Start: Rte 49 at Johnson Rd
End: Wyassup lake Rd by gate.
Planted car at end and J and S dropped us off at Rte 49.
Followed Narragansett Trail, point to point. nice trails, which like other sections were crisscrossed by multiple single track trails and old cart roads, some you could almost drive a car on. Trail condition was fair with a lot of blow downs and such, trail markings confusing at times we missed two turns and a few others had unclear intersections.
Right at the beginning, the trail follows a little steam that meanders north, minimal evidence of foot traffic here unlike some others where heavy ATV use has exposed roots and rocks and black mud. Once on higher ground and following endless stone walls I saw some barbed wire fence on a tree, I wondered how much time has passed since these were fields and how old the trees were? Old as me?
This trail is known for some high cliffs with views, we kind of missed the second one (High ledge) as we came to an unmarked fork with equally worn paths, I took the low one and probably would have gone back up if not for a couple of hikers following me who went that way. So I missed the views of the water.
I saw a big black snake stretched perpendicular to the trail maybe about 4-5 feet. Dom must have walked right over it and I didn't notice it until I had passed it.
A lot of wet spots made worse by ATM wear, rocky ledges and hemlocks,
It was supposed to be a perfect day but it was overcast for all the hike and no rain, all the trees couldn't see the sky anyway. Got my first mosquito bite of the year.
Length of days hike; Undetermined. 5-6 miles by time estimate
next leg: Wyassup Lake Rd to Ryder Rd, Narragansett Trail.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Day 2, 17 May 2008
Start: Sand Hill Rd
End: Johnson Rd(just off Rte 49)
This was another loop, going west on the Narragansett Trail to rte 49 and then returning on Rte 49 and Sand Hill Rd.
A Saturday, it was raining when I got up, but stopped early and an at some point in the walk cleared up so nicely that by the time I got to Tom Wheeler Rd there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The first part of this goes over several vernal brook crossing that were flowing, the section from Tom Wheeler to rte 49 crosses though a sportsman club that is posted "no hikers" from Oct to March. There was some sort of child's fishing derby just starting other than that-like the last leg-I saw no other people on this hike
I had my reservations about walking the dog on Rte 49,which I know from bicycling but did it anyway, as I knew that the short section goes by some nice old farmhouses. A nice ridge view was offered over the fields. At one pinch point we were almost wiped out by an SUV, who seemed to speed up way past the posted 45 to make a point. An interesting thing seen was a stone milestone, age undetermined, "11 miles P.B." which I took to mean Pawcutuck Bridge way south, about 11 miles?
The return on Sand Hill Rd was nice and quiet, developed a little at first but with old farm sites at the end and then state forest.
We stopped to rest by a field that was full of singing warblers, some dancing close to us in the air and a few perched a few feet away on the branches. Once back in the state forest we came across a tiny waterfall, that came from a horizontal crack in a giant rock ledge
day's distance: 5.4 miles. Total distance: 9.9 miles. linear east/west in CT now 2.5 miles.
Next leg: Narragansett Trail from Johnson Rd to Wyapsup Lake.
End: Johnson Rd(just off Rte 49)
This was another loop, going west on the Narragansett Trail to rte 49 and then returning on Rte 49 and Sand Hill Rd.
A Saturday, it was raining when I got up, but stopped early and an at some point in the walk cleared up so nicely that by the time I got to Tom Wheeler Rd there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The first part of this goes over several vernal brook crossing that were flowing, the section from Tom Wheeler to rte 49 crosses though a sportsman club that is posted "no hikers" from Oct to March. There was some sort of child's fishing derby just starting other than that-like the last leg-I saw no other people on this hike
I had my reservations about walking the dog on Rte 49,which I know from bicycling but did it anyway, as I knew that the short section goes by some nice old farmhouses. A nice ridge view was offered over the fields. At one pinch point we were almost wiped out by an SUV, who seemed to speed up way past the posted 45 to make a point. An interesting thing seen was a stone milestone, age undetermined, "11 miles P.B." which I took to mean Pawcutuck Bridge way south, about 11 miles?
The return on Sand Hill Rd was nice and quiet, developed a little at first but with old farm sites at the end and then state forest.
We stopped to rest by a field that was full of singing warblers, some dancing close to us in the air and a few perched a few feet away on the branches. Once back in the state forest we came across a tiny waterfall, that came from a horizontal crack in a giant rock ledge
day's distance: 5.4 miles. Total distance: 9.9 miles. linear east/west in CT now 2.5 miles.
Next leg: Narragansett Trail from Johnson Rd to Wyapsup Lake.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Day One 13 May 2008
Today I started what has been a goal of mine: to take my dog for a walk across the state of Connecticut. She is barely a year old and loves to walk. I originally wanted to ride my bike across CT and the closest i came was a few years ago when I got was far as Newtown, when I had run out of time energy and desire.
Realizing that there this walking route will consist of mostly paved roads, I will see what I can do to includes as many open spaces as possible.
Today I started on the Narragansett Trail off of Yagoog Rd in Hopkinton, RI. This route I intended to do is one of the walks in the late Ken Weber's walk books. I figured it would be nice to start with a walk in the woods since I suspect most of this journey will be on roads.
This part of the trail is nice and contains one of my favorite trails, just below Green falls Pond there is nice hemlock glen above a rocky little stream. I haven't been out there in years.
I missed the Narragansett trail (yellow and blue)split going west and instead followed the Tippacansett Trail(yellow) : I didn't realize this until i approached Rte 138. There are several trails with different color blazes and I foolishly missed my turn. That added almost 3 miles to our trip.
My puppy Domino is a 14 pound bundle of joy: her mother is half Corgy and half Jack Russell and the father is rumored to a Bichon Frese. She loves walking and has a great trail sense. At 14 pounds she is about 100 pounds lighter than my last dog, a big black lab.
She is slowly getting used to water, though not a lab (yet) . On this walk we approached a little stream feeding into the pond, well the stream was covered with leaves and other debris, she thought it was solid trail and plop, down she went, she promptly got up and swam the 5-6 feet to the other side, her first swim.
The route: 4.5 mile loop from Ken Weber's book, the eastern section of the Narragansett trail back to RI border on the dirt road. Add 2.8 miles from the unintentional walk on the Tippacansett trail up to rte 138. East west distance across the state, about 1 mile.
Weather, nice sunny day started little cool finished low 60s. windy as heck, nice to hear new leaves in the breeze. highlights, Dom going for first swim, sitting by an old mill site and having an orange, white caps on Green Pond and that hemlock glen.
Next section: Narragansett trail fromYawgoog road to Rte 49 return as loop on rte 49 and dirt road.
Realizing that there this walking route will consist of mostly paved roads, I will see what I can do to includes as many open spaces as possible.
Today I started on the Narragansett Trail off of Yagoog Rd in Hopkinton, RI. This route I intended to do is one of the walks in the late Ken Weber's walk books. I figured it would be nice to start with a walk in the woods since I suspect most of this journey will be on roads.
This part of the trail is nice and contains one of my favorite trails, just below Green falls Pond there is nice hemlock glen above a rocky little stream. I haven't been out there in years.
I missed the Narragansett trail (yellow and blue)split going west and instead followed the Tippacansett Trail(yellow) : I didn't realize this until i approached Rte 138. There are several trails with different color blazes and I foolishly missed my turn. That added almost 3 miles to our trip.
My puppy Domino is a 14 pound bundle of joy: her mother is half Corgy and half Jack Russell and the father is rumored to a Bichon Frese. She loves walking and has a great trail sense. At 14 pounds she is about 100 pounds lighter than my last dog, a big black lab.
She is slowly getting used to water, though not a lab (yet) . On this walk we approached a little stream feeding into the pond, well the stream was covered with leaves and other debris, she thought it was solid trail and plop, down she went, she promptly got up and swam the 5-6 feet to the other side, her first swim.
The route: 4.5 mile loop from Ken Weber's book, the eastern section of the Narragansett trail back to RI border on the dirt road. Add 2.8 miles from the unintentional walk on the Tippacansett trail up to rte 138. East west distance across the state, about 1 mile.
Weather, nice sunny day started little cool finished low 60s. windy as heck, nice to hear new leaves in the breeze. highlights, Dom going for first swim, sitting by an old mill site and having an orange, white caps on Green Pond and that hemlock glen.
Next section: Narragansett trail fromYawgoog road to Rte 49 return as loop on rte 49 and dirt road.
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