This FKT is for one-way and out-and-back running of the trail. I started at the North end. Southbound is probably the easier direction. The North end is about 100 feet higher than the South end, but there's a lot of both climbing and descent in between. I parked at the small parking lot on Hopewell Woods Rd for Collis P. Huntington State Park. It's a half mile jog, heading North from here on the park's blue-blazed trail to the trail head of the Aspetuck Valley Trail (also blue-blazed, but it's a different shade of blue.)
I started the watch at the large sign marking the trail head at 9:33:34 AM. The trail goes generally down hill for three quarters of a mile before crossing Hopewell Woods Road. Around one mile in, after starting a minor climb, there's a sharp right turn that's easy to miss momentarily. Going straight is a false trail leading to somewhat of a lookout point.
At 1.66 miles, the trail crosses Poverty Hollow Road. You turn left on the road, run over the bridge, and turn right into the woods at the end of the guard rail. There is a large parking lot and out-house here, off to the left, but you bypass them, turning right to go through a meadow.
At 3.52 miles, the trail exits the woods, crosses over Goodridge Road, passes by a log cabin with stained glass windows, and descends down a gravel / partially paved road: Foundry Road. This is the quickest part of the run. At 4.1 miles, the trail turns right on Stepney Road, passing by "Tonka Tree" (you'll know it when you see it!), and left on Poverty Hollow Road, which becomes gravel and is prohibited to motor vehicles on this section.
At 5.22 miles, the trail turns right onto single-track through the woods, next to the Aspetuck River. 5.77 miles in, the trail comes to Rock House Road, and continues on the road, Westbound a few hundred feet before turning into the woods again on the opposite side of the road. The final segment of the trail is a climb to 6.63 miles, from 311 ft elevation to 522 ft.
I reached the Southern trail head at Route 58 (Black Rock Turnpike) at 10:33:01 AM. I immediately turned around and re-traced my
steps to the North end of the trail, completing the trip at 11:35:58 AM. The return trip was harder, both because of tired legs and more climbing in the Northbound direction.
start (Northern end) 9:33:34 AM
middle (Southern end) 10:33:01 AM
finish (Northern end) 11:35:58 AM
Southbound: 0:59:27 ***one way FKT
Northbound: 1:02:57
out and back 2:02:24