2024 Marathon Level 2, Hike 12: "Birch-Well"

SUMMARY: This trek through the "Burritts Rocks" section of Indian Well and Birchbank will seem longer than 3.1 miles, so allow extra time! There's a total round-trip elevation gain of 750 feet, and one spot where you'll need to use your hands to scramble over a pile of fun or difficult boulders, depending on your perspective.  Cross hillsides covered with mossy rocks and hints of a river vista beyond the trees, culminating at the Birchbank Overlook. 

PLANNING NOTES: Avoid this hike if it is wet or icy, and allow extra time. Indian Well gets very busy on summer weekend afternoons, although you will be hiking through its quiet side. Cell reception is very poor in the parking area but improves as you climb up the slope. 

click map to enlarge

MAPS:  The official map for the Paugussett Trail is published by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA) in the Connecticut Walk Book, but the current version of this guidebook is outdated. Shelton maintains an overview map of the trail that can be downloaded here. Use our custom Google Map #2 to geolocate yourself while hiking (open this map before leaving home since there is poor cell reception in the parking area). 

PARKING: Indian Well State Park hiker lot, located on the left directly across the street from the main entrance to the beach and boat launch facilities.  If the gates are open, you can also park in the main lot and walk back across the street (free parking for cars with CT plates). 

CONDENSED HIKE DESCRIPTION: Take the white-blazed access trail steeply uphill and turn right to hike the blue-blazed Paugussett Trail northbound for over a mile. After the rock scramble, turn left onto Burritt's Bypass (blue/green), descend to rejoin the Paugussett Trail, and continue to the Birchbank Overlook. Return the way you came, except do not take Burritt's Bypass. 

FULL HIKE DESCRIPTION: From the parking lot, walk past the info kiosk and up the many steps of the white-blazed access trail. TURN RIGHT to follow the blue blazes of the Paugussett Trail northbound ("nobo") for over a mile. The first half mile is fairly easy (it will also be easy on the way back!).  After a several small intermittent brook crossings, you'll come to a year-round brook that trail maintainers have dubbed "Blowdown Brook" because so many trees have blown down next to it.  Natural stepping stones and a large sycamore tree mark the crossing. 

The hike will become more challenging from this point on. The trail heads relentlessly up "Hickory Hill" to skirt around the steepening rocky hillside. Old deeds referred to this area as "a place called Burritt's Rocks." The trail continues as best it can through this rocky area, descending to a brook we call "Border Brook" because it roughly marks the boundary between Indian Well State Park and the City's Birchbank Mountain Open Space. 

After crossing a little boulder field, there's a brief respite from the rocks as the trail heads up the hill, and then the real rocks start.  You'll probably need to use your hands to scramble over the section we unhelpfully call "the Boulders." On the other side of this rock jumble, is a large Aquarian water line buried across the trail, sending Birchbank well water to Means Brook Reservoir during times of drought. 

***Start looking for Burritt's Bypass Trail on the left, blazed blue/green. It's immediately after a little switchback in the trail, at the giant boulders the size of a garage. TURN LEFT onto this trail. This trail was designed to avoid the steep rocky descent of the blue trail (you'll come back that way because those rocks are fine going uphill, but may be treacherous downhill). 

Burritt's Bypass initially heads up and around a giant boulder, then levels out and passes by a scenic "cave" looking out across the river (during the offseason). An older version of the trail was here many years ago. If you look closely at the tree in front of the cave, you can see where an old blaze was covered up with brown paint.  The bypass trail crosses over a level rocky section before descending on packed dirt and rejoining the Paugussett Trail. Cross the rocks of "Benchmark Brook" (the same brook has a bench beside it down the hill), and you've survived the worst of Burritt's Rocks. Continue on up to the overlook, take a break, and enjoy the view. 

Note that if you're ambitious, it can be rewarding to add a loop while at Birchbank Mountain before returning the way you came. But for this hike we'll turn back around and retrace our steps (except do not use Burritt's Bypass). 

It's at this point that tired hikers sometimes wonder if it would be better to return via the road or train tracks. That is not recommended, and actually adds more mileage. You will be happy to know, however, that the return hike is easier and goes quicker because there is more downhill and less uphill.  And the last half mile will fly by.