CFPA Blue Blaze Trail / The Nature Conservancy / Connecticut State Forest
755 acres in North Stonington, CT
Parking: Shoulder parking near 199-155 Ryder Rd, North Stonington, CT
Trail Map Trails: 3.3 miles Rating: ★★★☆☆
A light snow was falling as I continued my hike of the Narragansett Trail. The previous section between Lantern Hill and here is “temporarily” closed (since 2015) but I crossed Rt. 2 to check out the Hewitt’s Pond (also known as Gallup Pond) Pedestrian Bridge. It was built in 2007 and now sits waiting for the trail to reopen so that hikers can pass over it once again.
Currently the trail restarts in the Gladys Foster Preserve one of The Nature Conservancy’s properties, though as I often find with them, they offer no information or even acknowledge that they own it. From Ryder Rd the trail heads uphill to rocky outcrops and the bluffs along Cossaduck Hill.
The trail follows the ledges entering a parcel of the Pachaug State Forest to an overlook of the Yawbucks Valley. The overlook has views south that are nice, but nothing astounding. You soon skirt private property as you leave the bluffs and head downhill to meet the Yawbucs Brook.
Following the route of the brook through tall pines and then using large rocks to hop it brings you to an old damed section creating an unnamed pond. You’ll criss cross the brook a couple more times until reaching a flooded section thanks to recent beaver activity. Heading off to the right there is a narrow stretch with plenty of rocks to cross and rejoin the trail.
From here it is a simple gradual uphill until reaching the Wyassup Lake parking. If you continue just over a half mile further into the Legend Wood section there is a lean-to and a nice overlook. Hiking out to the overlook and back will be about 8 miles round trip.
Previous Section: Closed section (since 2015) over Winetechog Hill
Next Section: Legend Wood
Cossaduck Hill is likely named from the Mohegan or Niantic expression ‘kowas-‘htugk’ for “pine-wood” or “pine trees” (Hughes and Allen pp. 409, 738).
The Story of the Yawgoog Trails – Connecticut Countryside I (2013)
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Nature Conservancy Gladys Foster Preserve Trailhead, 199-155 Ryder Rd, North Stonington, CT 06359, USA
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