Upper Case Pond–Gay City Pond, 3 lakes is a 9.7-mile out-and-back in Buckingham Reservoir Watershed near Highland Park, CT. The route passes Upper Case Pond, Gay City State Park Beach and Gay City Pond before reaching Gay City State Park Beach at the turnaround, 4.7 miles in. It climbs 1,529 ft. It scores 49/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
0 mi449 – 860 ft12.3 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 41.76690, -72.48043
Nearest town Highland Park, CT
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Upper Case Pond–Gay City Pond, 3 lakes
9.7 mi · ▲ 1,529 ft · 4 hr
Elevation 448–860 ft
Out & Back · Buckingham Reservoir Watershed
Trailhead: 41.76690, -72.48043
Weather Sep 22: sunrise 6:37 AM · sunset 6:51 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading W.
- 450 ftPass Upper Case Pond.
- 100 ftBear left onto Carriage Path, heading S.
- 0.4 miSharp right, heading S.
- 500 ftBear left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 400 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear right, heading SE.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.5 miBear left onto Coop Road, heading W.
- 50 ftBear right, heading W.
- 1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 100 ftBear right, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 50 ftBear left, heading S.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 100 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 0.8 miPass Gay City State Park Beach.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miPass Gay City Pond.
- 50 ftPass Gay City State Park Beach.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 250 ftBear right, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
- 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 100 ftReach Upper Case Pond, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 100 ftBear right, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
- 1 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
- 100 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 150 ftBear right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading W.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading W.
- 1 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.5 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp right, heading NE.
- 250 ftBear left, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
- 400 ftTurn right onto Carriage Path, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading NW.
- 0.5 miBear right, heading NW.
- 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
52% dirt7% gravel41% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:37 AMSunset 6:51 PM
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
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