Mattabesett East Terminus

Connecticut Blue Blaze Trail

508 acres in Middletown, CT

Parking:

• East end: Small pull off near 1501 River Rd, Middletown, CT
• West end: Small pull off near 705 Brooks Rd, Middletown, CT

Trail Map        Trails: 4.8 miles       Rating: ★★☆☆☆

This eastern most section of the blue blaze Mattabesett Trail is also the part of the New England Trail.  It features hilly terrain, rutted ATV trails, but also a rock pile ‘cave’ and reservoir overlook views.

Hiking

From the parking area on River Road, across from the NRG Energy Plant, the trail heads off into the woods quickly crossing a small unnamed stream.  The trail parallels the road for a good stretch before cutting east crossing occasional rutted ATV paths.

The trail climbs to a utility corridor and follows its opposite edge for a good stretch including a very steep descent.  In snowy and muddy conditions this descent is not for the faint of heart. There are some interesting rock formations in this stretch and a distant view of the Connecticut River over the trees.  After a couple more stream crossings and a couple more old woods roads you pass and old well and a homestead foundation.  These possibly date back to the Maromas section of Middletown (since they’re roughly the right area) but I don’t have any real evidence to back that up.

This first 1.5 miles or so did have a couple areas where blazing was a bit spotty causing a retrack or two particularly along the utility corridor and with crossing old woods roads.  After 1.5 miles I finally felt like I was on ‘real’ trail working through rocky forest.

Just over 3 miles into the hike is the rock pile cave and just a bit past that is the Asylum Reservoir overlook.  The trail crosses over the reservoir road and provides a loop option around the second reservoir.

Next section: Mattabesett: Bear Hill & Kätchen Coley Mountain Laurel Preserve

History:

These parcels of the Cockaponset State Forest were purchased in 1945.  The Middlesex Land Trust also purchased two parcels near the first reservoir in 2019.

Links:

• Peter Marteka – In Search Of A Ghostly Village And Discovering A Lost Quarry Instead (2013)
• CTMQ – Mattabesett Trail: Section 9 (2008)

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Last updated: February 26th, 2024