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CTMQ > Hikes, Bikes & Paddles > State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites

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State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites

Putnam Memorial State Park Intro

April 10, 2023 by Steve Leave a Comment

Putnam Memorial State Park Bethel & Redding Is it me or do all of the state parks out in this part of the state cross town lines? This one is half in Redding and half in Bethel. It was the site of the Continental Army's 1779 winter encampment under the command of General Israel Putnam. The site consists of remains … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Bethel, putnam memorial state park, Redding

West Rock Ridge State Park Intro

March 5, 2023 by Steve 1 Comment

West Rock Ridge State Park Hamden & New haven Is West Rock a monolith? I guess it's not geologically speaking, but let's say it colloquially is. West Rock Ridge rises from nearly sea-level sharply to 400-feet of elevation at the South Summit in New Haven to 700-feet of elevation at High Rock in Bethany on the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Hamden, New Haven, West Rock Ridge State Park

Nipmuck State Forest: Breakneck Pond Trails

November 18, 2022 by Steve 1 Comment

Al Breakyerneck Nipmuck State Forest Breakneck Pond Trails, Union & Woodstock June & October 2022 Finally. I'm finally finishing up my hikes (and write-ups) at the massive block of undeveloped land along the Massachusetts border in Union. Most people consider this whole area Bigelow Hollow State Park, but in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: bigelow hollow state park, nipmuck state forest, Union, Woodstock

Nipmuck State Forest: Bear Den/Paine Hill

November 17, 2022 by Steve Leave a Comment

Bearing Your Paine Nipmuck State Forest Bear Den/Paine Hill Block , Union Immabout to blow your mind. But first... wait. You're blowing my mind simply by the fact that you're on this page reading it. What brought you here? Why are you here? I regret to inform you that I don't really have much for you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: cycling, nipmuck state forest, Union

Bigelow Hollow State Park (West)

July 6, 2022 by Steve 1 Comment

Big and Low Bigelow Hollow State Park, Union November 2020 & June 2022 Bigelow Hollow is geographically a little weird. The state park itself is pretty small, but pretty much everyone who goes up to Union to enjoy the trails and lakes assumes it's just "the whole thing." It's not. "The whole thing" is mostly … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: bigelow hollow state park, Calvin, nipmuck state forest, Union

Nipmuck Trail: Section 4

June 28, 2022 by Steve 1 Comment

Section 4: The State of the Union Barlow Mill Road to MA State Line, ~7.5 Miles November 2020 & June 2022 This is a fairly rugged seven or so miles, but the kicker is that no matter who you are or how you hike it, you must hike several more miles to get back to a car. I suppose you could have a kayak left at the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: CFPA Hikes, Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: bigelow hollow state park, Blue Trails Challenge, Eastford, nipmuck state forest, Nipmuck Trail, Union, yale myers forest

Shenipsit State Forest Intro

February 14, 2022 by Steve Leave a Comment

Shenipsit State Forest Ellington, Somers, and Stafford Shenipsit State Forest began in 1927 with the purchase of land at the summit of Soapstone Mountain in Somers to erect a fire tower to keep a lookout over the forests of the eastern woodlands. Over time, additional acreage was purchased to form the sprawling … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Ellington, shenipsit state forest, Somers, Stafford

Mattatuck State Forest

January 21, 2022 by Steve Leave a Comment

Mattatuck State Forest Harwinton, Litchfield, Plymouth, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown What started as an over-timbered little 723 acres gifted to the state in 1926 has grown to 4,510 acres in 20 parcels across six towns. Most of what people are familiar with is in Thomaston, Waterbury, and Watertown though. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: mattatuck state forest, Plymouth, Thomaston, Waterbury, Watertown

Nassahegon State Forest Intro

January 13, 2022 by Steve Leave a Comment

Nassahegon State Forest Burlington I don't know how many of Connecticut's state forests are contained entirely in one town like the Nassahegon is. The forest was originally designated in 1926 to protect the watershed for the state fish hatchery, now called the Burlington Trout Hatchery. Today the forest is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bike Trails, Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Burlington, nassahegon state forest

Osborndale State Park

December 17, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Osborndale State Park Derby & Ansonia It's kind of amazing that a 350-acre state park even exists (almost entirely) within the teeny tiny city of Derby. The land was once the lushly forested hunting grounds of the Paugussett Indians of course, but its preservation as public land is directly tied to the two museums … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: derby

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