Cold Creek Brewery & Tavern Ellington Multiple 2015-2019 visits Cold Creek called it quits in June 2021, noting it had nothing to do with the pandemic. Many are still scratching their heads why they shut down the brewery and were in fact contracting out of Powder Hollow in Enfield for the year before … [Read more...]
Metcalf Nature Preserve
I Met a Calf Metcalf Nature Preserve, Ellington ~0.75 miles, March 2019 Regarding my title above, I didn't actually meet a calf on this hike. But since it's in Ellington, you believed me, didn't you? Of course you did. Ellington is one of Connecticut's fastest growing towns which means there are new houses … [Read more...]
NCLT: Sunset Hill Trail
A Good Lesson on Winter Sun Angles Northern CT Land Trust (NCLT): Sunset Hill Trail, Ellington ~0.5 miles, March 2019 It has been another long winter here in Connecticut... not so much because of excessive snow or cold, but because my son Calvin is seven and has a very full social calendar. Fuller than mine has … [Read more...]
The Ellington Panhandle
Just a Quirk of Geography Ellington There are two towns in Connecticut that border eight other Connecticut towns where land touches land: Washington and Ellington. Another town that borders eight is Shelton, though several of its border towns are across the Housatonic River. The king of Connecticut town border … [Read more...]
Hockanum River Trail 22: Franklin Street
Goose Steppin' Hockanum River Trail: Franklin Street Trail, Vernon & Ellington ~.75 mile one way, March 2019 If you are reading these Hockanum River Trails south to north you have already read... there's no single way to hike the Ellington trails, so I have no idea where you've come from. But you can go back to … [Read more...]
CTMQ’s Guide to Ellington
Everything Ellington 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” Ellington CTMQ-style... as well as the other 168 towns, cities, and boroughs in Connecticut. That is the ultimate goal of CTMQ. If … [Read more...]
Ellington’s Town Trails
Ellington's Town Trails It's cool that the town of Ellington has seen to it to have some trails for humans to hike. There is always concern in town that the cows take precedence over people. And while there are tons of cow trails around Ellington, there are also plenty of people trails too. Yes, this is the … [Read more...]
Hockanum River Trail 21: West Road Trail
Good Ol' Smellington Hockanum River Trail: West Road Trail, Ellington ~1 mile one way, March 2018 If you are reading these Hockanum River Trails south to north, you have already read the Dart Hill North page. If you haven’t, it’s a fun one and you should. Better yet, start at the beginning with the HRT … [Read more...]
Shenipsit State Forest Trails
Just Stick to the S'nip Shenipsit State ForestTrails, Ellington, Somers & Stafford December 2016 & December 2023 Much has changed up here since my first visits, but I'll try to retrofit this page to some degree. If you are looking for the Bald Mountain Preserve and Pinnacle Loop Trail in Somers, go here. The rest … [Read more...]
Hockanum River Trail Intro
Hockanum River Watershed Association Hockanum River Trail East Hartford, Manchester, Vernon, Ellington HOCKANUM: From the Native American word "Hocquaun", meaning a hook-shaped or crooked river. I love the Hockanum Trail. There are no mountains or even hills. There are barely any rocks. The trail takes hikers … [Read more...]