Addison Bog, Smith Multi-Use Trail, Bell-Hebron Linear Park
198 acres in Glastonbury, CT
Parking: Mediums sized lots near 216 Addison Road Glastonbury, CT 06033
Trail Map Trails: 1.8 miles Rating: ★★☆☆☆
The trails for Addison Bog pre-date the paved linear multi-use path, but have largely been subsumed by it. On my visit the trail was busy with walkers, strollers, and bikers all taking the main paved path toward Bell Street. While it’s a perfectly nice gently rolling path, I was much more interested in finding the bog (how often do you get to say that in life?).
The southern 0.42 mile trail was easy enough to find off among the pines and there are views of the utility corridor as well as Salmon Brook. I reemerged onto the paved path and didn’t feel the need to complete its second half so I walked back towards the parking looking for the north side trail which actually shows the bog.
After two false starts on paths thats that headed into the woods and soon faded away, the third time was the charm leading in and passing old dilapidated information plaques. This too was actually a bit of a let down, there is much to actually see. It is a 5.5 acre Black Spruce Bog (apparently the only one in Central CT) so it is thick with trees on spongy watery ground.
Core samples taken back in the 80s showed that the bog was at least 17ft deep. It started as a glacial kettle hole
about 8000 years ago and has been accumulating decaying vegetation ever since. Many of the plants in the bog are unusual this far south, including black spruce, larch trees (AKA tamaracks), and insect eating pitcher plants. The black spruce are slow growing in such an acidic environment, one measured at 1.75 inches in diameter was found to be 48 years old.
History:
The bog is named after Addison L. Clark, president of the former Glastonbury Knitting Co.
Links:
Peter Marteka – Keep Addison Bog In Its Natural State Residents Say (2007)
Peter Marteka – Trees and Flours Abound at Addison Bog (2004)
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Last updated September 1st, 2019
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