A Flipping Success Middlesex Land Trust's Brainerd Quarry Preserve, Haddam October 2024 This is the 3,254th page I've published on CTMQ and I believe it's the very first time I've done a specific thing. I've stolen a punny title from someone else. In this case, something called the Connecticut River Gateway … [Read more...]
Dividend Pond
A Trail Divided Dividend Pond Trails, Rocky Hill December 2023 The official name of this place is Dividend Pond State Archaeological Preserve. There's a pretty nice waterfall, several decent trails, and a mildly fascinating geologic wonder. Man, Rocky Hill with its geologic wonders... here, Dinosaur State Park, … [Read more...]
Glacial Lake Hitchcock Sediment Dam
Hike Here at a Glacial Pace Glacial Lake Hitchcock Sediment Dam, Rocky Hill December 2023 I would guess that Rocky Hill is the most "forgotten" town in the Greater Harford area. It's small and I just never hear about it. Which is a shame, because of course everyone knows about Dinosaur State Park which is … [Read more...]
Bolton Notch State Park Trail (North)
Cuban Tulips Tulip Tree Trail, Bolton Notch State Park, Vernon December 2023 Despite the fact that the opening paragraph will confuse you, this trail is totally worth the effort to find and hike. It is not hard to find, but you have to make a little effort. The Tulip Tree Trail is a loop through the Northern … [Read more...]
NHL: Portland Brownstone Quarries
CT National Historic Landmark Portland Brownstone Quarries Portland Many of us Connecticut residents who hit the museum circuit have heard apocryphal stories about Portland brownstone being pretty much the most important building material of the 19th century. Or something like that. While that's not remotely true, … [Read more...]
RWA: Lake Hammonasset
Mad Killing It, Yo Lake Hammonasset, Madison & Killingworth January 2021 All Regional Water Authority (RWA) properties require a purchased permit to access. As with many of these Regional Water Authority properties, there's a white-blazed forest road that circumnavigates a reservoir. Which is perhaps the most … [Read more...]
Kettle Hole Trail
HOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLE! Kettle Hole Trail, Ledyard January 2016 When my son Damian was younger, one of his favorite words to say was "hole." Now, Damian didn't develop any speech until around five or six years old, and wasn't able to clearly communicate until maybe seven or eight. But "hole" was one of his first … [Read more...]
Chapman Falls
Devilishly Handsome Chapman Falls, East Haddam I am all-too aware that my pictures of Chapman Falls are some of the weakest on the internet. I know that hundreds of people visit Devil's Hopyard State Park every day and take better pictures of these falls. I've been to the state park, one of the more popular … [Read more...]
Bailey’s Ravine Falls
AYYYYYYYYYYYYYY(ers) Bailey's Ravine/Ayers Gap Falls, Franklin September 2018 There are, quite literally, still thousands of things for me to do in Connecticut. Many of those things are not exciting. Many are. Very few land on the mythical list of “stuff Steve thinks Steve really should have seen by now.” This is … [Read more...]
Mile of Ledges
Miles of Smiles Mile of Ledges, Burlington September 29, 2018 It is quite rare for me to revisit something for this site. With so much still to do, it simply doesn’t make logistical sense to spend an afternoon retracing steps or re-experiencing a museum. But sometimes it’s the right and best thing to do. Such was … [Read more...]