Risley Reservoir & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park is a 4.9-mile out-and-back in John S. Risley Memorial Park near Vernon Center, CT. The route passes Valley Falls Park Beach before reaching Risley Reservoir at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It climbs 923 ft, with sections as steep as 17% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 43/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Risley Reservoir & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park
4.9 mi · ▲ 923 ft · 2 hr 6 min
Elevation 351–843 ft
Out & Back · John S. Risley Memorial Park
Trailhead: 41.82134, -72.44411
Weather Aug 4: Heavy showers, high 77°F / low 67° · precip 100% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 5:46 AM · sunset 8:07 PM
Dogs allowed on leash
- Start at the trailhead, heading S.
- 50 ftPass Valley Falls Park Beach.
- 300 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Hop River Linear Park, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 350 ftBear right, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miReach Risley Reservoir, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 200 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 150 ftBear left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.6 miSharp right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftArrive 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
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Rambling Ridge Open Space Viewpoint & Valley Falls Park Beach via Hop River Linear Park 3 mi · ▲ 477 ft
- Case Mountain–Bolton Notch Pond, 5 lakes 10.7 mi · ▲ 966 ft
- Bolton Notch Pond–Bolton Notch State Park Viewpoint, 5 lakes 14.9 mi · ▲ 1,350 ft
- Buckingham Reservoir–Bolton Notch Pond, 5 lakes 15.5 mi · ▲ 1,398 ft
- Nike Missile Site–Bolton Notch Pond, 6 lakes 16.1 mi · ▲ 1,429 ft
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