Metacomet Trail - Tariffville, CT

Date Hiked: Saturday, January 12, 2019
Estimated distance:  2.6 miles
Weather: 22°F, partly cloudy
Resources: OpenStreetMap, New England Trail- CT Section 18
Highlights of the trip:  fun group of people, nice views



This hike was arranged by the Simsbury Land Trust.   We had a good group of people, maybe as many as 20, though I didn't do a head count.  We parked on Church Street Extension in Tariffville and took the Metacomet Trail up Laurel Hill and past the ruins of the Bartlett Tower.  We followed the Metacomet Trail to the cell tower and looped back to the starting point passing a couple of power line cuts.  There is current work going on as they replace the wooden poles with metal ones.

Bartlett tower.

According to our leader, Bartlett Tower used to have a dance hall.  This article at Connecticut Explored gives a more detailed description.

My artsy view of Bartlett Tower.

Looking west.

These type of chimney's dot the Metacomet.

View of the Barndoor Hills in Granby.

2017 Hike #27: Peoples State Forest - Barkhamsted, CT

Date Hiked: Saturday, July 22, 2017
Estimated distance:  4.66 miles
Weather: 82°F, cloudy, humid
Resources: American Legion and Peoples State Forest, Trail Map
Highlights of the trip:  view
Progress toward 2017 Outdoor Goals:  27/52 hikes; 91.28/250 miles hiked

I joined the Simsbury Land Trust for a hike at Peoples State Forest.  We met at a pull-off on East River Road that had enough room for about 8-10 cars and was across from the Falls Cut Off and Jessie Gerard Trails.  It had been hot and humid during the week, but it was cloudy this morning which gave us a little reprieve.

We started our hike with the toughest part first (thank goodness).  We climbed the Falls Cut Off Trail and then headed north toward the lookouts.

Some tree clearing has been done and, at the first overlook, you can get a nice view of the West Branch of the Farmington River.  The second overlook that looks toward the town of Riverton has become a little more obscured.

After the overlooks we headed along the Jessie Gerard Trail, past the Veeder Boulders to Greenwoods Road.  We went through the Big Spring Area, crossed Beaver Brook Road and continued on the Charles Pack Trail.  We completed our loop by going west on the Agnes Bowen Trail to the Robert Ross Trail and then back down to our cars using the Jessie Gerard Trail.

A month has now passed since I took this hike and I realize I should have taken notes.  There was one woman in our group who was very knowledgeable about mushrooms.  We saw a lot of different varieties, but the coral fungus above is the only picture I took.

We also came across a foundation along one of the trails.  I can't remember the story behind it though!

Beaver Brook

Ledges near where we turned to go down Jessie Gerard Trail to our cars.

On our way down the Jessie Gerard Trail, we made a brief stop to see the Manitou Stones which mark an old cemetery.  This was near the Lighthouse Trail where there are some exhibits related to the old village that was here.  At this point many of us were pretty beat, and it had gotten fairly humid, so we skipped this short side trail.

Another great hike with the SLT.

2017 Hike #18: Tulmeadow Farm to Ethel Walker Woods - Simsbury, CT

Date Hiked: Saturday, May 20, 2017
Estimated distance:  5.84 miles
Weather: 60°F, partly cloudy
Resources: Simsbury Land Trust, Tulmeadow Farm Trail Map, Ethel Walker Woods Trail Map
Highlights of the trip:  hiking with a nice group
Progress toward 2017 Outdoor Goals:  18/52 hikes; 61.78/250 miles hiked

I am way behind in my posting, so I'll keep words to a minimum.

My hiking partner and I joined Simsbury Land Trust for their May Hiking Club Hike at Tulmeadow Farm.  We hiked through Tulmeadow and its woodlot, over to Town Forest Road, and into Ethel Walker Woods.  We had a good hike with a nice group of people.  I look forward to hiking with them again in the future.

Tulmeadow Farm

I love this tree as you enter the Ethel Walker property.

Some kind of azalea.

Lady's-slipper.

I'm thinking Hemlock varnish shelf.

Fringed polygala (Gaywings), I also heard someone refer to them as Bird-on-the-wing.

Town Forest Park

Tulmeadow woodlot.

Looking across Tulmeadow Farm to West Mountain Highlands.

2017 Hike #14: Northwest Park - Windsor, CT

Date Hiked: Saturday, April 22, 2017
Estimated distance:  4.5 miles
Weather: 48°F, light rain
Resources: Northwest Park, Trail Map
Highlights of the trip:  hiking with a nice group
Progress toward 2017 Outdoor Goals:  14/52 hikes; 44.72/250 miles hiked

Northwest Park Trail Map

One of my Outdoor Goals for this year was to participate in a group hike.  I had hoped to join the folks of the Simsbury Land Trust last month for their hike at Ethel Walker Woods, but high winds prevented us from hiking that day.  Today's hike at Northwest Park was looking a little questionable because of rain, but I drove over and the group was waiting in the parking lot.

It rained on and off during our hike, but it was a light rain.  The hike took us along Rainbow Reservoir, first on the yellow Wetland Forest Trail and then on the pink Rainbow Reservoir Trail.  We headed back along the green Woody Succession Trail, and the orange Softwood Forest Trail, before connecting again with the other side of the Wetland Forest Trail.

Green frog

Tree in bud near Rainbow Reservoir.

Along the Woody Succession Trail

Softwood Forest Trail

Bog along Wetland Forest Trail

This was a very enjoyable hike with a nice group of people.  I hope to be able to make some of their other hikes.