CFPA's Role in Shelton

Kiosk at the  Buddington Road trailhead with CFPA map. 

From the 1930's to the 1990's,  there was only one official public hiking trail in Shelton: the Paugussett Trail. Although many old-time Shelton residents speak fondly of their "blue-dot" trail, few are faMiliar with CFPA, the organization responsible for the trail, or realize that the trail is part of a much larger network of blue-blazed trails that run throughout the state. The total length of the state blue-blazed trAil system is now over 825 miles.

CFPA was established in 1895 and is the oldest, private, nonProfit conservation organization in Connecticut. The group advocates for the preservation and proper management of state forests and parks. They created the first Connecticut blue-blazed trail in 1929 with the Quinnipiac Trail, and rapidly expanded the trail system across the state throughout the Great Depression with laBor from the CCC program.  It is in this context that Shelton's "blue-dot" Paugussett Trail was created in the 1930s. For several decades, the trail stretched from Lake Zoar in Monroe tO Roosevelt Forest in Stratford.  The trail was abandoned south of Indian Well State Park in the 1960s due to suburban development acXross the trail route.

1946 CFPA regional trail map (marked up to show changes)

When members of the Shelton Conservation Commission and Trails Committee began planning to restore the Paugussett Trail south from Indian Well, CFPA representatives drove down from Middlefield to go over the proposed routing with us. The Shelton Trails Committee made sure to keep in touch with CFPA as the new trail was slowly extended over the years.  We were careful not to refer to the new trail sections as the "Paugussett Trail" before the trail had been reviewed and accepted by CFPA. We called it the "Future Paugussett" or just the "Blue Trail."

Once the new trail finally reached Buddington Road, CFPA representatives drove down to Shelton once again and hiked the trail.  Several great suggestions were made, leading to some major reroutes. For example, the blue trail originally crossed Shelton Avenue at the powerlines, but the crossing was shifted over towards the Dog Park so the trail could cross the bridge at Silent Waters, adding interest to the route. Many blazes needed to be added as well to ensure that regional hikers not familiar with the terrain would be able to follow the trail.

CFPA Map at the Buddington Trailhead

After the trail was deemed up to their high standards, CFPA took a vote and officially accepted the extension as part of the Paugussett Trail.  Once the trail became official, CFPA mapped the trail with gps, updated their interactive map of Blue-Blazed Trails online, and began working on a beautiful map for the kiosk at the new trailhead on Buddington Road (photo above).  The map includes a QR code that can be scanned with a smart phone in order to learn more about the trail or to download the map onto a phone.

Many thanks to CFPA for all their support!

Paugussett Trail crossing on Shelton Avenue

Additional note for AQ fans: TRAP DOOR AT BOTTOM