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.