Rock Around the Dundee Culver Pond Nature Preserve, Stafford September 2023 As a general rule of thumb, if you're driving to a trailhead on a dirt road in Connecticut, that trail is going to be worth your effort. I'll admit that Culver Pond challenged this "rule" that I just made up, but in the end, it held … [Read more...]
Skyline Scenic Area
Long Skyline Drive Skyline Scenic Area, Somers September 2023 I was pretty jazzed for this 1.5 mile loop hike up on the Massachusetts border in Somers. It promised a three-state view, some challenging granite scrambles, and Mystery Pits. That's right, Mystery Pits! I love a good Mystery Pit. I parked … [Read more...]
Somers’ Mystery Pits
A True Mystery Mystery Pits, Somers September 2023 I have my rules. As the sole writer and traveler for this website, I have my rules. My rules on what makes the cut to get a page on the site and what doesn't. The Mystery Pits of Somers make the cut. Even though the Mystery Pits of Somers are... non-existent? … [Read more...]
NCLT: Ernie Boothroyd Nature Preserve
Finding Balance Balanced Rock Trail, Ernie Boothroyd Preserve, Northern CT Land Trust Ellington After finding the trailhead here, out in the far eastern reaches of the Ellington panhandle, I was immediately struck by how nice the sign was. It's clearly quite new, but the creator used some great fonts and the … [Read more...]
NCLT: Wapping Bog
Do Wap Wapping Bog East Windsor Wapping Bog has no marked trails and it's not really a place anyone would ever want to explore to any extent but it's called "Wapping Bog" and there's a sign so here we are. On Wapping Road in East Windsor. It looks like a woodpecker had a Wapping good time wap-wap-wapping … [Read more...]
NCLT: Swann Farm
My Swann Song (For a Week or Two) Northern Connecticut Land Trust (NCLT): Swann Farm, Ellington 0.5 miles, March 2019 Normally, I would write up a half-mile hike, hit publish, link it at the appropriate places, not really tell anyone, and call it a day. But this half-mile hike, which is certainly not a hike I'd … [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...]
NCLT: A.K. Webster Preserve
That Soccer Field Still Gets Me... Northern CT Land Trust (NCLT): A.K. Webster Preserve, Vernon ~0.75 miles, May 2017 Ah yes, that soccer field. I noted it several years ago while poking around Valley Falls Park. I climbed high above the Hop River Rail Trail (which also hosts a mile or so of the Shenipsit Trail … [Read more...]
NCLT: Eckers Pond
What the Eckers? Northern CT Land Trust (NCLT): Eckers Pond, Vernon ~0.15 miles, May 2017 Do not read this page as a standalone page. Hiking the Northern Connecticut Land Trust’s Eckers Pond Trail without hiking the town of Vernon’s Center Middle School Trail is almost literally impossible. You can read that … [Read more...]
Talcott Ravine/Dobsonville Falls
Same Dam Falls Talcott Ravine Falls, Vernon May 2017 & June 2020 Sometime I disagree with Connecticut Waterfalls and its decision to exclude certain falls around the state. However, I agree with this one not making the final edit. Mostly because from what I can tell, it’s a fake falls. It’s merely a dam … [Read more...]