January 2012 - Gillette Castle

January 2012 Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, CT.  The Gillette Castle State Park is definitely worth a visit.  Before traveling to the castle I would recommend doing research on the Gillette family.  Their history makes for an interesting read.  The castle was completed in 1919.  You can tour the inside of the castle during the spring and summer for a small fee. 

The trails are free and well maintained throughout the 180 acres.  They are the remnants of a personal railway that existed around the castle grounds.  Take the path behind the castle down the stairs, which is the steepest part of the hike, down to a private beach on the river.  There are outhouses right on the beach…how convenient.  You can walk around the entire castle and see the amazing stone work.  From the back deck of the castle there are views of the Connecticut River.  On the trail you will go through a tunnel that is about 50 yards long.  Make sure no animals are waiting to surprise you at the other end!  A refurbished train bridge adds flavor to the woodsy hike.  There are many small bridges and one or two train station stops…covered locations with benches to rest your feet.  A great deal of thought went into the creation of the grounds here by Mr. Gillette.  It is great that the state of Connecticut is taking care to keep this piece of history alive.