Great Brook and Morgan Hill Loop

Start on the Great Brook Trail from Pingree Road trailhead and follow the path upstream alongside Great Brook. The route stays close to the water, passing cascades, mossy rocks, and wet sections where roots and stones demand careful footing. After traveling deeper into the drainage, reach the upper end of the brook corridor near the beaver-influenced wetlands around Devils Half Acre Pond, where the Dura Crockett Trail branches uphill. Turn onto the Dura Crockett Trail and climb steadily away from Great Brook, briefly following Dura Crockett Brook before the trail rises through hardwood forest. The grade remains consistent as the route gains higher ground and eventually reaches the Morgan Hill Trail system. From this junction, continue onto the Morgan Hill Loop Trail, climbing to the top of Morgan Hill for a brief sense of elevation and a change from the brookside terrain below. After cresting the hill, descend along the Morgan Hill Trail, which trends downhill through forest and leads back toward the Great Brook corridor. Follow this trail back to the original Great Brook Trail and return to the starting trailhead the way you came in. The combination of flowing water, steady climbing, and a modest summit makes this route one of the most well-rounded day hikes near New London.