New England Trail–Purple Trail, 3 sights
15.6 mi · ▲ 1,102 ft · 5 hr 45 min
New England Trail–Purple Trail, 3 sights is a 15.6-mile out-and-back in Cockaponset State Forest near Nut Plains, CT. It climbs 1,102 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 37/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
New England Trail–Purple Trail, 3 sights
15.6 mi · ▲ 1,102 ft · 5 hr 45 min
Elevation 100–549 ft
Out & Back · Cockaponset State Forest
Trailhead: Purple Trail · 41.34722, -72.67404
Weather Aug 5: Overcast, high 81°F / low 64° · precip 4% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 5:50 AM · sunset 8:05 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Purple Trail, heading SW.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto New England Trail, heading NW.
- 1.4 miBear left onto Hart Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Race Hill Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto New England Trail, heading SW.
- 0.7 miSharp left, heading N.
- 250 ftBear left, heading NE.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Goat Lot Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 0.6 miBear left onto New England Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Rockland Road, heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto New England Trail, heading W.
- 1.1 miTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Gracie, heading W.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto New England Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Crooked Hill Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto New England Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear right, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Whitney Road, heading NE.
- 0.1 miReach Purple Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 500 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.2 miBear left onto New England Trail, heading NE.
- 0.4 miBear right onto Crooked Hill Road, heading SW.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto New England Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Gracie, heading S.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto New England Trail, heading S.
- 0.8 miTurn right, heading SW.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
- 1.1 miContinue straight onto Rockland Road, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto New England Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Goat Lot Road, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto New England Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miBear right, heading S.
- 250 ftSharp left, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn left onto Race Hill Road, heading S.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Hart Road, heading SW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto New England Trail, heading SW.
- 1.4 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Purple Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 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 7.5 mi in (~202 min). Leave by 4:22 PM for the 8:05 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:29 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
Other ways to reach this destination
More from Purple Trail Trailhead
- Lower Guilford Lake–Upper Guilford Lake, 3 lakes 3.3 mi · ▲ 381 ft
- Gracie–New England Trail, 3 sights 13.7 mi · ▲ 912 ft
- Bridle Loop–Lone Pine Trail, 4 sights 15.3 mi · ▲ 1,143 ft
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