2017 Lollipop Hike #9: Abbey Wright Loop

SUMMARY:  This is a relatively easy 1.6 mile trek through woodlands with an old farm road and a few short uphill stretches. You will pass wetlands and cross utility power lines. The area is crisscrossed with several trails, so watching for the blaze colors is important. Due to occasional obstructions and rough terrain, the use of child strollers is discouraged. There may be some wet areas in the vicinity of the power lines, so proper footwear is recommended.

PARKING: Park at the open parking area on Nells Rock Road, opposite the pond at L’Hermitage, GPS 172 Nells Rock Road.

BLAZE COLOR: White, short section of Blue.

TRAIL MAP: Hike route shown in orange

HIKE DESCRIPTION: From the parking area proceed through the fence opening, bearing to the right past the kiosk. In a short distance you will be on an old farm road. After a few hundred yards you will come to the “Four Corners”, an intersection of trails. Take a left. You will see a blue blaze, but after 100 ft. the trail splits off, blue to the right, white to the left. Take the left trail, and in another 100 feet there will be a trail going left, but you continue straight ahead.

Stay on this path for quite a distance, slowly curving to the right before straightening out. You will come to a trail going right and left. Take a left, slightly uphill. Continue as it starts downhill and levels out. Watch for the sharp turn on the right, heading back uphill. Keep on this white-blazed trail, ignoring a blue blaze side trail on the right. Continue on until you come to a split in the trail. Stay on the right, going up an incline to the utility power lines.

At the opening you will pass under a tower and over a rocky ledge until you come to a utility access road (if you could call it a road). Take a right on this road and follow it over two small hills. Ignore the side trails that indicate “Basil Brook Bypass”. You will see a second set of towers on your right. At the top of the hill the trail goes off to the right alongside the second of the two towers. If you had continued straight you would have stumbled upon the Rec Path.

After a short stretch of climbing down rock outcroppings the trail winds through some mountain laurel then opens up until you reach the “Four Corners” again. You’ve completed the loop part of the lollipop! Keep going straight to return to the parking area.