Tol'ja Freja Park, Bolton September 2020 Freja Park is a really neat place to visit these days. Sure, it can be a jumping off point for any number of hikes or bike rides along a couple different bike paths. You can even take "secret" trails to some really cool spots that many are unfamiliar with as you head north … [Read more...]
BLT: Lombardi Ridge Preserve & Bobcat Woods
Not a Rest Stop Lombardi Ridge Preserve & Bobcat Woods, Bolton April 2020 Anyone who drives the NJ Turnpike is familiar with the Vince Lombardi Rest Stop. It's the one with views of Manhattan across the Hudson River. It's huge. And it's necessarily ugly. The Lombardi Ridge Preserve in Bolton is a very, very … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail: Section 1
Let's Get Hoppin' Colonial Road to Bolton Notch State Park, 6.9 Miles Manchester, Vernon, Bolton, June 2020 Alright, let's get going with this thing. 20.2 miles of graded stone dust trail from the center of Manchester east to the Airline Trail in Windham. (I suppose I should mention that means Calvin and I will … [Read more...]
BLT: Edith Toomey Clark Property
EDITH! Edith Toomey Clark Property, Bolton April 2020 I would confidently state that no one hikes this property without hiking the Rose Trail at the historic Bolton Heritage Farm. There is another way to access the trails here, but that would mean walking along the Hop River State Park Trail, which, now that I … [Read more...]
Johnson Pond Falls
My Bolton Tell-All Johnson Pond Falls, Bolton April 2020 Alright, look. These falls don't appear in any guidebook, nor on any list. They don't even have a name - I made up "Johnson Pond Falls." But since I'm divulging everything I know about the town, this is my Bolton tell-all. They tumble from Johnson Pond at … [Read more...]
Hop River State Park Trail: Section 3
Another Notch in Our Belts Bolton Notch State Park to Parker Bridge Road, 8.5 Miles Bolton, Coventry, & Andover, May 2020 As Calvin and I rode the first mile or so of this section of the Hop River State Park Trail, I pondered aloud, "This may be one of the coolest stretches of Rails-to-Trails in all of … [Read more...]
Bates Nature Trail at Herrick Park
Mastering Bates Herrick Park, Bolton April 2020 I keep an ongoing list of CTMQ stuff for each town that none of you can see. On Bolton's list, I had something like, "a trail at Herrick park." Then when I put the Bolton Town Guide together, I searched the internet high and low for confirmation that there was a … [Read more...]
BLT: Blackledge Marsh
Cul-de-Quick Blackledge Marsh, Bolton April 2020 When I decide to "attack" a town's trail system, I make a little game out of it. Look at the list of trails, sort out where they are and how many I can do in one trip, and make a plan. However, when I have Calvin with me, I must change things on the fly. … [Read more...]
BLT: Castlerock Lane
Man in a High Castle Castlerock Lane, Bolton April 2020 There are expensive homes in pretty much every town in Connecticut. I've seen many. I think everyone assumes this to be true, but I also think there are large swaths who would be surprised to know that there are sprawling massive houses in southern Bolton … [Read more...]
CTMQ’s Guide to Bolton
Everything Bolton I’ve been exploring and writing about Connecticut since 2006. After a decade, I began compiling CTMQ guides for each town in the state. I plan on “completing” Bolton CTMQ-style... as well as the other 168 towns, cities, and boroughs in Connecticut. That is the ultimate goal of CTMQ. If I’ve … [Read more...]