2024

2024 Year in Exploration

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


Hikes by Month
January
February
March
  • Fenton Ruby Park – Hiked through a couple of the trails, really enjoyed the adirondack chairs on the first sunny day in a long time
  • Blue Flag Meadow – Rehiked this loop after remembering Teale doesn’t allow dogs
  • Tower Hill Preserve – First hike since making the movie last year, the waterfall was flowing good
  • Bradley Buchanan Woods – Rains and beaver activity have flooded key trails here
  • Torrey Preserve – First hike since my full tour of the JT properties, still a simple short loop off the Nipmuck
  • Banningwood Preserve – Well selected trail loop with history, geology and viewpoints
  • Honey Hill Preserve – Short woods loop through glacial till
  • Saunders Preserve – Surprised at how well established these new trails are
  • River to Ridgetop North – Two visits to this property, long hike options, overlooks galore
  • Natchaug State Forest – Rehiked the CCC loop and loved it, they’ve expanded/rerouted the trail since my last hike
  • Hemphill Woods – First hike here in about 7 years, lots of freshly fallen trees and wet trail but a nice loop hike
April
  • Cockaponset State Forest – Hiked the length of the blue blaze Cockaponset Trail and then worked back on the rest of the trails
  • Raymond Brook Preserve – Hiked in from a different parking area for a change of pace
  • Woodtick Recreation Area – Rehiked this popular flat walking path around Scoville Reservoir
  • Whitestone Cliffs Trail – This hike as everything you could want overlook, waterfall, and great hiking in one short loop
  • Five Mile Rock – Short hike to this out of the way historical landmark
  • Merrow Preserve – Figure eight double loop that doesn’t see much hiking but gets down to Lake Hayward Brook
  • Urbanik Reserve – Hiked the double loop and sat in the adirondack chairs next to the pond on a beautiful spring day
  • Lena Reserve – First hike and was surprised to find newly expanded green and purple trails
May
  • Nayantaquit Trail – First hike here in a couple years, this section of the Nehantic State Forest is being actively managed so there were a few large clear cuts slightly disrupting the trail
  • Potter Meadow – This hike was foiled by flooding in both directions on this short loop trail
  • Wolf Rock – This section of the Nipmuck trail has a new slight reroute from eroded old wood steps to well placed stone steps
  • Mahoney Pond – Hiked this short trail and found fresh forest management before taking another crack at searching for Devil’s Den
  • Lillinonah Trail – First hike of this rugged blue blaze loop, great rock features and surprisingly challenging
  • Pootatuck State Forest – Hiked out the fantastic overlook and then down into Squantz Pond State Park to see the impressive Council Rock
June
  • Nipmuck: Boston Hollow – Had some elements added that make it feel like someone’s grief trail? Still love the rugged loop
  • Hollister Preserve – Last hiked when I made the movie, still a gem of an overlook
  • Sheep Farm – First hike, did the shorter loop here and was surprised to find a waterfall
  • Atkinson Preserve – First hike of the trails here and branched out into Nathan Lester to see the remains of the Ledyard Oak
  • Stickney Hill – Just outside the heart of Rockville, this trail seems like it should be popular with locals but isn’t
  • Adams Mill Trail – Despite seeing some complaints of a vaguely sketchy area, I thought this was a fantastic hike and have high praise for the Hockanum River volunteers who built this trail
  • New State Trail – First hike, continued explorations of the varied Hockanum Trail, this one feels unique but I’m not sure why
July
August
  • Bailey’s Ravine – I’ll mention every time how no two hikes have ever been the same here
  • Sprague Land Preserve – Revisited green and blue for an afternoon hike
  • Devils’ Hopyard – Explored the red trail for the first time despite the rain
  • Hayward Reserve – A newish lasso loop trail that’s just darn pleasant
  • Dorwart Preserve – Newfound enjoyment on this trail, much better than I remember
  • Peoples State Forest – Hit Indian Shelter caves for Sky’s the Limit and then over to the Lighthouse and lookout, fantastic hiking abounds here
  • Massacoe: Great Pond – First hike, explored the popular loop here for Sky’s the Limit, interesting to see all the birds in the pond
  • Laidlaw Recreation Area – First hike, simple short town park loop, that recently received some TLC
  • Weigold and Auperin and Tobiassen Forest – W & A were new to me but Tobiassen was last hiked eight years ago, loved the mossy rock features
  • Chenes Roches Preserve – My third Joshua’s trust property that I hadn’t hiked since 2016, explored the new dense mountain laurel ridge trail
September

  • Couch Preserve and Williams Preserve – First hike here since Williams opened in 2018, trails have become established, a new blue trail has been added, and the viewpoint at the river has been cleared

October
November
December

Shelter Falls

★★☆☆☆

41.811085, -72.281508

Shelter Falls Mansfield Town Park 75 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Small pull off near 172 Birch Rd Mansfield, CT Trail Map             Trails:…

Coney Rock

★★★☆☆

41.794751, -72.202390

Coney Rock Preserve Joshua’s Trust Property and Town of Mansfield Park Location: 134 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Small pull-off near 501 Chaffeeville Rd Storrs, CT Shoulder… Read more…

Nipmuck Trail: Rt 89

★★☆☆☆

41.775308, -72.193533

Nipmuck Trail – Rt. 89 Crossing CFPA Blue Blaze Nipmuck Trail 1.33 miles in Mansfield, CT Parking: Across Rt. 89 at 174 Warrenville Rd Mansfield, CT Trail Map …

Bluff Head

★★★☆☆

4391 Durham Rd, Guilford, CT, USA

Bluff Head | Northwoods Guilford Land Conservation Trust 700 acres in Guilford, CT Parking: Large lot near 4391 Durham Rd, Guilford, CT Trail Map        …

Szegda Farm

★★☆☆☆

42 Szegda Rd Columbia, CT

Szegda Farm Columbia Town Park 135 acres in Columbia, CT Parking: Upper Trails – Small lot near 43 Szegda Rd Columbia, CT Lower Trails – Medium lot near 42 Szegda…

Garrison Park

★★☆☆☆

495 Phoenixville Rd, Chaplin, CT, USA

Edward Garrison Park / Hubbard Sanctuary / Agnes’ Pasture Chaplin Town Park and Joshua’s Trust Property About 40 acres in Chaplin, CT Parking: Large lot behind Chaplin…

Giddings Park

★★☆☆☆

41.628226, -72.125934

Giddings Park Franklin Town Park 72 acres in Franklin, CT Parking: Large lots near 191 Pond Rd, North Franklin, CT Trail Map        Trails: 1 mile   Trail…

Dorwart Preserve

★★☆☆☆

41.796344, -72.195826

Dorwart Preserve and Lion’s Memorial Park Mansfield Town Parks 125 acres in Mansfield, CT Parking: Small pull-off near 215 Mulberry Rd Mansfield, CT Trail Map     …

Bigelow Hollow State Park

★★★★★

41.994655, -72.130835

Bigelow Hollow State Park Connecticut State Park / Nipmuck State Forest 516 acres in Union, CT Parking: Several large lots along the park’s road off CT-171. Trail… Read more…

Day Pond State Park

★★★★☆

41.557409, -72.418005

Day Pond State Park / Salmon River State Forest / Comstock Covered Bridge Connecticut State Park and State Forest 180 acres in Colchester, CT Parking: Day Pond…