Collis P Huntington State Park, Connecticut

Collis P Huntington State Park is a gorgeous state park with a mouthful of a name. It is a state park steeped in history with a truly beautiful story about a famous sculptor. The property is a true western Connecticut dreamscape that I had never even  heard of until I set out on this State Park quest and for that, I am grateful. The park covers 1,017-acres and includes the towns of Bethel, Newtown, and Redding in Western, Connecticut. There are some amazing trail systems through the park, from single track paths to beautiful wide double track trails that traverse the park's lakes and ponds. 

Collis P Huntington State Park Trails

Collis P Huntington State Park

I was in the area for work and decided to set out with Otto to explore the park on a trail run. I saw horseback riders and trail runners, hikers and walkers traversing the park as I made my way through some of the trails. There is a beautiful parking area with a decent amount of parking, a picnic area, pit toilets, and the start of the trail system. There are also beautiful statues adorning the parking lot and you can tell this property was someone's private estate and meant a lot to someone (and now, to a lot of someones). Some of the prettiest parts of the trail passes by Lake Hopewell and there are other ponds and lagoons within the park. 

Hedgehog Trail - West Simsbury, Connecticut

 

As a "middle" child of four, and now a parent myself, I really understand how time is such a limited resource in the game of parenting. And also because of it, I'm overly aware of splitting my time, of making my two kids feel loved and seen and equal in my time and resources. I hope they look back at their equally completed baby books, email accounts with long winded letters to them both, and matching photos of solo adventures with mom and deeply feel that (at the cost of more time and energy than we have or feel most days). 

And so, on a beautiful fall day while Whitney was in school when I should have been finishing up work or completing 47 other tasks on my to do list, I took Piper on a fun solo adventure, very similar to the one I did with Whitney almost exactly two years ago.

White Memorial Conservation Center - Litchfield, Connecticut

We planned a fall weekend in the Catskills of New York to catch the foliage before the fall fades away. Saturday morning, we packed up the car and looked at the weather forecast. 90% rain in the Catskills while 50% in Northwest Connecticut, settling into the state later in the day. It was also forecasted to be in the 70's and I fully intended to enjoy the warmth and the hues of October, rain be damned. 

Instead of heading straight to the Catskills we decided to pivot, spending the first part of the day in the Litchfield Hills - the perfect halfway point in our drive. I did a quick google search for fall hikes in this corner of the state and came up with a list of potential hikes and walks in the area. White Memorial Conservation Area came up a few times and once I saw the boardwalk and the foliage, I was sold.

Salmon River State Forest - Colchester, CT

If you have followed KW over the years, you know I have a dog with severe separation anxiety. Like jumping out of second-story windows, chewing windowsills, blow through screen-level separation anxiety. It is really stressful and usually results in me bringing my dog everywhere with me. Thankfully she has excellent car manners and is happy to hang in the car while I run into the grocery store, meet a friend for dinner, or run out for a bit. In the summer months, this is a much bigger challenge and between the fireworks, thunderstorms, and heat, we are struggling. I often leave her in the basement (which she has been destroying so I could give the rest of my destroyed house a break) or leave her in the running car (I carry two sets of keys to lock it). Needless to say, we've been struggling this summer and we needed a bit of a reset. We needed a family-friendly activity on a warm day where the dogs could play and I wouldn't be out worrying about someone breaking my car window while she lounged in the AC or Olive destroying the house. I did a bit of research on dog-friendly swimming spots in Connecticut and quickly found the Salmon River State Forest in Colchester. Dog-friendly, family-friendly, swimming, fly fishing, and a covered bridge - it's a Connecticut well kept secret I am sharing with you. 

HIKE OLD SAYBROOK, CT - The Preserve, Cedars, Clark, and Essex Meadows Trails

I used to say I would love to live on a trail system - someday.  That day came in 2020 and yes, I pictured something a little more... mountainous than Old Saybrook in Coastal Connecticut.  There aren't any big summits or impressive vistas but there are miles and miles of quiet trails that are connected through several different trail systems.  All available from the end of my street. 

I started writing trail guides in Utah when misinformation turned an 12 mile hike into a nearly 15 mile hike.  Conflicting and downright wrong information left me insanely frustrated as I tried to prepare for a hike.  One of my favorite trail systems here in Connecticut (where you can hike/bike/ski/horseback ride) also suffers from a lack of information.  I can't tell you how many times I have tried to point a lost hiker in the right direction, or listened to stories of my neighbors driving hikers back to their car on the other side of town.  The preserve is an awesome trail system that is fairly new and there is a lot of ongoing effort to update the maps and trail system.  The preserve also neighbors other trail systems in town/adjacent towns. 

Hiking Hartman Park - Lyme, CT

Living on the preserve means I venture to other hiking areas a little less. It's far too easy to walk out the door and down the road than loading up the dogs in the car and driving to a trailhead. But, as much as I appreciate this large swatch of wilderness that stretches past our home, a change of scenery is always good. It was a sunny Sunday in January, temperatures topping in the high 30's and low 40's. A bright sunny day, not a cloud in the sky and a light breeze at best. January in New England can go either way and this kind of weather on a winter Sunday with limited daylight hours means you pack up the car and head somewhere worthy. 

I had been to Hartman Park a dozen times and joked with Adam I had a bit of "PTSD" from a December visit years ago. While hiking in the park, Olive and her hiking buddy (Thule the golden retriever) took off after a deer and that was the last we saw of them for about five hours. Hartman Park is sort of in the woods in the middle of nowhere and after spending hours following the trail and calling their name, asking any hikers if they had seen this dynamic duo (always no), I was beyond hysterics. The sun was starting to set and snow was falling and I left the park to go grab some bacon for a bacon burn. My parents left their hours to head to the trailhead to search the roads while we ran to the store and as they pulled up to the trailhead, our two lost dogs were there waiting for a ride home. 

Gillette Castle State Park - Haddam, CT

Gillette Castle just sort of surprises you. You are in the quiet town of East Haddam in Connecticut, strolling along the Connecticut River, and boom, this castley fortress-looking structure just jets out along the cliffside. It's a private residence turned state park (1943) and it's everything whimsical and confusing - railroad, tunnel, and castle included. Grab the kids and the dogs and head to East Haddam for a fun family-friendly adventure along the Connecticut River. 

Chauncey Peak Loop Hike (Giuffrida Park) - Meriden, CT

Lately, I have been feeling insanely lucky for the luxury of being able to hike on a Tuesday morning.  You see, I spent my whole life working at least one job (often two, sometimes three).  I did my duty working weekends, working two jobs a day, working through graduate school, so on and so forth.  I always had the goal of starting my own company and making my own hours.  You've heard the saying, you are either working hard to make your dreams work or making someone else's.  My plan was to gain my Licensed Environmental Professional certification and then start my own Phase I company.  When the coronavirus struck and my work from home priveledges were revoked, for my safety and my sanity, I decided going back to the office was not an option and it was now or never to start that company.  And so, my little environmental consulting firm was born and so was my ability to make my own schedule.  It's been slow to start which makes me even more thankful for this hard-working husband of mine who works long hours to help pick up the slack.  With my newfound freedom and flexibility, I was able to dedicate more time to Katie Wanders an even better, more time for tackling busier Connecticut hikes during the week.  

CT/NY border to Tenmile River Shelter (AT Backpacking)

Backpacking is something I wish I got into earlier in life.  There's something romantic about carrying everything you need on your back to spend the night in the woods.  Once you escape the campgrounds or roadside camping areas, it's hard to go back to the noise and the crowds.  When you commit to carrying everything you need on your back, you weed out a lot of the people.  It's not as simple as going out for a hike, you do need to invest in some staples that allow you to sleep under the stars comfortably and safely.  Like all of my hobbies, they are uniquely my own, skills and interests acquired and invested into throughout my adult life.  My family wasn't the backpacking type and their idea of camping involves a large RV at a developed campground.  I had to do a lot of research, save up, invest in gear, and find some likeminded friends to hike with.  When you do invest in the gear and find your tribe, there's nothing like setting up your camp somewhere in the woods far from any road or roaring generators.  While I love an epic adventure deep into the Whites of New Hampshire, it doesn't always have to be 30 miles into the wilderness, 3 miles into the woods was plenty for us.  

Pine Knob Loop Hike - Sharon, Connecticut

Pine Knob Loop is a hiking trail in the northwest corner of CT that I kept hearing about.  I heard it was short, sweet, and scenic and Adam had hiked it several times.  We planned a weekend up in the northwest corner of Connecticut and I added this quick hike into our plans. 

f i r s t    i m p r e s s i o n s 

All in all, I thought it was a nice hike along a pretty section of woods and a stream with a nice viewpoint.  I liked that it was short and sweet and something that would be family-friendly or something easy to tackle with other plans in your day.  My only gripe was in an area of so many amazing hikes, this wouldn't be my first choice.  

Best Connecticut Hikes

COVID-19 has changed the way we live. It has changed the way we socialize, the way we go out to eat or see our friends. It changed the way we work, the way we learn, and even the way we play outside. For the first time since I can remember, it seems that even the outdoors are closed.  A lot of communities around the world are closing their doors as they serve as gateways to some of our best outdoor play areas and do not have the resources to help protect a population beyond their local community.  

A part of this change has been learning to recreate closer to home.  By staying local, we are less likely to spread this virus to different parts of the country, especially to small towns with limited resources that provide access to some of our world-class trail systems.  By choosing less risky outdoor activities, we are limiting the chance of emergencies and injuries that may land us in a hospital, taking up valuable resources during this pandemic.

Instead of epic road trips, camping weekends in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and backpacking trips, we shifted our focus to staying local.  We spent more time on our local trails.  I doubled my road running miles in the month of April and spent more time running my local trails right here in town.  

If you need some inspiration within the Connecticut state lines, this post is for you.  Here is a roundup of some of my favorite Connecticut hikes.  They aren't 4,000 footers, but you can find some beautiful hikes that will take you to castles, waterfalls, vistas and much more. 

Distance:  5.5-miles out and back 
Elevation:  1,273' elevation gained 
Trailheads:  Two ways to get there  - from Fall's Village or from Route 44 trailhead in Salisbury. parking at the Upper Falls Village.  You can do as a point to point with two cars, or an out and back.  The parking area from Falls Village is located at the Great Falls Recreation Area lot (41.96369, -73.37222)
Highlights:  Mount Prospect, Mount Prospect Viewpoint and Rand's View (open field/meadow/farmland and a view of the Northern Berkshires).  

Full Trail Guide

Distance:  2.65-miles round trip
Elevation:  690' elevation gained 
Trailhead:  There is a parking area on the west side of Route 7 just before Housatonic Meadows State Park.  We followed the blue trail on the counterclockwise loop.  It eventually joins the Appalachian Trail for a section before joining back to a blue trail to complete the loop back to your car.  
Highlights:  Short hike that works up a sweat - great view point and a chance to follow the AT 

Full Trail Guide

Distance:  6 miles

Elevation Gain:  1,797 feet

Trailhead:  Under Mountain Trailhead on Under Mountain Road, Salisbury (marked with a small blue oval sign). At the junction of Route 41 and Route 44, take the left onto Route 41 and the trailhead will be on your left in 3.1 miles, shortly after Deep Woods Road. 

Highlights:  A fun hike if you want to "bag a Connecticut peak" relatively easily and hike some elevation in the state.  The trail overall was nice, but a little boring at times.  It was fun to be on the famous Appalachian Trail.  The signage along the entire trail was great (large signs with distances, arrows, etc).  The trail was almost entirely shaded and typical of wooded New England trails.   The elevation will make you work and the distance is short and manageable.  The summit had a pretty view of lakes and other peaks but was very crowded.  A fun hike that allows dogs and would be even prettier in the fall with the changing leaves.  

Full Trail Guide

Distance:  6.5-miles round trip
Elevation:  1,751' elevation gained 
Trailhead: Parking area off Macedonia Brook Road - you can start at the north or south end. Blue trail from start to finish.

Highlights:  Awesome views as you make your way up and around the park. Macedonia Brook, campsites, vista - a beautiful scenic challenging hike. 

Full Trail Guide

Distance: 5.4-miles loop (1 mile of it is on the dirt road on the way back) 
Elevation Gain:  1,078'

Trailhead:  The only way to access the trailhead when the dirt road is closed (closed at the CT/MA border and then further into Connecticut at Riga Road  See my full post for notes on getting to the parking area and trailhead

Highlights:  This one actually covers THREE states, but let's still consider this a local CT hike.  You actually hike the highest point (not summit) in CT while taking in some great views on this fun little loop. 

Full Post Here

Distance: 6-7 miles (closer to 7) for the full loop -  Moderate to challenging in spots - it is longer with some steep and rocky sections. The trail also narrows out along the Housatonic. 

Elevation (Ascent): 1,227' 

Trailhead: We parked at the Lower Paugusset Trailhead at the end of Great Quarter Road in Newtown, CT. There is a small dirt parking lot that probably fits about 12 cars. We started early and by the time we left around noon, the parking lot was full and cars were lining up along the road. There is no bathroom or map at the trailhead. 

Highlights:  Beautiful wooded trail which follows the lake in parts and takes you to "Prydsen Falls" in the Paugussett State Forest which offers a 25-foot plunge and 40-feet of cascades that empty into the Housatonic River. You can walk up to the banks of the river but there is no swimming allowed in this area. 

Full Trail Guide

Distance: My favorite loop is 3 miles 

Highlights:  There are few CT places I love more than my local preserve.  It is 2 miles down the road and offers a little bit of everything:  open fields, wooded trails, wide paths by the power lines and views of the lake.  It is exceptional in the fall and you can almost always find a few dogs to socialize with on the weekends.  It's where I go to trail run, walk the fields, take photos, or just sneak away to the woods for a little while.  It is also a section of the Scenic New England Trail which traverses through Connecticut. If you want the place to yourself, try to get there before 8 am. 

Trail Map Here

Distance & Elevation:  The park is small but believe it or not you can still get in a great 4.5 mile loop hike with over 800 feet of elevation. The Orange route is the largest individual trail and the more challenging hike throughout the main section of the forest leading up to the vista.  For a shorter hike just to see the vista, Foxtown Road leads to a small (unofficial) parking area that cuts to a back entrance to the vista. * The Blue loop also offers a shorter and easier alternative to the Orange trail. Of the trails on the opposite side of the park (across the entrance road). The Green trail is extremely rocky, steep, and not well blazed; while the Yellow is somewhat confusing at times and not as well marked as the other trails. More Info/Source

Trailhead: Devil's Hopyard State Park   366 Hopyard Road  East Haddam, CT 06423

Highlights:  Waterfall, river, covered bridges, vistas, beautiful wooded trail through a state park

Full Trail Guide

Distance: Shorter/blue option, 1-mile to 1.25-miles round trip, Longer, less steep option 2-miles 

Parking/ Trail head:  There is a lot at the Bluff Head trailhead on Rt. 77 about 1/2 mi. north of Great Hill Rd (it should come up on Google Maps).  Once you get off the highway (I-95), follow Route 77 for approximately  8.6 miles where you will see a blue sign and a parking area on your left.  There are no bathrooms at the trailhead.

Highlights:  The trail is part of the Mattabesset hiking trail, a 60-mile trail traveling through the towns of Guilford, Durham, Madison, Haddam, Middletown, North Branford, Wallingford, Middlefield, Meriden and Berlin,  The Matabesset hiking trail is part of the 215 mile New England Scenic Trail (which goes from Long Island Sound in Guilford to the MA/NH border).  A short STEEP hike takes you to a viewpoint of the reservoir and North Guilford farmlands.

Full Trail Guide

Distance:  5.5-miles
Elevation Gain: about 930 feet
Parking Area/Trailhead:  Off West Lane - plug 437 West Ln, Berlin, CT 06037 into Google Maps.  There is no formal parking lot but instead, a few spaces at the trailhead and hikers park along the right side of West Lane.
Highlights:  Sweeping views of the reservoir, nice loop in a scenic wooded preserve.  Get there early as the trail gets busy quick.  

Full Trail Guide

Mirror Lake Reservoir Loop detailed here 

Distance:  4.3 miles

Elevation:  1,000+' of elevation

Somehow I ended up following a different trail description for "East Peak/Castle Craig" on the park brochure.  While the brochure advertised 4.3 miles and 1,000', our hike clocked in at 500' and 3.5 miles.  We may have missed a section or turned back to soon but either way, it was fun exploring a new part of Connecticut and forcing myself to leave the cozy nest of the shoreline.  

Highlights:  A hike with 1,000' of elevation gain right in the middle of Connecticut, You can get in a quick blood pumping hike to Castle Craig among the Hanging Hills of Connecticut.   The castle and the hike are in Hubbard Park which is on the National Register of Historic Places.  Vista's, castle, and elevation on a dog-friendly hike. 

Full Trail Guide

Distance:  2.5 miles out and back 

Elevation:  approx. 400' 

Easy to moderate.  Generally family friendly, nice and short.  Little steep sections up rocky areas may be difficult for small children, which can also be very slippery after a rainstorm.

Trailhead:  Wintechog Hill Road -- Take I-95 to Exit 92. Follow Route 2 west. Turn left on Wintechog Hill Road just before reaching Foxwoods Resort Casino. The parking area and trail entrance is on the right.

Highlights:  Short hike with vistas of the reservoir - gorgeous in the fall.  There are some cliffy sections and some great overlooks as you follow the trail to the main overlook.  A lot of the trail is over rock which can get very slippery between rain storms and leaves on the ground.  

Full Trail Guide

Distance: The main loop around the park is a 4-mile wide old dirt road. There are various smaller trails branching off from the main dirt road.

Parking/Trail head:  Take a left at the first light onto Depot Road. Park entrance is at the end of the road and the trail starts from the parking lot. 

Highlights:  Wide easy to follow jeep trail with water views.  You can stop at the beach and there is a nice picnic area/kayak launch by the parking lot. 

Full Trail Guide

Distance: There is a main 3-mile loop hike with plenty of side trails throughout.  

Trailhead: The end of Palmer Neck Road in Stonington, Connecticut.  Keep your eye out for the "castle" on your way to Barn Island.  There are parking spaces for a few cars at the entrance to main loop trail; there is also a large paved parking lot at the boat launch.

Highlights:  Barn Island is a 1,000+ acre preserve in Stonington, Connecticut.  Barn Island has been called the "Wild Coast of Connecticut" and the beauty of this preserve lies in its lack of development. Enjoy trails from wooded paths to open fields and enjoy water views while you walk the preserve. 

Full Trail Guide