This level consists of our moderate hiking trails, and less specific directions will be given. These trail locations have multiple ways of getting there. Be sure to refer to a trail map. All our trail maps are on the Conservation Commission website under the "Trails" tab.
- Boehm Pond: Junction Yellow and White Trails. Boehm Pond is arguably the most overlooked trail system in Shelton. Click for Trail Map.
There are two miles of well-blazed trails arranged in loops. For the challenge, park at either of the two trailheads shown on the map, and use the map to find your way to the intersection of the Yellow and White Trails. Take a your photo so that the tree with both blaze colors is visible. - Paugussett Trail: Maybeck Stone Wall. The Paugussett Trail runs through Shelton and Monroe and is 13 miles long. Click for Trail Map.
For the challenge, you'll be walking the section located between Constitution Blvd North and Meadow Street. You can get to this section by following the blue trail blazes northbound from Shelton Lakes, or southbound from Indian Well. The closest parking is on Constitution Blvd North. From the Intermediate School, continue driving up Constitution Blvd almost to the very end, where there is a cul-de-sac, and park under the big powerlines.
From there, follow the blue blazes around the gate on the right and into the woods. The blazes will lead you to a crossing under the powerlines. After that, the trail follows a nice stone wall on the right with the Wiacek Meadow on the other side of the wall. This is great place to hang out and watch for wildlife such as deer, turkey, and even woodcock, which do a spring mating dance. Take your picture at the wall. - Nicholdale Farm: Youth Camp Fire Pit. Nicholdale Farm is owned and managed by the Shelton Land Trust. Click for Trail Map. Park at the main lot (#324 Leavenworth Rd). The lot is a little hard to see from the road, but is marked with a sign reading "Trailhead Parking."
Using the trail map, make your way south to the spot marked "Youth Camp" on the map. To get there, you can either follow the dark blue blazes of Nichols Trail or the unmarked mowed path that goes straight south through the meadows. At the camp, there are tables, a fire pit, and an outhouse. Scouting groups and others can reserve the site through the Land Trust. Take your picture at the camp. For a longer walk, continue just a bit further south to the yellow-blazed Pearmain Path. - Birchbank Trail: at the Chimney near Paugussett Junction. The lower elevations of Birchbank Trail are the best areas to see Spring wildflowers. Click for Trail Map. On the map, the chimney is marked with a red star. There are multiple ways to get to the chimney. One is by hiking Birchbank Trail, a "lollipop loop" blazed white.
To get to the Birchbank Trail trailhead, drive down Indian Well Road one full mile past the entrance to the beach at Indian Well. The Birchbank trailhead is located where the road jogs sharply to the right to cross the railroad tracks. There is a kiosk and room for two cars. Additional parking is available on the other side of the tracks.
From the kiosk, follow the white blazes a good ways until you cross over a pedestrian bridge. After the bridge, the white trail turns left and heads up the hill past the scenic cascades of Upper White Hills Brook. When the trail starts to level off, you'll see the blue blazes of the Paugussett Trail as it crosses Birchbank Trail. The chimney is then within sight, next to the brook. When you're done taking your picture, consider taking a left on the Paugussett Trail and heading up to the overlook, which is one of the challenge sites for Level 3. - Nells Rock Trails: Four Corners Sign. This part of Shelton Lakes is less crowded. Click for Trail Map. The spot we call "Four Corners" is the north intersection of Nells Rock Trail and the blue-blazed Paugussett Trail. It's located straight in from the Abbey Wright entrance to the trail system, which has a large parking area directly across the street from Chordas Pond and the L'Hermitage condominiums (use #160 Nells Rock Road in your GPS).
From the parking area, walk through the gate and continue on the old road blazed white until you get to the big junction with a brown and white router sign on a post indicating the many possibilities before you. Take your picture here, then continue on any way you choose. Turn right to arrive at Eklund Garden and Hope Lake; continue straight to reach Gator Glide (see challenge #7 below) and the Rec Path; or go left to wander about the more remote parts of the Paugussett and Nells Rock Trails. - Oak Valley Trail: Numbered Post at old SE access trail from Rt 108. Once again, there are many ways to get to this location. Click for Trail Map. For the purpose of this challenge, we'll avoid the more crowded options and have you start where the powerlines cross Shelton Avenue (use #300 Shelton Avenue for GPS). Park on the south side of the road, the same side that has a trail kiosk. Walk around the gate and follow the utility road a short ways until you see the red blazes of Oak Valley Trail.
Turn right to follow the blazes, soon crossing a wooden bridge. The trail is squeezed between a large swamp and Shelton Ave. Old deeds called the swamp "Cranberry Swamp." Were there cranberries? No one knows.
At the far end, an old access trail marked with small red squares will come in from the right. Look for a low 4x4 post nearby with a routered number on it, and take your picture there. At one time, we had quite a few of these numbered posts (waymarkers), which were shown on maps, to help people find their locations. Most people didn't understand what they were, however, and several went missing, so the idea was abandoned.
Keep following the red blazes of Oak Trail Trail and they will swing around around the swamp, follow an old roadbed, and join the Rec Path for a bit before diverging to the left. Eventually you'll be back at the powerlines near your car. - Nells Rock Trail: Gator Glide. There was that time our Trails Committee Chairman Bill Dyer drove the Trails Gator utility vehicle too fast over a rock formation in the middle of the trail and became completely airborne. It was very wet out at the time, and water was gliding over the rock. The rock has been known as "Gator Glide" ever since. Click for Trail Map.
From the Four Corners junction (see challenge #5 above), continue following the white-blazed old road as it heads south-ish towards the powerlines. Just before you get to the powerline clearing, the trail goes up a smooth rock formation with a seasonal swamp at the top. During the heaviest rains, water will spill out of the swamp and turn Gator Glide into a cascade. Take your picture here.
Just a bit further is another piece of ledge to climb up and then you are under the towers. From here you can turn left and follow the white blazes of Nells Rock Trail back to the parking lot on Nells Rock Road. - Basil Brook Falls near Wesley Drive/Rec Path. To see this spot at its best, try to visit after a heavy rain. The falls tend to dry up in the summer. Not many people know about this little trail to the falls. Click for Trail Map.
You can get to the falls from the Rec Path. On-street parking is at the "Upper Wesley Crossing" of the Rec Path (GPS #89 Wesley Drive). There will be a crosswalk for the Rec Path here. Look for a yellow-blazed trail starting on the south side of the road at the crosswalk. Follow the yellow blazes a very short ways to the waterfall and take your photo there.
When you're done, try following the blazes up the rocks and back towards the road. It's a tiny loop. From there, you might want to walk north up the Rec Path towards the powerlines, and maybe take Basil Brook Bypass back to make a loop. You can see this waterfall from Basil Brook Bypass, but from a different angle.
- Far Mill Falls - Land Trust trail off Commerce Drive. The Far Mill River roars down a pair of big scenic waterfalls just below Commerce Drive. Park alongside Commerce Drive opposite Enterprise Drive (get completely off the road - the curb has been modified to allow for cars to drive up it). There's a weathered sign kiosk there that says "Land Trust # 5". The access trail begins here.
Follow the very short trail down to a log bench, then look left down the hill for a couple more benches below that. You can hear the roar of the falls down below. Hurricane Sandy blew down a bunch of big trees over this area, messing it up a bit and blocking the view from the benches.
Head down the hill under the leaning beech tree that has an arrow on it pointing leftish, and you'll quickly come to the base of the twin falls. Take your picture here. After you're done, feel free to explore. There are no official trails, but it's easy enough to go up stream to another falls. From the benches, you can also wander through the trees on the hill to overlook some rapids. It's a beautiful area hiding just below the buzz of Commerce Drive. - Little Pond Trail (formerly listed as Pine Tree Pond), off Beech Tree Hill Road. This little trail is in the White Hills and although it's well blazed, very few people know it exists. There's a little pond at the end that can be fished for bass or sunnies. Set your GPS for 38 Beech Tree Hill Road (on-street parking only). From there, look for the white blazes heading east into the woods. You'll be at the pond in no time, where you can take your photo. (Trail cleared on July 20.)
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Are dogs allowed on or off leash on these trails?
ReplyDeleteNo, Dogs should be leashed on all Shelton trails per City Open Space regulations.
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