
Sat 91°70° 25%
Sun 92°69° 16%
Mon 95°71°

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.6 mi in (~52 min). Leave by 6:52 PM for the 8:04 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:05 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Other ways to reach this destination

Hikes near North Lyme, Connecticut