Macedonia Brook State Park

On October 13, 2012, we visited Macedonia Brook State Park in Kent, Connecticut.  This state park covers over 2300 acres and is also open to camping.  There are many trails to choose from throughout the park.  We started our day on the white trail named Cobble Mtn Trail.  This portion of the white trail was intense...since we have been slackers lately!  The incline is quite steep in sections but manageable. More like a climb on the way up than a hike!  The white trail crosses with the blue trail at the peak of the hill and you get a nice scenic view.  There are a couple view points from the blue trail which runs the higher ground of the park.  

We continued down the blue trail which was more challenging than the white trail.  This 0.44 mile section of the blue trail was steep.  You can't use your trek poles in certain sections because of all the rock face.  We had to slide down the rock in one part.  In another section we had to maneuver our feet and hands in order to get down.  This again was more of a rock climbing section.  But we welcomed the challenge.  Once we descended the blue trail, we hiked a small section of the green trail.  The green trail merges with the orange trail once you cross the road.  As you travel down the orange trail you run into the camp sites.  Each section of campsites have their own out houses.  So this state park is woman friendly!  Anyways, we walked past more campsites to the edge of the Hilltop Pond.  On our way back to the car we walked the Macedonia Brook Road.  We spent only 2.5 hours at the park this day since we did not realize how big the park was.  We logged about 3.5 miles and plan on hiking the entire blue trail on our next visit.  Don't forget to pack a lunch!

One Year Ago

Sam's Point, Verkeerdeerkill Falls, and Ice Caves in Ulster County, NY.  The hike up to Sam's Point is not difficult.  The trail goes up hill on a widely paved trail.  The path going to the edge is well marked.  Definitely worth the visit because you can see for miles on a clear day.  Who knew this beautiful scenery existed just 2 hours north of NYC!

              

The hike to the falls was more on the strenuous side.  The path is rocky and narrow through sections of the mountainside.  When it rains a good portion of the trail becomes flooded but is passable.  We could not get across the water to view the waterfall without getting wet.  So we decided to enjoy the fresh clear water and wade through the water at the top of the falls.  We were able to sit on the edge and enjoy our lunch before our hike back.  And of course take in the view of the beautiful falls.

Next we hiked to the Ice Caves.  The trail to the cave door was a slight challenge since the rocks were wet from recent rain.  There were wooden stairs and rock stairways.  Going through the caves was the easy part.  Wooden walkways were installed inside the caves along with solar lights to illuminate your way.  It is definitely colder inside the caves!  Once out of the caves there is a nice view of NY again.  We sat on the rocks and ate our mid-afternoon snack here.  I remember having blisters on my heels after this long day.  But well worth it!  You can't find hikes like this just anywhere.  

Time to Catch Up

On January 6th and February 11, 2012, we traveled to Devils Den Preserve in Westport, Connectiut.  The first time we hiked the trails at Devils Den, we logged approximately 6 miles.  We focused on the inner loop by taking the red and white trails.  We went off course a little to check out the vistas.  One is a small waterfall on the Ambler Trail that has a walkway over it.  The others are more lookout points, but they are overgrown.  It's too bad that there is not much of a view to take in.  On our second visit we hiked the yellow trail for a majority of the time.  We successfully made it 8.5 miles.  We stopped at another lookout but we were disappointed again...no view.  The trails themselves were not strenuous and there were many wooden platforms/bridges to cross in the water logged areas.  All in all not too bad for a day hike on the weekend.    

                                  

Relocated

We have officially moved to Danbury, CT!  Things have been a bit crazy for the past few weeks.  First preparing to move, and now getting settled in.  Hopefully we will be back on the trail in a couple weeks.  Now that we have moved north in CT, more trails are available to us.  Meaning...less of a drive for beautiful scenery and fresh air.  We can't wait to go exploring!

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. 

 

 

 

Owen D. Young School Trail 7/21/2012

Jordanville, NY - July 21, 2012.  Owen D. Young Central School District the Robert B. Woodruff Outdoor Learning Center.  This spot is a gem!  Mark was here when he was a child and had remembered the caves, he wanted to show Mackenzy and I.  This is medium level hike on a short trail.  The first scenic spot is a small waterfall.  A little further down the trail there is access to the stream and a mini waterfall.  Just down the trail are the caves.  A small crawl through spot leads to an area where about 3 or four adults can stand up.  Another cave you can walk into but getting out requires the use of your upper body.  A narrow break in the rocks allows you enough room to get out by using your arms to pull your body out.  A little more difficult for adults than kids.  But we all made it!  Mackenzy found a crawl through space that only she was able to fit.  Next to the caves was a wooden platform with stairs leading down to a larger waterfall and a nice area to walk around in the water.  You could also climb up to the top of the waterfall for a nice view.  The rocks were a little slick when climbing to the top of the fall, but not too bad.  Just use your best judgement.  We spent some time enjoying the cool water on our feet.  It was quite refreshing and the water was so clear.  After the pit stop we continued to the end of the trail.  Surprise…another waterfall.  This one was a lot higher but only a small stream flowing this time of year.  There was a downed tree across the ravine that Mark sat on in front of the waterfall.  A nice chill spot to enjoy nature.  

Moss Island, Little Falls, NY

Moss Island in Little Falls, NY.  We have been to Moss Island 2 or 3 times now.  It is a nice short hike off exit 29A of the NYS Thruway.  You have to walk over Lock 17 to get to the island that sits on the Mohawk River.  Rock climbing is also easily accessible here.  The hike itself is pretty easy.  Trees, grass and rock formations add to the serenity of this hidden gem.  There are trails through the rock that lead you to a mini beach on the river.  Parking is free.  I have seen people fishing there as well…it is right on the river.  Remember to bring your bug spray too!

Hudson Highlands in NY.  We didn’t quite make it to the top since it is a tough hike for a 6 year old.  But we all enjoyed the challenge of hiking a section of the Breakneck Ridge Trail which was practically vertical.  You were always stepping up.   A strenuous hike, and probably not a good choice if you have bad knees.  The view from about 75% of the way up is stunning.  It was a new experience to look down at the Hudson River from somewhere besides a bridge.  We hope to go back and make it to the top, and possibly complete the entire 5.5 mile hike.  

Kaaterskill Falls in Saugerties, NY and the Saugerties Lighthouse.  Our 1^st hike together.  The walk to the lighthouse is a breeze.  It’s a nice little lighthouse to walk around and take pictures of.  The hike to Kaaterskill Falls is a moderate hike.  There is a small parking lot just up the road from the trail entrance.  The pathway is mostly rocks that are easy to walk on.  It’s all up hill.  There are 2 waterfalls that come together at the trail end.  The upper waterfall flows down into the lower.  There is an unmarked trail that you can take to the upper waterfall, but it is a little risky.  It is very narrow and one slip could take you down the edge.  If you are capable of accessing this trail, do it because you could probably jump in the water up there.  There is also a short trail down another road that takes you to the top of the falls.  People have been carving their names in the stone at the top of the falls since the late 1800s.