What's new: Spring Hikes are posted.
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CURRENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, Apr. 19, 8:45am, FCE Hikes Begin
Please call FCE at 860-404-0290 and register for Course NAT102 "Hikes", or click here to enroll on-line. Distances will be about 4 - 6 miles, with back-to-cars goal before 12:30pm. Also see Hiking Notes.
First Hike of the Season POSTPONED TO END OF SEASON DUE TO THE WEATHER
Meet at 8:45 at McLean Game
Refuge Trails in Granby for a 3.5 to 4 mile hike through the McLean Trails to
include the Horse Trail, the North Trail and the Blue Loop. This is a moderate
hike through the woods and fields and along the creeks that are part of McLean.
From Simsbury take Route 10/202 to Granby. Trailhead will be on the left. L: Tom
Iezzi 860-413-2627(H); 860-856-1753 (C),day of the hike.
Questions? The leaders' contact information is on the Hiking Notes page.
Thursday, April 26, 8:45 am, FCE - Northwest Park, Windsor
We’ll meet in the parking lot at 145 Lang Road. It’s a 5 mile moderate hike on Brookside Trail (purple) to Rainbow Reservoir Trail (pink) to Wetland Forest Trail (yellow) to Pond Trail (blue) to Hemlock Trail (white). Click here for their trail map.
You can visit the Nature Center afterwards; the gift store sells their maple syrup and/or honey. L: Grant Summers, 401-575-0343
Tue., May. 1, 9am, AMC - Fisher Meadows, Avon
775 Old Farms Road, Avon. Explore Fisher Meadows Recreation Area. This hike is flat. No peaks to seek here. It is on a combination of gravel roads and hiking trails along Spring Lake and the Farmington River. Not a rail trail. It will be less than 5 miles at a comfortable pace depending on the group. Bring a snack. Bring a lunch. Weather permitting, we can have a picnic lunch at the end of the hike. There are picnic tables at the parking lot. You don't have to carry your lunch on the trail, so feel free to bring a feast. The usual: dress for the weather and bring enough water. Meet at the parking lot to the right of the entrance by Spring Lake at 9:00 AM for a 9:15 start.
Directions: GPS Ref. 775 Old Farms Road, Avon. From the West: Take I-84 Exit. 39 to center of Farmington. Turn right on Waterville Road, Rte.10. At the next light turn left onto Old Farms Road. Parking area is 0.2 miles on the right. From the East: Take I-84 Exit 39 to center of Farmington. Follow directions above. L Alfred McGunnigle (860-335-9476, bigalmcg@comcast.net)
Thursday, May 3, 8:45 am, FCE - Sessions Woods, Burlington
Distance 4.3 miles. Meet at the Trail Head north of the Education Center at Sessions Woods Wildlife Management Area, 341 Milford St, (Rte 69) Burlington, CT. This is a moderate hike on Beaver Pond Trail and Mainline Tunxis Trail returning via the Nature Center Connector. L: Dick Trask 860 670 2353 trask.dick@yahoo.com
Thursday, May 10, 8:45 am, FCE, Dennis Hill State Park, Norfolk
With somewhat limited parking at Dennis Hill, please meet for a carpool at 8:45 am at Canton Park and Ride, intersection of Rtes. 179 and 44. For those who must travel alone, google Dennis Hill State Park in Norfolk CT and we will meet there at 9:15.
This is a short (2.34 miles modified loop) and moderate hike, and we should be back to Canton before noon. Bring a snack for munching while enjoying two overlooks from which Peter Marteka claims as "the best overlook mix with not one, but two overlooks" in Connecticut. L: Ed Shaskan (H) 860-561-0040 (C) 860-833-8009 Hike Day
Thursday May 17, 8:45 am, FCE - Breezy Hill Farm Loop, Canton POSTPONED TO JUNE 21st
We will be hiking 2 1/2 hours on several Canton Land Trust properties that encircle the Breezy Hill Farm. Meet at the Sun, Wind, and Woodland property parking lot. Take Route 44 past the Saybrook Fish House toward New Hartford. R onto Indian Hill Rd. until it ends. R on Breezy Hill Road. Go to the top of the hill past the red house on the left, and the Sun, Wind, and Woodland parking lot will be on your left with a big yellow sign and a kiosk. We will hike the Sun, Wind, and Woodland property, the Sweeton Trail, and the Breezy Hill Farm. Reference: Canton Land Trust. L: John Vibert JohnVibert@aol.com (860-675-7007) (cell 860-874-3747)
Thursday, May 24, 8:45 am , FCE -- Tunxis Trail, Devil's Kitchen, Burlington
Park at the Sessions Woods Education Center, just off Rt. 69. The hike will start on the right-hand side; off the gravel parking lot. Continuing our exploration of the Tunxis Trail in Burlington, we will hike a 4.8 mile loop section of the Tunxis Trail, which includes the "Devil's Kitchen," a beautiful box canyon. CWB map TU-3b. L: John Vibert JohnVibert@aol.com (860-675-7007) (cell 860-874-3747)
Thursday, May 31, 8:45 am, FCE, East-West Trail to Metacomet
We will meet at Penwood State Park parking lot on Rte. 185 in Simsbury. We will then car pool to "The Olde Bridge" (Flower Bridge) at the intersection of Drake Hill Road and Old Bridge Road, Simsbury. We will walk 10 minutes along a roadside to the trailhead and hike the Owen-Mortimer Trail through the Simsbury Land Trust of the same name and adjacent to Tanager Hill (SLT) to the East-West Trail. Departing from Tanager Hill area and the Power Line, we will then slowly ascend to Penwood Park and its yellow trail which we'll follow clockwise around Lake Louise in order to meet up with the Metacomet Trail. We will then hike in a southerly direction on the Metacomet back to cars at the Penwood Park lot and then car-pool back to Flower Bridge.
The hike is moderate but there is one steep area for about ¼ of a mile which we will ascend slowly. The entire hike, including car pool back to Flower Bridge should take no more than 3 hours. Heavy rain/possible thunderstorms will postpone hike.
L: Ed Shaskan (H) 860-561-0040 (C) 860-833-8009 Hike Day
Thursday, June 7, 8:45 am, FCE - Peoples State Forest, Barkhamsted
We will do the Charles Pack Trail, Agnes Bowen Trail & Beaver Brook Road Loop. Moderate terrain. Moderate pace with frequent stops to allow everyone to regroup and hike together.
Ample parking but try to carpool.
Meet: Big Spring Recreation Area. Take Route 44 to RT181/River Road, Barkhamsted. Continue on 181 to Park Road [DO NOT TAKE EAST RIVER ROAD]. Continue on Park Road to Greenwood Road. Turn left onto Greenwood Road. Big Spring Recreation Area is approximately 1/2 mile ahead.
NOTE: Group lunch to follow at Parrott Delaney Tavern, 37 Greenwoods Road, [NOTE: This is Greenwoods Road not Greenwood Road], New Hartford, CT, 860 379 0188. Click here for details and menu. This is the former Ovations Guitar Factory turned into a restaurant and entertainment venue. Moderate prices, separate checks, which should include tip. Need count on May 31st of how many plan to attend.
L: Jerry Marcum 860 810 0087
Thursday, June 14, 8:45 am, FCE - McLean, Granby (Postponed from April 19)
Meet at McLean Game
Refuge Trails in Granby for a 3.5 to 4 mile hike through the McLean Trails to
include the Horse Trail, the North Trail and the Blue Loop. This is a moderate
hike through the woods and fields and along the creeks that are part of McLean.
From Simsbury take Route 10/202 to Granby. Trailhead will be on the left. L: Tom
Iezzi 860-413-2627(H); 860-856-1753 (C),day of the hike.
Thursday June 21, 8:45 am, FCE - Breezy Hill Farm Loop, Canton (Postponed from May 17)
We will be hiking 2 1/2 hours on several Canton Land Trust properties that encircle the Breezy Hill Farm. Meet at the Sun, Wind, and Woodland property parking lot. Take Route 44 past the Saybrook Fish House toward New Hartford. R onto Indian Hill Rd. until it ends. R on Breezy Hill Road. Go to the top of the hill past the red house on the left, and the Sun, Wind, and Woodland parking lot will be on your left with a big yellow sign and a kiosk. We will hike the Sun, Wind, and Woodland property, the Sweeton Trail, and the Breezy Hill Farm. Reference: Canton Land Trust. L: John Vibert JohnVibert@aol.com (860-675-7007) (cell 860-874-3747)