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CTMQ > Great Views

Cedar Mountain and Balf Nature Preserve

January 26, 2023 by Steve Leave a Comment

Okay Balf Cedar Mountain and Balf Nature Preserve, Newington January 2023 If you happen to be a Newington resident and have read some of the other pages I've written about Newington trails, you're probably gritting your teeth preparing for another smarmy screed from me. I can hear you from here... "here we go, … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, New Post, Town Land Hikes Tagged With: Great Views, Hartford County, Newington

GLT: Katan-Ensor & Old Messenger Road Preserves

September 27, 2022 by Steve Leave a Comment

Beauty! History! Granby! Katan-Ensor & Old Messenger Road Preserves, Granby September 2022 I can't pretend to know how active every land trust in Connecticut is. I'm sure there are several protecting new parcels, clearing and blazing new trails as I write. But I swear, the "competition" between the Granby Land … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Land Trust Hikes, New Post Tagged With: Granby, Granby Land Trust, Great Views, Hartford County

Saugatuck Trail Intro

February 13, 2022 by Steve Leave a Comment

Saugatuck Trail Easton to Weston, ~12 miles December 2007 - I completed the Saugatuck Trail in 2007 in just a couple of hours. Then CFPA extended in in 2018 and linked it up with the newer Aspetuck Trail. So now I have to write this introduction page because now I have to hike the trail in two part. But at … [Read more...]

Filed Under: CFPA Hikes, Hikes, Bikes & Paddles Tagged With: Blue Trails Challenge, Easton, Great Views, Redding, saugatuck trail, Weston

Hogpen Hill Farms Sculpture Park

December 9, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Statistically Significant Woodbury (Google Maps location) October 17, 2015 Are you comfortable? Good. You have clicked on what is one of my most favorite places in all of Connecticut. Large outdoor sculpture parks are always high on my list, but Hogpen Hill has the added bonus of being created and owned by … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Museums, New Post Tagged With: Art, Calvin, Damian, Great Views, Hoang, Litchfield County, Outdoor Museums, Woodbury

Red Barn Farm Stand and Creamery

September 8, 2021 by Steve 1 Comment

Just Peachy Red Barn Farm Stand and Creamery, Mansfield September 2021 Mansfield is a lot more than UConn. And it's a lot bigger, I think, than many people realize. Away from the university, Mansfield is a very rural community, equally forested and farmed. When I went to school up there, I was on the cycling team … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food & Drink, Ice Cream, Cheese, & Chocolate Trails, New Post Tagged With: Calvin, CT Homemade Ice Cream Trail, Great Views, Mansfield, Tolland County

Smith Tree Farm Trails

August 31, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

I Give a Hoot About These Places Canton Land Conservation Trust, Canton & Barkhamsted August 2021 In case you were unaware, there are some hills in northwest Canton. One of the bigger hills is Ratlum Mountain. There are several hills just to the west of Ratlum: the one where Ski Sundown is located, and the two the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Land Trust Hikes, New Post Tagged With: Barkhamsted, Birds, Canton, Canton Land Conservation Trust, Great Views, Hartford County, Litchfield County

SRA: Hidden Valley Preserve

August 11, 2021 by Steve Leave a Comment

Yup, Another Pinnacle Steep Rock Association's Hidden Valley Preserve January 2013 The trails at Hidden Valley have changed since I first hiked them in 2013. Several were removed and others were improved. Also, the awesome new Thoreau Bridge was installed. I'll return to Hidden Valley someday. Yes, to check … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Land Trust Hikes, New Post Tagged With: Great Views, Litchfield County, Steep Rock Association, Washington

SLT: West Mountain Trails

July 29, 2021 by Steve 1 Comment

Total Masters West Mountain, 60 Westledge, & Cathles Trails, Simsbury Land Trust December 2020 Although I'm writing this page in 2021, it has a distinction that is important to... a few people. (I was going to write "absolutely no one" but then I remembered that way back when it was originally published, the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, Land Trust Hikes, New Post Tagged With: Calvin, Great Views, Hartford County, Hikes with my Boys, Simsbury, Simsbury Land Trust

Rockhouse Hill Sanctuary West

June 23, 2021 by Steve 1 Comment

Rockin' the House Rockhouse Hill Sanctuary West, Oxford November 2020 Over my many years of hiking and writing about many hundreds of trails in Connecticut, I've had a few bad takes on mountain bikers. My thinking on the topic has evolved over the years and I've come to respect and appreciate what the New England … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, New Post, Town Land Hikes Tagged With: Great Views, New Haven County, Oxford

Bolton Notch State Park Trails (South)

February 25, 2021 by Steve 2 Comments

Fudge 2020 Bolton Notch State Park Trails (South), Bolton October 2020 Li'l ol' Bolton Notch State Park. With its horrible access road and graffiti covered rock outcrops... is, dare I say, awesome? Yes, it's awesome. It is a hub for so many things! Two lengthy multi-use trails - one which is a state park that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Hikes, Bikes & Paddles, New Post, State Parks, Reserves, Preserves, Forests, NAPs, WMAs, & Campsites Tagged With: Bolton, bolton notch state park, Calvin, Great Views, Hikes with my Boys, Tolland County

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