A Walk Across the Giant

4.7 mile trail, with a ¾ mile alternate trail to make loop hikes possible. The Chatfield Trail runs between Route 80 and River Road in Killingworth, just south of Chatfield Hollow State Park .  The north section of the trail travels through Foster Pond State Park , an undeveloped section of the Cockaponset State Forest .  The southern section skirts state land and wanders through some privately owned property. I couldn't find good maps on line, so here's one more good reason to go out and buy the Connecticut Walk Books .  Chatfield Trail is in the East book. The north trailhead, with parking for about eight cars, is ¼ mile west of the state park on Route 80.  And old forest road starts you off from the parking area.  There’s also a new trailhead right across the street from the Chatfield Hollow entrance – it joins up with the main trail about a ¼ mile in.

Colchester CT 6.7 mile loop trail through the Salmon River State Forest and the Day Pond Brook State Park .      Trail Map                   Salmon River State Forest              Day Pond State Park The Salmon River Trail starts with a stroll across one of the last active covered bridges in Connecticut , the Comstock Bridge .  This photo is from a great site that chronicles the covered bridges in the state.  The bridge was built in the 1870’s for horse and buggy, and then pedestrian, traffic.  But here’s the state of the bridge today.  It was starting to sag and fail, and the great news is that instead of being replaced with a modern bridge, it’s being restored with much of the original material and design.  Expected completion next June.  You can catch up on the details here . 

For all the research I do about the park or forest I'm hiking, sometimes there's a welcome surprise or two. While I finish cleaning up the photos, here are a few shots of the day. For any of Carmi's friends visiting from Written, Inc - black and white with a twist. Come back in a few days and I'll take you on a wander around the Salmon River and Day Pond Brook. It's too nice to stay inside.  Besides, I don't know any of the symphonies for two hands and a paw. Hunters forewarned - I AM NOT A DEER Even black and white, I love the falls!

American Legion State Forest – the trails that  CCC built Park Web Site                                    Trail Map The American Legion State Forest is on the west bank of the west branch of the Farmington River in Barkhamsted , CT.   It’s a beautiful area, great for camping, fishing, canoeing along the river, with two short blue-blazed trails: the Henry Buck Trail , and the Turkey Vulture Ledge Trail.  I was at Bradley Airport early Thursday morning, about 20 minutes away, so picked these for a quick hike.

Gather round, my fainthearted friends.  It's a Halloween tale of ghosts and ghouls and the Mad Mare of Hamden's Hills.  She was a monster, black as night, standing 16 hands high.  Bred of Mustang and Shire Horse, she was wild and ill-tempered. But when the moon rises on All Hallow's Eve, something evil awakens in her very soul.  Nostrils flared, searching the air; the red tint of her crazed eyes glowing like fire in the moonlight. With a chilling whinny, an ear splitting neigh, she goes mad on Halloween night, terrorizing any who are fool enough to cross her hill... hmmhmmwah ha ha...

Heartbreak Hill I'm working toward the Four Seasons Giant Master - hiking all 30 miles of trails at Sleeping Giant State Park once each season.  Spring and Summer are done, and since we're almost halfway through Fall with weekends getting busy, I packed the trek into two days.  No stories, no camera, no photos - just plugging along, getting the miles done. It's either training for a Giant Marathon (everything in one day) or justification for taking it slow and enjoying the trails.  Give me a couple of days to decide! OK, one photo with my phone snuck through:  my version of Heartbreak Hill above - looking up the trail to the ascent of Giant's Head halfway through day 2, and wondering if my rubbery legs will get me there - go Gumby go.

or at least Connecticut' s little piece of it. Bear Mountain, Mt. Frissell , Brace Mountain loop Bear Mountain - as seen from the west on Mt Frissell Bear Mountain , in the northwest corner of Connecticut , is the state’s highest summit.  But not the state highpoint.  That honor belongs to a little section of the south face of Mount Frissell .  This New Haven Hiking Club hike took us up and over Bear and Round Mountains , and then up Frissell in Massachusetts , over to the Taconic Ridge and Brace Mountain in New York .  Three states, one state highpoint, four mountain summits and a great hike; about 12 miles on a beautiful autumn Sunday. We started from the Route 41 parking lot and trailhead, about three miles north of Salisbury , CT on the blue blazed Undermountain Trail.  This is a popular spot; the parking was already filled when we got there at 9am .  Two groups headed up with us, but we were hiking at a pretty good pace, and lost them...