You McCann Do It! Northern Connecticut Land Trust: McCann Farm Nature Preserve, Somers August 2023 The McCann Farm Trails are contiguous with Whitaker Woods Trails... which are contiguous with the Field Forest Trails... which are contiguous with Shenipsit State Forest and Soapstone Mountain Trails... so I've … [Read more...]
Monticello in Somers
Thomas Jefferson Would Not Approve Monticello Replica, Somers Before we get going, let's get some background on Thomas Jefferson from Monticello.org. The real Monticello. While Jefferson was a firm theist, the God in which he believed was not the traditional Christian divinity. Jefferson rejected the notion … [Read more...]
Bald Mountain Preserve
Falling Into Winter Past an Old Spring in Somers Northern Connecticut Land Trust: Bald Mountain Preserve, Somers December 2023 Bald Mountain in Somers, the highest point in the town and the highest point along the Connecticut River Valley in the state, is worth your time. No, not because it's the highest point in … [Read more...]
Scantic Riparian Area
Scant Indeed Northern Connecticut Land Trust: Scantic Riparian Area, Somers December 2023 At some point I decided to "hike" everywhere that some entity told me had a trail to hike. That's fine. It's the "then write about them all" part I still question myself about. But here we are. Underneath a powerline on a … [Read more...]
Schlaf Farm
The Sun Also Rises in Somers Northern Connecticut Land Trust: Schlaf Farm, Somers December 2023 The winter sun had risen a mere two hours before. The pale yellow ball glowed low in the eastern sky, hinting at some possible warmth later in the day. The December fields of corn, their dead stalks chopped down to the … [Read more...]
Stevenson Woodlands
Skip It Northern Connecticut Land Trust: Stevenson Woodlands, Somers December 2023 In my thoroughness, I visit any property that purports to have a trail. Sometimes, they don't. Sometimes, they don't when I visit and then years later, they do. That might be the case here at the Stevenson Woodlands in Somers... I … [Read more...]
Somersville Mill Trail
Late Fall in Somers Somersville Mill Trail, Enfield & Somers November 2023 My wife has asked me on occasion if I remember every trail I hike for this website. For years, I'd confidently answer "yes." In fact, my hubris was so great that I would claim that I'd know on which trail any given picture was taken. … [Read more...]
Skyline Scenic Area
Long Skyline Drive Northern Connecticut Land Trust: Skyline Scenic Area Trails, Somers September 2023 I was pretty jazzed for this 1.5 mile loop hike up on the Massachusetts border in Somers. It promised a three-state view, some challenging granite scrambles, and Mystery Pits. That's right, Mystery Pits! … [Read more...]
Somers’ Mystery Pits
A True Mystery Mystery Pits, Somers September 2023 I have my rules. As the sole writer and traveler for this website, I have my rules. My rules on what makes the cut to get a page on the site and what doesn't. The Mystery Pits of Somers make the cut. Even though the Mystery Pits of Somers are... non-existent? … [Read more...]
Camp Aya-Po
Ay! Yo! Wine! Pow! Camp Aya-Po, Somers August 2023 There are four trails at Camp Aya-Po, which is no longer a camp. But it was a camp for a long time - and not even a scout camp, but a YWCA camp. Camp Aya-Po was founded in 1922 and opened in 1927, and closed after the summer of 2008. There was a period of … [Read more...]