Stillman-Danaher Preserve & Topsmead State Forest - Litchfield, CT

Date Hiked: Saturday, June 9, 2018
Estimated distance:  1.85 miles at Stillman-Danaher + 3.07 miles at Topsmead
Weather: 73°F, sunny
Resources: Litchfield Land Trust, DEEP Topsmead SF
Highlights of the trip:  gardens, wildflowers, birds
Progress toward NET Hike 50 Challenge: 10.5/50 miles completed

Nearly two months ago, my hiking partner and I headed over to Litchfield to check out two properties neither of us had been to before.  First, we hiked the trail at Litchfield Land Trust's Stillman-Danaher Preserve and then we drove less than two miles down the road to Topsmead State Forest.

The hike at S-D was fine, but there were no views, even from Pinnacle Rock.  I think perhaps this is a trail best done in the winter, where you might get a peek through the trees or other features may stand out (see Peter Marteka's article here).  One thing we did find of interest were some young trees that seem to have some kind of disease.  I'm not sure this would be noticeable in the winter without the leaves.  It only seemed to be happening on young trees.  The thin branches were all twisted and there was a mass of dead leaves with new smaller leaves growing above.  My pictures were terrible and I haven't identified the tree.  The Land Trust thought it may be a beech tree, but I am not sure.  I have searched the internet for something similar, but without success.  I may have to go back and take better pictures.

What is wrong with this tree?

Spider with large egg sac.

 Topsmead State Forest

At Topsmead, we parked and strolled up to the former summer home of Edith Morton Chase.  The "cottage" is beautiful and is surrounded by lovely gardens and fields.  There is also an area of cedar and yew that forms a bit of a cave that I am sure kids would really enjoy.

Neat little "cave" under the trees.

As we wandered around the house, we also saw that there were bobolinks at the edge of the field.  I first saw these birds last year at the Winchester Land Trust's Hurlburt Field.

Bobolink

From the cottage we went back toward the cars, but turned north past a field with wildflowers to end up at a little pond lined with yellow irises.

Leafy spurge.

Cow vetch.

We took the trail that went past the pond and looped around back to the road and then walked across the fields on the southern side of the property.  There were lots of wildflowers and more birds.  The birds were blue, but I couldn't get a good enough look to say whether they were blue birds or barn swallows.  I am sure a real birder could tell simply from watching their flight, but I can't.

Ragged robin.

Orange Hawkweed aka Devil's Paintbrush.

Path through the pines.

  
Topsmead State Forest is an absolutely stunning piece of property and well worth another visit.  There are picnic tables in various places, so I would recommend stopping and getting some sandwiches and enjoying a picnic.  I would think this would be an ideal place to snowshoe or cross country ski in the winter months.