There’s a Chimney Here Too!
Suffield Land Conservancy (SLC): Hugh M. Alcorn and Howard Wells Alcorn Wildlife Preserve
~.5 Mile, December 2017
When I began looking into where to hike in Suffield and came upon the Suffield Land Conservancy’s website, I knew I was in for some difficulty. The SLC owns a ton of little parcels and they provide decent directions to them… but there are no maps. And, I’ve learned, they often mention trails that may or may not exist.
I can now report what exists (for my selfish CTMTQ purposes) and what does not. The Alcorn Preserves certainly exist! And there’s even a blazed and maintained little loop trail through Howard’s.
This parcel is right across Mountain Road (Route 168) and yes, chimney fans, it holds another old chimney. (The Spencer Woods Wildlife Preserve across Mountain Road also has a chimney, about half a mile away!)
This parcel also has a lovely sign. And a plaque! Two, actually!
At the trailhead, I suspect 99% of hikers follow the blue Metacomet Trail north towards the Massachusetts border. And this is a fairly exciting stretch of trail, as it was a roadwalk to the border for YEARS until recently (2016 or so).
For those of us adventurous (read: Weird) types, there’s also the white blazed loop trail of the Suffield Land Conservancy. It is short. It is unexciting.
Unless… unless you love old chimneys.
There’s even a sign pointing the way to the chimney, which connects the “back” of the loop to the Metacomet.
Which took me back to my car through, I believe the Hugh M. Alcorn Preserve.
Further up the Metacomet, one can access the Root-Colson and Prekop Properties of the SLC which, I believe, don’t really contain anything, let alone another awesome chimney. There may be an access trail from the Metacomet to Mountain Road, but really, no one needs to bother with that.
Suffield Land Conservancy
CTMQ’s Suffield Conservation Commission Trails Main Page
A comment and a grave concern: The trail from the top of the hill past the chimney is gradually being destroyed by ATVs accessing the trail from a trail coming from the east. Their wheels are creating deep ruts and digging up and moving large rocks on the trail. The signs warning vehicles off the trail are rusted, unreadable and even facing in the wrong directionj.
I suggest creating new emphatic signs at various locations. I would also like to suggest that when a large tree falls across the trail, we leave it where it falls and NOT put a chain saw to it. I’m sure hikers would not mind walking around are over what is natural occurence especially if it helps save the trail from people who produce noise and destruction in such a beautiful area.
Yes, I agree, it is also troubling to me. I maintain the trail and have started to leave the trees across the trail if it can be walked over. I’ve once spoken to the kids when I’ve been there and seen them riding the quads and motorcycles on the trail but being young teenagers, I think it fell on deaf ears. Now that the trail is a national trail ( The New England Trail), motorized vehicles are specifically not allowed.