Farmington River Trail in November, Simsbury CT.jpg
John Phelan · CC BY 4.0

Ensign Bickford Pond–Smiths Pond, 4 lakes is a 6-mile out-and-back in Stratton Brook State Park near Pine Hill, CT. The route passes Smiths Pond, Ensign Bickford Pond and Stratton Brook State Park Beach. It climbs 268 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi154 – 295 ft6.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Farmington Canal Heritage Trail 41.85013, -72.81214
Nearest town Pine Hill, CT · Official trailhead info (portal.ct.gov)

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Ensign Bickford Pond–Smiths Pond, 4 lakes

6 mi · ▲ 268 ft · 2 hr 8 min

Elevation 155–296 ft

Out & Back · Stratton Brook State Park

Trailhead: Farmington Canal Heritage Trail · 41.85013, -72.81214

Weather Aug 4: sunrise 5:49 AM · sunset 8:08 PM

Transit-accessible: Winslow Place stop 84 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 50 ftPass Smiths Pond.
  3. 50 ftBear right onto Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, heading N.
  4. 500 ftBear left, heading N.
  5. 1.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftTurn left onto Farmington River Trail, heading NE.
  7. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  8. 0.5 miPass Ensign Bickford Pond.
  9. 0.3 miBear right, heading W.
  10. 0.4 miPass Stratton Brook State Park Beach.
  11. 400 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  12. 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
  13. 450 ftBear right, heading SW.
  14. 500 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  15. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  16. 0.1 miReach Ensign Bickford Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  17. 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
  18. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  19. 500 ftBear left, heading S.
  20. 450 ftBear right, heading N.
  21. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  22. 0.5 miBear left, heading NE.
  23. 0.7 miBear left, heading E.
  24. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  25. 50 ftTurn right onto Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, heading E.
  26. 1.4 miBear left, heading S.
  27. 0.1 miBear left, heading S.
  28. 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

70% paved16% dirt14% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 5:49 AMSunset 8:08 PM

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Winslow Place stop 84 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Farmington Canal Heritage Trail Trailhead