2017 Lollipop Hike #5: Birchbank Trail

SUMMARY:  Hiking this 1.5-mile "lollipop loop" is a good workout through one of our more remote and scenic parks along the banks of the Housatonic River. You will start on the blue blaze Paugussett Trail, intersect the Birchbank Trail, follow the trail loop counterclockwise for an elevation difference of 230 feet, and return via the blue blaze trail.

PARKING: Park at the intersection of Okenuck Way and Round Hill Road, GPS 26 Round Hill Road.

BLAZE COLOR: Blue to the White loop to return on Blue.

TRAIL MAP: See below

HIKE DESCRIPTION: We will be doing this "lollipop loop" counterclockwise. From the Round Hill Road parking space, follow the blue blaze Paugussett Trail into the woods until you arrive at the intersection with the white trail. Turn right up the hill with the stream to your left to reach the Birchbank Chimney in front of you, with the white blazes curving off to the right. This is what remains of the old Monroe Rod and Gun Club lodge.

After enjoying this location, find the white blazes, now taking you away from the stream, and continue on, eventually reaching the wooden bridge over Upper White Hills Brook and the trail curves left to take you back down the hill.  You will be following an old road for part of the ways, although it became so damaged from illegal ATV use we have had to reroute portions of the trail off of the old road.

(If you are interested in a detour to the beautiful Housatonic River Overlook, keep an eye out for blue blazes going off to the right about where the white trail leaves the old road. If you follow those blue blazes for 0.2 mile (and going up 80 feet), you'll get a great view. )

The blue-blazed Paugussett Trail will join this trail for a ways as you look down on the brook (now off of the old road) and you will see blue blazes on the trees next to the white blazes.  The blue blazes head off to the left towards the chimney, which you might be able to spot through the trees, and the white blazes curve right to link up with an old road again. Continue follow this, passing a junction with a trail that is getting a color change this year from blue to blue/white, and keep heading down the hill very gradually. Just before you reach the hairpin turn in the old road, there is a minor new reroute due to ATV damage. As of this writing, this route is cleared but not yet blazed.  If you follow it, you'll get a great view of the waterfalls and chutes of the brook.

Continuing on down the old road that is benched into the side of the hill, you will soon reach the bottom and turn left to follow an old logging road with white blazes. In April, there is an explosion of native woodland wildflowers in this flat stretch, but most of these plants die back and go dormant for the summer. The trail leads to a wooden bridge, after which the trail goes left and begins to climb parallel to the brook. This is a beautiful spot, with water chutes, slides, and falls. Continue up the hill with the stream to your left to reach the blue blazed trail on your right. Take the blue blaze trail back to your parked car.