Connecticut's Best Hikes - Ragged Mountain Loop - Berlin CT

Ragged Mountain - May 2019

A lot of us write off Connecticut as a hiking destination.  When someone references the Constitution State, I am willing to bet your first thought isn't "so many great hikes there"!  Its probably more along the lines of lobster rolls, high taxes, New England charm, and life on the beach.  Even if you are a Connecticut native, it is easy to hop in your car and head to the Whites of New Hampshire, the Greens of Vermont, the Berkshires in Massachusetts, or the Adirondacks in New York to experience what hiking in the northeast truly has to offer.

And yes, living in Utah and having so much amazing hiking right outside my apartment really spoiled me.

A lot of our hikes in Connecticut tend to feel like more of a "walk in the woods", a nice little stroll among dirt trails and trees.  Summit views and elevation?  Not always guaranteed.  So when I find a hike that has some awesome views and gets my heart rate up I am pleasantly surprised and feel like I am winning at this game called Have It All.  A chance to spend some time in the woods without having to be landlocked? Hike in the morning lobster bake in the evening?  Turns out, I can have my cake and eat it too.

Hiking and Camping at Mount Greylock - Massachusetts High Point

When it comes to hiking trails and travel destinations, I typically live by the saying "one and done".   There are so many places to visit, so many trails I want to trek, so many different foods I want to eat and sights I want to see that I often have a hard time going back to the same place twice.  But sometimes I make exceptions and so far, I am glad I have.  When I set aside my need for "new", I am constantly reminded how different a place or hike can be in different seasons with different people.  And so, cue my second time to hike Mount Greylock, the highest point in Massachusetts.

Connecticut High Point and Tri-State Hike

If you've been following along on KW the last few years, you probably know about my New England Summit Tour.  When I moved back to New England from Utah (the land of mountains majesty and excellent hiking), I made a vow to take that sense of adventure I learned out west and apply it here in the Northeast.   Our peaks may not be as prominent, but we still have some impressive mountains to climb.  My start to an Elevated New England was to hike all the New England summits.   I vowed to take my hiking boots up the summits of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont, camping hiking (and drinking) my way from Jerimoth Hill in Rhode Island to Katahdin in Maine. 

Wandering in the Catskills - Catskill, Hudson, Hunter, Saugerties and Woodstock

There is nothing better than having an open weekend in a new place.  The modus operandi of the weekend was wake up in our Tiny Home, go out for a hike, come back and jump in the shower, and then spend the rest of the day exploring some of these quaint New York towns.  It's here in the Catskills of New York where you can stay in a luxury Tiny Home, hike up one of New York's tallest waterfalls, walk the streets of an artsy quaint little town and have some amazing meals with a view. 

North-South Lake Hike - Newman's Ledge and the Catskill Mountain House Site

It was the last day of the Catskills getaway and I had one more hike in mind before packing up the Tiny Home and the dogs to tour through a few Hudson Valley towns before heading home.  This particular hike was close to where we were staying, featured a pretty lake, scenic views of the Hudson Valley and history on one of the Northeast's many Mountain Houses.  

Saturday was an easy hike at Kaaterskill Falls and the plan for Sunday was to be up early, pack the car and head to North-South Lake campground (about 25-minutes away) in Haines Falls, New York.  While both of our dogs are up to date on all their shots, I had read that proof of rabies (written proof, like the actual form, the tag is not good enough) was required and I forgot to mention this important detail to Adam.  However, it was early March and the campground was closed so I was really banking on sneaking through, sans paperwork.  And yes, we did.