2023

2023 Year In Exploration

Other Years: 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024

Stats

211,304 site views
24.3% of the state explored, that’s 482 out of 1,983
Explored 99 locations this year, 52 new to me and 47 I’d been before
Added 88 new locations to the map, 29% of the state is represented
4 movies and 4 newsletters published

Hikes by Month

January

Moss Tract – Quick return visit after discovering it’s hidden waterfall to check out the south section trails
Quinebaug Trail – Thru hiked the trail on a warm January day for about 17 miles round trip overlapping with heavy dirt bike presence
Hidden Valley Preserve – Revisited this great property hitting all the highlights from cave to river view to overlook
Steep Rock Preserve – The trail to overlook was closed on my last visit so I returned for it’s fantastic view before returning once more to the tunnel
Giuffrida Park – Hiked the Metacomet Ridge and returned along the reservoir in the standard rugged loop
Westfield Falls – Quick stop on a cold windy day to check in on the falls
Sleeping Giant State Park – Rehiked some of my favorite trails since I didn’t visit the Giant at all in 2022

February

Mount Higby – Hiked this section of the Mattabesett Trail on a rainy morning and made a movie of the views
Lewis Farm Bird Sanctuary – There are a fair number of trails tucked in this small property, I particularly enjoyed the curved bridge over the river here
Will Warren’s Den– The trail was a bit of a mud pit in the spring, but the views are always worth it
West Mountain Property – Caught Cathles Falls and the great overlook but didn’t have time to complete the full loop here
Mary Edwards Mountain Property – The first view is the best view, the trails are rugged, and I couldn’t have been more pleasantly surprised
Godard Preserve – Connected down to this preserve from Mary Edwards and the trails along the brooks provide peaceful hiking
Sunset Rock State Park – Hiked this to discover that you’re exploring Crescent Lake and its trails and the state park property is untrailed to the north, but a great overlook from the ridge line

March

Mansfield Hollow – Combining different loops here, still trying to discover new things at one of my most visited state parks
Pigeon Swamp – Rehiked this property after a couple years on a sunny spring afternoon, trails were exactly the same as I remembered
Dismal Brook Wildlife Preserve – Lulled by the initial trails I was drawn in by the history and love the deep woods cabin and pond view
Schoolhouse Brook Park – Rehiked sections on either side of the road to see that mountain bike trails have been developing over the years

April

Sherwood Island State Park – First visit to one of CT’s uber popular beach parks, fun to walk the beach without the crowds
Trout Brook Valley – I feel like I only got to explore a tiny portion of this large and varied park
Kilkenny Rock – One of the few sections of the Metacomet I haven’t done before, fun hike that overlaps significantly with mountain bike trails
Mono Pond State Park – Stopped here for a quick hike on a breezy morning
Cotton Hollow Preserve – The ruins have been protected, but now the harder work of fundraising to preserve them begins
Holcomb Farm – Explored what I could here, but access to the majority of trails washed away with a bridge that has yet to be replaced unfortunately
Dewey-Granby Oak – First visit to this majestic old former champion tree
Katan Ensor and Old Messenger Road Preserves – This new preserve is a real gem connecting multiple parcels, but the views were all fogged in due to rainy weather
Shelter Falls – Last hike here was in 2018, this time I found an abandoned stretch of trail down to a small pond
Sperry Falls – Got the timing just right to see these rare falls roaring after heavy rains
Mahoney Pond – Poking around these old woods roads to find a simple forest loop
Cedar Wood Preserve – Still a work in progress, but interesting trails that feel longer than their length
Barrett Preserve – This property felt tucked away despite being surrounded by private property, the streams and bridges were a nice surprise

May

Bush Hill Preserve – Did nearly a full loop of the property and stopped to explore the barn tag sale land trust fundraiser
Stony Brooke Park – Hiked the northern stretch of trails, some of which are pretty overgrown
Shafran Conservation Area – Last hike here was in 2018 and not much has changed, the cool clear streams here are perfect
Tower Hill Preserve – Caught this just a couple days after its grand opening to find a well crafted trail with a surprise hidden waterfall
Blackledge Falls – Quick hike up to the falls and then connected into the southern edge of Gay City before looping back
Bigelow Hollow – Hiked the western perimeter and then along the East Ridge Trail, the parking was packed but we didn’t seen another person
Pixie Falls – Backpacked out to see the well-crafted fairy house above the falls and did an overnight at the nearby backpacking site

June

Thru-hike of the Shenipsit Trail – Hiked all 50.2 miles over two days during peak mountain laurel bloom
Peterson Park – The start of the Mattatuck Trail here is perfect riverside trail
Allanach-Wolf Woodlands – Finally revisited one of my old favorites to find trails have been officially extended and connect to Wolf Den Land Trust property
Codfish Falls / Fenton Tract – Finally connected these two thanks to a fallen tree over the Fenton River to check out the rerouted Nipmuck Trail

July

Woodtick Recreation Area – Great first hike doing the full loop around the Scoville Reservoir with great sights along the way
Simpson Woods – Revisited this property after a couple years to find that trails are slowly getting overgrown
Mt Hope Park – Still a short beautiful hike along the river, but still a shame the beavers have flooded the full loop connection
White Memorial Conservation Center – Did the classic boarkwalk hike, which had a couple flooded sections, but removing my shoes gave me the boardwalk to myself
Camp Columbia State Park – Last hiked this in the winter, so visited again in the summer, most just visit the tower so the hiking loop is overgrown

August

Risley Park – A few years since my last visit, enjoyed the trails, enjoyed the bench on the far side of the pond even more
Gay City State Park – Hiked the blue trail out to its Shenipsit connection and then back through the center of the park
Goodwin State Forest – Out on the Natchaug Trail again, highlight of the hike was an owl among the pines
Camp Aya-Po – Always try to rehike this one whenever I’m in the area
Dart Hill North Hockanum River – First hike on the Hockanum River Trail as odd as Steve from CTMQ says but certainly has its moments
Oakland Trail Hockanum River – Jumped onto another section soon after, great loop hike on both sides of the river
Dart Hill Park – A third section, stayed on theme – odd but has its moments too
Coney Rock – Quick afternoon hike with a view

September

Talbot WMA – Didn’t have time to hike the full loop, so enjoyed the walk down to the river bend and back
Nathan Hale State Forest – Despite intending to, I’ve never done the same hike here twice, a few miles through the woods and a stop at the farmer’s market

October

Dunhamtown Forest – Rehiked this loop after a few years and not a bit has changed
South Meadows River Trail – First of hike of this work in progress, some pavement, some grass, some mud, curious to see how it develops
Whetten Woods – I’d forgotten how short this loop is, so hiked it twice
Metcalf Nature Preserve – First hike of this short figure eight loop

November

Moss Sanctuary – An easy morning hike
McCann Family Farm – Despite hiking Whitaker a few times, I’d never jumped over to these surprisingly rugged trails
Avery Farm Nature Preserve – First hike of this great loop that’s just challenging and varied enough
Crystal Ridge Trail – First hike of this new town trail, the area has potential but the trail needs more use

December

Rock Springs – Fun visit hitting all the highlights and an easier hike without all the summer overgrowth
Harvey Preserve – Visited JT’s newest preserve a couple days before it opened and found a surprisingly great little loop
Talbot WMA – Rehiked the loop here and it was longer than I remember, lots of new fallen trees though
Mitchell & Reed Woodlands – Wet hike after recent rains on seldom used trail, interesting area but trails in poor shape
Benedict Benson Preserve – Solid little loop with stream views and an old car
Coney Rock – Late afternoon sunset hike
Niederwerfer Wildlife Sanctuary – First visit and missed part of the loop so the hike was short and uneventful
Major Michael Donnelly Land Preserve – First visit and loved the extensive boardwalks
Bailey’s Ravine – Had to capture a waterfall after a day of heavy rains
R.H. Collins Preserve – First visit, short loop with plenty of interesting views, would like to visit in summer next
Portland Reservoir – Did most of the rim trail, areas are still flooded with beaver activity but was able to keep my feet dry
Oak Ledges Preserve – First visit, rugged little loop out to a surprise meditation shelter

Utley Hill Preserve

★★☆☆☆

41.697347, -72.324801

Utley Hill Preserve and Columbia Recreation Park Joshua’s Trust Property and Columbia Town Park 275 acres in Columbia, CT (125 for Joshua’s Trust and 150 for the… Read more…

Whetten Woods

★★☆☆☆

41.807737, -72.239070

Nate and Theora Whetten Woods Joshua’s Trust Property 37 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: At the Hope Lutheran Church near 62 Dog Ln, Storrs, CT Small lot… Read more…

Blackledge Falls

★★★☆☆

41.700546, -72.458132

Blackledge Falls Glastonbury Town Park 80 acres in Glastonbury, CT Parking: Medium sized lot near 3817 CT-94, Glastonbury, CT Trail Map Trails: 2…

Shenipsit Trail: Dickinson Rd

★★☆☆☆

41.649529, -72.518351

Shenipsit Trail: Dickinson Rd Blue Blaze Trail and Connecticut State Forest in East Hampton and Glastonbury, CT Parking: Shoulder parking past 96 Dickinson Road, South Glastonbury, CT… Read more…

Shenipsit Lake

★★☆☆☆

41.881941, -72.422886

Shenipsit Trail – Shenipsit Lake Connecticut Blue Blaze Trail 86 in Tolland, CT Parking: Shoulder parking near 15 Tolland Stage Rd, Tolland, CT Trail Map …

Valley Falls

★★★☆☆

300 Valley Falls Rd, Vernon, CT 06066, USA

Valley Falls Park / Andrew Kenneth Webster Preserve Vernon Town Park and Northern Connecticut Land Trust 196 acres in Vernon, CT Parking: Large lot near 300 Valley…