Westwoods Loop 8 – Dinosaur Rock

Distance: 2.5 miles

Duration: 75 minutes

Elevation Gain: 250 feet

Difficulty: A moderate hike with no real difficult areas.

Terrain: Combination of old woods roads and trails. Not suitable for trail running

General Description: A moderate hike in the woods taking you by some monuments of rock walls including Dunk’s Rock, the Massive Dinosaur Rock, and the Great Marsh Whale among others. This is a fun hike with kids as you discover these monoliths for yourselves.

Hiking Narrative:

  • The loop begins at the Upper Dunk Rock Road trail entrance. Park at the parking area adjacent to Bishop’s Raspberry fields and walk up the road to the cul-de-sac to begin your hike on the Blue Rectangle trail.
  • Begin on Blue Rectangle. This was once an old colonial road and the original Dunk Rock Road.
  • POI 1: Dunk’s Rock – Before he left for Saybrook in 1650, Thomas Dunk, considered a late settler of Guilford (arriving in 1645), “left his name to a rock in west woods” and reputed to be the big rock outcropping just northwest of the ‘upper’ trail entrance. You can see it to your right at the entrance gate.
    • Stay right on Blue Rectangle as Yellow Triangle veers left.
    • Stay right on Blue Rectangle as Green Circle veers left.
    • Stay left on Blue Rectangle as Green Triangle veers right.
    • After hiking .4 miles, make a right on the Orange Circle. The trail begins to climb a hill.
  • POI 2: Note the two Glacial Boulders perched on the hill-top next to the trail. Carried by the glacial flows during the last ice age, these boulders are immigrants from a distant land. How could you figure out where they came from?
    • Stay right on the Orange Circle as the Orange Square veers left.
    • Orange Circle turns sharply left and climbs a steep hill, then follows the crest of a ridge line.
    • The trail begins to drop.
  • POI 3: Orange Circle threads along the base of a Monumental Wall, the first of many you’ll encounter on this loop trail.
    • Stay left as the Orange Square veers right.
    • The Orange Circle crosses over a bridge.
    • Orange Circle crosses Green Rectangle trail.
  • Orange Circle passes through the POI 3: Massive Rock Formations. The trail zigzags left and right through a narrow corridor between these rocks. As you hike out of the rock corridor with the cliff side to your left, look at the fallen rock to your right. Look carefully at the features of the rock.
  • POI 4: Do you see the Dinosaur?
  • You will pass through a rock squeeze or chasm.
  • Continue on Orange Circle there will be POI 5: The Great Marsh on your right. Keep your eyes open for POI 6: The Great Marsh Whale Rock Formation to your left.
  • After hiking about 350 feet, take a left on Orange Square.
  • Orange Square comes to a T-crossing with Green Rectangle. Make a left and then a quick right to stay on Orange Square.
  • Take a left on Orange Circle. You are retracing your steps for a short while with an opportunity to again visit the Monumental Rock Wall.
  • Shortly after the end of the Wall, follow the Orange Square Trail as it veers right. (If you reach the bridge, you’ve missed the turn!)
  • Make a left on Blue Rectangle.
  • Follow Blue Rectangle back to the parking area.