Bolton Notch State Park Bolton & Vernon It's funny when you realize after 14 years of writing this website and hiking all around the state that there's more to do at a state park you thought you'd entirely explored already. Such is the case here, at Bolton Notch. Now, granted, I like to find and write … [Read more...]
Four Franklin Fails
Lots of F's Devil's Den v.Franklin, Rachel's Hut, Giant's Grave, Cushman Farms Trail Franklin As I was wrapping up my "completion" of Franklin, I was determined to find a few things that had eluded me for years. Unfortunately, for different reasons, I failed finding all four. But since I'm not convinced that none … [Read more...]
Hopemead State Park
Hope for Bozrah Hopemead State Park, Bozrah/Montville March 2018 Poor Bozrah (again). The town I pick on more than any other got a postage stamp state park (60 acres) in 1955 and... a chunk of it is in Montville. Bozrah can’t even have a little undeveloped state park all … [Read more...]
Phillips Cave
I Wonder What Phillip Phillips Is Up To Phillips Cave, Bethel September 16, 2017 Phillips Cave is (of course) not a real cave and has nothing to do with the King Philip’s War from which, strangely, many cave-like things are named. No, this hollow in a cliffside in Bethel sits prominently in the Putnam … [Read more...]
TSTL’17.14: Putnam Memorial State Park
The Sky's the Limit 2017 Hiking Challenge #14 Putnam Memorial State Park, Redding/Bethel September 16, 2017 Do you want to know something crazy? With this, our 14th and final Sky’s the Limit Challenge hike of 2017, Damian and I have now gone to ALL 42 TSTL challenge points over the last few years. Every. … [Read more...]
Baker’s Cave
"D'Oh! Another Fake Cave” Baker's Cave, East Lyme August 16, 2016 Tuesday in August, no camp/school/activities for the boys. What to do, what to do... I didn't really know as I buckled them into the car and headed south. The forecast called for rain, and lots of it. So I thought we'd go to Rocky Neck … [Read more...]
Leatherman’s Cave (v.Park Road)
"'Leathahman' Slept in Here, WHAT?!” Leatherman's Cave v.Park Road, Watertown December 13, 2014 [This page is part of my ongoing series, “Hikes with my Boys.” The full list of those hikes can be found here.] Note: This page will not spend too much time getting into the whole Leatherman thing. That was done … [Read more...]
Indian Council Caves
No Indians and Not Caves Indian Council Caves, Barkhamsted October 20, 2013 I’m not going to get into our fine state’s habit of naming boulder jumbles and overhanging cliffs “caves.” It’s what we do and what we’ve always done and we’re gonna keep doing it, goshdarnit. So with that, no, these caves are not caves. … [Read more...]
Tunxis Mainline Trail: Section 5
Section 5: Getting Into the Hartland Barkhamsted/Hartland, 13.1 miles, with my dad October 20, 2013 My pops is no spring chicken, but he’s a rather fit septuagenarian. So he was pretty pumped for this 13 mile (or so) jaunt through the wilds of north central Connecticut. Granted, my dad lives in Delaware and has no … [Read more...]
Devil’s Dens: Plainfield & Sterling
Plainfield: Note: This page appears over on my Satan in Connecticut! section, so it takes on a different flavor. As if the whole Hell Hollow story wasn't enough (Here), I set out for the same evil area a month later in order to pick up some miles on the local CFPA Trails (Pachaug and Quinebaug) as noted just … [Read more...]