Star Lake & Dennison Pond
12.2 mi · ▲ 802 ft · 4 hr 28 min
Star Lake & Dennison Pond is a 12.2-mile out-and-back in Cockaponset State Forest near Kelseytown, CT. The route passes Star Lake and Star Lake before reaching Dennison Pond at the turnaround, 6.1 miles in. It climbs 802 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 17/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Star Lake & Dennison Pond
12.2 mi · ▲ 802 ft · 4 hr 28 min
Elevation 37–427 ft
Out & Back · Cockaponset State Forest
Trailhead: 41.30801, -72.49935
Weather Aug 4: Heavy rain, high 78°F / low 69° · precip 90% · wind 5 mph · sunrise 5:49 AM · sunset 8:05 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.4 miSharp left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading NE.
- 350 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 1.1 miTurn left, heading N.
- 450 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.4 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.6 miPass Star Lake.
- 0.3 miPass Star Lake.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miPass Dennison Pond.
- 350 ftReach Star Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 0.9 miBear left, heading NW.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 350 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.8 miBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 400 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 0.1 miBear right, heading E.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading SE.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 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 surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 2.1 mi in (~57 min). Leave by 6:48 PM for the 8:05 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:12 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from this trailhead
- Horse Hill Woods Open Space Viewpoint 2.6 mi · ▲ 355 ft
- Messerschmidt Pond & Horse Pond 6.6 mi · ▲ 571 ft
- Spuce Ledge Road 9.9 mi · ▲ 684 ft
- Spuce Ledge Road 10 mi · ▲ 641 ft
- Tower Hill Road 10.3 mi · ▲ 709 ft
- Tower Hill Lake via Spuce Ledge Road 10.5 mi · ▲ 694 ft
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