America250 Paugussett Trail Timeline

"The Great Depression" blurb at Indian Well

For America's 250th birthday celebration, we've turned an 8-mile section of the Paugussett Trail into a timeline of U.S. and local colonial history. 

The idea began where the trail crosses Independence Drive and then Constitution Blvd North. What if that section of trail was turned into a timeline between 1776 and 1789?  And then we extrapolated further along the trail in both directions at that scale. The trailhead at Buddington Road would be about the time the Puritans first settled this area, and the far end of Birchbank Mountain at Round Hill Road would be 2026.  Perfect! So that's our timeline. Each year is about 114 feet.

There are now over 40 laminated history blurbs posted along the trail. They can only be seen if you are going northbound. We are not historians and the purpose of the timeline is not to provide a full history. It's to give a sense of scale. Of time passing. There are stretches of trail, especially the first part, where you can walk a long time without seeing much history. That's because nothing particularly memorable was happening. People were just living their lives, raising their families. But then something happens out of nowhere. As you're walking down the trail, you won't know quite what to expect.  You're just walking along and suddenly it's World War I.  

How to read trail blazes

Note that the Paugussett Trail is our most challenging hiking trail in Shelton.  Most of it is actually pretty easy, but you should know how to follow the blue trail markings (pay attention!) and be prepared for uneven footing and unimproved stream crossings. The section that crosses Burritt's Rocks at Indian Well & Birchbank is difficult and not recommended when wet. 

Resources (south to north):
Overview of the Paugussett Trail
Shelton Lakes Map (Paugussett Trail shown as blue dashed line)
Housatonic Woods Map
Tahmore Preserve & Indian Well State Park
Birchbank Mountain

Guide by Section:
1. Buddington Road to the Dog Park. This section is all local colonial history.  At Buddington Road, be sure to back into the parking lot. There are some rocky sections early on. When you come to the junction of Nells Rock Trail (marked white), carefully follow the blue blazes to the left and then to the right. When there are two offset blazes of the same color, the higher blaze indicates the direction of a turn. The trail will then come to a series of trail junctions and cross Oak Valley Road at Eklund Garden, so keep an eye on those blue blazes. 

2. Dog Park to Independence Drive. This section is the lead-up to the American Revolution. The Paugussett Trail is co-aligned with the Rec Path for awhile. You'll cross Shelton Ave at the crosswalk, and follow the Rec Path along Silent Waters. After leaving the old dam, watch for a left turn off the Rec Path. The trail soon splits, then splits again, before coming out to the powerlines, where you take a right. There is nothing to paint, so don't expect blue blazes. Follow the gravel utility road down the hill to Independence Drive and 1776. You can park along the street there. 

3. Independence Drive to Meadow Street/Mayflower Lane. This section includes the Revolution War and Constitution. The first part is known as the "Indy Link" and it has some rocks and roots in the woods. You'll come out along the powerlines for a bit. At Wellington Drive you should see the trail continue a bit to the left. At Constitution Blvd it goes up the gravel utility road to the gate and then into the woods. Lots of trail improvements in this section. At Meadow Street you will cross the road and walk down Mayflower Lane, keeping left at the split. Find the trail at the end of the cul-de-sac. 

4. Mayflower Lane to Indian Well Beach. This includes Housatonic Woods and part of Indian Well, covering much of the 1800s. It's all downhill from Mayflower to the Falls at Indian Well. A few rocky spots and brook crossings but not too bad. USE CAUTION CROSSING RT 110.  You'll drop down away from the highway pretty quickly to a surprisingly quiet part of the state park. When you come out of the woods, follow the paved old drive out to the Falls Parking Area (closed the past few years), cross Indian Well Road towards the falls, then take a right to cross Indian Hole Brook. If the water is high, you can use the road bridge instead. There are no history blurbs in this next section, which gets very busy. Follow blue all the way to the stop of the hill (not steep, but long). Take a 250-foot detour to the Housatonic Overlook. Seriously, do it. Return and follow the blue blazes left then right. When you come to a junction with a white trail heading downhill, that is the trail down to the beach, a good place to park. Note: There is no cell phone signal as you descend to the parking lot, but as you climb higher the signal gets better. 

5. Indian Well Beach to Round Hill Road.  This is the hardest section, covering WWI to the present day. Not recommended after a rain due to slick rock.  If you parked down by the beach, you'll go up what's left of 50 steps and turn right onto the blue trail. The first half mile is easy. Then you'll cross "Blowdown Brook" and start going up "Hickory Hill." Up up up. It will start getting rockier as the trail does its best to get around Burritt's Rocks. When you get to the next brook, that is the border between Indian Well State Park and the City of Shelton's Birchbank Mountain Preserve. Go up the hill and come to the boulder scramble. It's not long, but you'll need to use your hands.  After a short reprieve you'll come to a collection of huge boulders. ****TAKE BURRITT'S BYPASS TRAIL**** in this direction in order to avoid going steeply downhill on slick boulder slabs.  There are signs. The trail is marked with blue/green blazes.  (If you come back this way, return on the blue trail, it's perfectly fine going uphill). Burritt's Rocks comes to an end. Rejoin blue and continue to the Birchbank overlook. 

Go down the hill and follow the blue blazes to cross Upper White Hills Brook on stepping stones near an old chimney. Not recommended after heavy rain. Cut across the white-blazed Birchbank Trail carefully and continue to the junction of Round Hill Road and Okenuck Way, where there is space for several cars.