Indian Well's Great Gully

"Great Gully" location at Indian Well State Park

 

The vast, mostly man-made gully at Indian Well State Park has cut the park in half and is getting close to  the Paugussett Trail. After every major storm, torrents of sand rush down the hillside and are dumped on Indian Well Road.

Much of the sand likely washes into Lake Housatonic, filling in the reservoir that generates hydroelectricity.  With no efforts to stop it, the head of the gully advances up the hill a few feet every year towards the homes along Village Drive. 

It's not easy walking up the gully, but you can do it. Park at the hiker lot located just across the street from the main park entrance to the beach and boat launch facilities. This is where a white-blazed trail goes steeply up the hill towards the Paugussett Trail. Instead of going up the trail, follow the utility road off to the right (north), through an open area with giant piles of sand, until you reach the normally dry streambed. Just go up that, dodging fallen trees. 

Undermined trees fall into the gully

If you're a geology geek, you'll love this. There are glacial sediments deposited by temporary glacial lakes. There's lots of unstable sand and obvious bedding. 

The lower parts almost never have water in them. 

As you proceed up the gully, it gets larger and steeper. You probably can't get out of it by climbing up the sides at this point. 

Approaching the head of Great Gully.

The rock under foot is loose, so bring a walking stick and some good boots. 

Pass under some roots next to 'the island'

Nearing the top, there is an island of sorts on the left that will eventually collapse, but for now a large Black Birch is hanging on to dear life. Duck under some tree roots to reach the head of Great Gully. 

The head of the gully

The head of the gully is constantly changing as it chews its way up the hill. As of 2023, it's now wide enough to enter from below. For a few years, it was as narrow as a construction trench and 12 feet deep. Very unsafe to enter. But it's pretty wide this year. Sadly. 

Head of Great Gully

The gully is both interesting (for geology nerds) and tragic. The way to stop it from getting worse is to stabilize the head. That's where water falls over the edge and eats away at the bottom, undermining the layers above until they collapse. There are engineering ways to do this, but the state has taken no interest. 

While there was undoubtedly always a stream channel here, Giant Gully is man-made. The houses and roads up the hill off Village Drive were built back before stormwater measures were required. If the housing developments were built today, a stormwater detention pond would probably be required so that floodwaters from the roads, driveways, and rooftops don't immediately wash into the stream channel.  The steep slope and sandy soil are no match for the uncontrolled runoff from these hard, man-made surfaces, and there is no room up above for a retro detention pond. The only solution is to come in from below and stabilize the head of the gully. It will be easier to do it now than later when it gets near the houses on Village Drive. 

Birchbank Trail Register Removed

If you're wondering why there is no longer a logbook in the Birchbank Trail register up at the overlook, this is why: blank and wasted space. Something apparently contagious began happening a few months ago.  A lot of people started skipping pages and lines in the logbook, or scrawling across the diagonally in huge letters. We used to get maybe 3-5 entries per page. Occasionally someone would waste space in the logbook, but it was the exception and not a big deal. It used to look normal, like this: 

Normal logbook entries from back in 2020

Pretty neat, right? A full logbook was our souvenir for maintaining the trail. It's no different that having a guest book for a cottage where you let your friends stay. 

And then shortly after starting the latest new logbook, several people in a row had entries with oversized writing, skipped lines, starting new pages when there was lots of room on the previous page, and even skipping entire pages. People started to think everyone is entitled to use one full page for a few lines of text, and the next person should start a new page. This was a new, leather-bound logbook we volunteers placed there on our own time and with our own money, so that was a little sad. 

But maybe people were simply not familiar with trail register logbooks and what the tradition is. These books are normally in the back country, so they crammed with ink (small print) and very little blank space. I started leaving notes in the book asking people not to skip pages and so forth. Every time I got to the logbook, the note was stuck in the back and the new entries were just a ridiculous as before. 

Lots of blank pages between entries

Lots of half-filled pages

Why write so big? Leave space for others.

Two entire pages for one group of hikers 

So I gave it one last shot. I taped a typed message to the cover pleading with people to not leave a lot of empty space and to finish each page before starting a new one ("please please please"). Then I clamped the earlier pages shut so people couldn't use those as an example. It didn't work.  Soon after, Stephen asked people if they were planning on following the rules on the cover "asking for a friend." And then unironically says "Spread love, be kind." The next entry skips to the next page. The one after that starts yet another page. It's all mostly blank space.  

The response to our request to not leave a lot of blank space.

What is so strange is that we didn't used to have the problem, and suddenly we did. I think a lot of people visiting this trail register have no experience with them and were just copying what other people did. So long as the first several pages were done by people using common sense and respect for the volunteers who maintain the trail they were enjoying, this worked. But then when a bunch of people in a row started setting a bad example, it was all over. 

The bottom line is that we've given up on maintaining a logbook for now. It was nice while it lasted, and our 2020 logbook is a real keeper. This one, not so much. 

Revisiting the Paugussett Relo near Buddington

View from the new trail location

Late last fall, the Trails Committee & volunteers relocated a section of the Paugussett Trail in order to get it away from some towers that were going to be replaced in 2023.  The original route used the access road for a bit and then went directly under one of the old towers. The relocation has allowed the trail to remain open at the south end near Buddington Road during Eversource's "Pootatuck Rebuild Project," and the new route is working out  pretty well. There's even a nice mountain laurel show going on right now. 

The original route went right beneath the tower

The new route crosses the powerline corridor a bit to the north of the original route, down at the bottom of a ledge outcrop instead of up on top where the towers are. There is no utility access road in this stretch, since the next set of towers are accessed from the opposite direct (Oak Valley).  So there is a clearing, and lines overhead, but no road. Here's what it looks like now: 

The new route begins (northbound)

Crossing under the powerlines

Crossing the powerline corridor below the ledge

Trail goes through the laurel tunnel

Back in the trees

Trails Day 2023; Housatonic Woods Preserve

We had a great inaugural hike on Woodsend Trail for CT Trails Day.  The weather cooperated and it was cool and breezy rather than raining.  The Connecticut Forest and Parks Association was coordinating hundreds of outdoor events around the state this weekend.

The starting point was at the Woodsend Avenue trailhead.  There were 22 people plus 3 dogs from Shelton, Monroe, Ansonia, and Stratford.  We had good representation from the Shelton Trails Committee, Conservation Commission and Shelton Land Trust on the hike, and at least one neighbor who joined us.

The new trail was built this spring following purchase by the City of an open space property from a local family.  That parcel connected several other open space properties, including a Shelton Land Trust parcel with the Paugussett Trail, which allows for a larger band of open space; hence the new Housatonic Woods Preserve and Woodsend Trail.

There were plenty of take aways at the sign up station, with Royal Bakery doughnuts, and including previous blog posts of all the great work by volunteers in constructing the new trail.

And we got away just after 10:30.   We split into 2 groups for various speeds on the moderately difficult hike.

Mike Flament made sure none of us got lost on the way in acting as sweeper.  The trail tread was mostly dry, with a few wet spots.  The vegetation had grown in some during the last two weeks, and the views of the Housatonic River were mostly green now.  We did note the old charcoal mound and the areas of the previous debris removal looked great.

Everyone got thru the "Tangerine Squeezer" OK.  

There were a number of stone wall crossings along the hillside.

Ellen Cramp was leading over some of wetland crossings.

A lot of trail work had been done this spring to make the trail tread easier to walk.  When the water is running you can hear it going underground.

All the blow downs had been cleared and all the little stream crossings seemed in good shape.

There were a lot of areas along the Paugussett Trail with much more light coming thru the tree canopy.  The Beech Leaf Wilting Disease is taking a toll on the beech trees.  The beech leaves get all wilted and fall off, and it's thought we may loose all our beech trees in the next few years. This is on top of Beech Bark Disease, which has been afflicting the trees for years. 

Joe Welsh from the Shelton Land Trust was explaining some of the problems facing the beech trees and how their loss might impact the composition of Connecticut's forests.

There were a lot of nice sights along the trail.  A bobcat was spotted at the detention ponds below Sinsabaugh Heights after the first group went thru.  It was camera shy and bounded up the hill before we could get a picture of it.

We stopped and admired all the work done by trail volunteers in the boulderfield and along the switchback on the way back to the trail head.  It makes for a very nice 2 mile loop with lots of connections to various neighborhoods.

Lee and everyone else made it back thru the Tangerine Squeezer.  The Squeezer is a little easier to navigate going back uphill.  It's a moderately challenging trail, with a lot of interesting spots.  

After the hike we let everyone know that Celebrate Shelton was having a Food Trucks on the River event on the Riverwalk in downtown Shelton.

Some hikers ventured down to enjoy the bands, vendors, and food trucks.  It was a festive way to finish a Trails Day hike.  Nice that that was scheduled for the same weekend as Trails Day.

Also after the hike, after putting away some of the gear in the Shelton Trails Barn.  I noticed some guy attacking the Japanese knotweed along Nells Rock Road near the Barn.  It turned out to be Bob Woods, who decided to get rid of some invasive species on Trails Day.  Good work Bob.

It was a successful 2023 Trails Day.  We christened a new trail, folks got to do some exploring, saw some wildlife, and we didn't loose too many hikers.

Eversource Tower Project Along the Trails

Partly dismantled old towers and the new monopole replacements
along the Paugussett Trail

Eversource's "Stevenson to Pootatuck Rebuild Project" is in full swing throughout Shelton Lakes and French's Hill, with new towers being installed and the old ones taken down. Additionally, there are plenty of newly constructed or enlarged gravel access roads and pads impacting the trails.

Gravel access road and timber matt pad as seen from Nells Rock Trail

The work stages seem to leapfrog up and down the powerline corridor, so the outsider has no way to predict what's coming next, except that the work is generally going from south to north (work at French's Hill only just recently commenced). New monopoles have popped up seemingly far in advance, surrounded by the old towers.

Timber matt and new monopoles ready to be installed.
This is a new pole location on the Paugussett Trail near 
Independence Drive

Close up of the new monopole foundation

One of the old towers

For any given location, the first step involves crews preparing an accessway and construction pads. These pads may be made of gravel or temporary timber mats (mats are used in sensitive areas such as wetlands). The accessway and pad need to be large enough to accommodate the cranes and drilling equipment that will be used. Additional space is required on the pad for staging materials. In some areas, extensive grading and chipping away of ledge had been necessary. Subsequently, another crew arrives to drill foundations for the new monopoles. In cases where the rock is particularly hard, the drilling process can take a considerable amount of time. Once the foundation is complete, yet another crew installs the new monopole. The wires are then transferred from the old tower to the new monopole, and the top half of the old tower is sawed off and left nearby in a crumpled state.

Rec Path near Great Ledge (Oak Valley/Wesley Drive)

The Eversource crews, who are actually subcontractors, have placed "trail closed" signs wherever our hiking trails intersect or follow the powerline corridor. They have also erected construction fencing across the trail, which we suggested they do because our experience shows that some trail users disregard signs and pass through the Trails Committee's active work zones, even under leaning trees that are in the process of being cut down with a chainsaw. We've encountered people without basic survival skills sneaking up behind someone using a gas-powered brush cutter with blades that can easily cut through small trees. Therefore, we warned the Eversource staff to expect that some trail users would ignore the signs.

Construction fence blocking trail was down early
(Nells Rock Trail)

And indeed, that's exactly what has happened. The construction fencing across the trail has collapsed in some spots, and clear walk-around paths have been created. Eversource crews have reported incidents of mountain bikers and hikers passing through active work zones. In one instance, someone was even using one of their survey stakes as a walking stick (note: NEVER tamper with a survey marker, as it is against state law and can result in fines amounting to thousands of dollars).

One of the later signs
along the Paugussett Trail

To be fair, most of the closed trail sections are not under active construction at any given time. And many of the 'trail closed' signs had no explanation, especially the earlier signs. People may believe that the trail closures are merely a liability precaution, similar to a warning about hot coffee, and consequently choose to ignore the signs. We have received comments from trail users expressing frustration over trail sections being closed when no actual work is being conducted there. Some people have a particular route they walk or run every day, and have been doing so for years. 

Explore our other trails!

We encourage people to explore alternatives to Shelton Lakes and French's Hill and try out some of our other excellent trails. Boehm Pond offers a couple of nice loops that are relatively easy, as does Nicholdale Farm/Willis Woods. There's also the new Woodsend Trail, along with the hilly trail systems at Birchbank, Indian Well, and Tahmore Preserve. You can find maps for all these trails on the Conservation Commission's website. Additionally, there is a custom Google Map featuring all the trails and parking areas, which can help you locate yourself along the trails or provide driving directions.

Woodsend Trail Completed

Approaching the Tangerine Squeezer 

Add another mile to our trail inventory, because the new orange-blazed Woodsend Trail is finished. This is located in Housatonic Woods Preserve above Indian Well.  Sure, there are a couple problem spots that need improvement, but that's true of most trails.  The trail map is now posted on the Conservation Commission's webpage (sheltonconservation.org).  Our Trails Day hike will mark the formal grand opening on the first Saturday in June (see the events link in the menu for more info.). This will be a two-mile lollipop loop hike. 

The new trail was cut during the back half of winter so that we could better see the terrain and work around all the wet spots you get that time of year. Also, no wasp attacks. So it's fun to walk the completed project and see everything green up and come to life along the trail for the first time. 

Take a virtual tour of the lollipop loop in early spring. There's lots of variation on this hike, from open woodlands, to cliffs, to overgrown pastureland filled with dense shrubs. We'll start at the junction of Woodsend Ave and Cynthia Drive (gps address is 50 Woodsend Ave.) Follow the orange trail markings past the guardrail and head gradually down the hill. You're above Route 110 and will get some road noise. 

The hillside below Woodsend Avenue

Eventually the trail levels out and joins an old road used by charcoal-makers back in the day, then climbs modestly to a plateau with seasonal views of the Housatonic River. There's a circular mound surrounded by a ditch marking the spot where colliers made charcoal from logging the surrounding trees. In the center of the mound are bits of charcoal. An info sheet was tacked to a tree nearby with a sketch showing what the area would have looked like. 

Charcoal mound site

The charcoal plateau has seasonal views of the river

This trail is moderately difficult and therefore not for everyone. It's mostly not that bad, however. There are hills to go up, brooks without bridges, and uneven footing. A walking stick or trekking pole may help. There is really only one spot that gives some people pause, especially those with shorter legs, and that's the Tangerine Squeezer. You have to squeeze between a large tree and some ledge, with the ground dropping off steeply on the back side of the tree. It's actually not as bad as it first looks; you just need to know where to put your feet. Most people find it fun, especially after they pass through it and find it's not as bad as they thought. 

Tangerine Squeezer

Once through the Tangerine Squeezer, you are in The Passageway through a series of cliffs that rise up above Indian Well and Route 110. To the left, the cliffs drop down to Route 110 and there are more seasonal views of the river. To the right, the cliffs rise up the backside of Cynthia Lane, although you cannot see the houses. Upon exiting The Passageway, the trail switchbacks down the hillside and crosses a shallow brook that descends a boulderfield. We creatively call it Boulder Brook. 

The switchback coming down out of The Passageway

This area took a LOT of work. Multiple work parties with crews of teenagers helping to dig and move boulders.  The end result was better than expected when the route was first flagged. 

Coming up on Boulder Brook

There are a lot of invasive plants throughout Housatonic Woods Preserve, including acres and acres of Japanese Barberry, Burning Bush, and Bittersweet. But if you arrive at Boulder Brook in early spring, you may see some Dutchman's Breeches or Trillium. 

Trillium and Wild Leeks

Woodsend Trail comes to a junction with the Woodsend Connector, blazed blue/orange) shortly after crossing Boulder Brook. This is 0.5 mile from the beginning. This is where the one-mile loop begins.  Continue straight, following the orange blazes. (If you were to go left onto the connector trail, you would quickly arrive at the Paugussett Trail near Rt 110 and could cross the highway and enter Indian Well State Park). 

Junction with the Woodsend Connector Trail (blue/orange)

The trail now heads gradually but relentlessly up the hill away from Route 110, leaving the road noise behind you. Near the top of the hill, the landscape looks much different than the open woods you were walking through previously. This land is an overgrown pasture infested with invasive plants. Japanese Barberry is a thorny shrub that livestock will not eat, so it tends to invade pasturelands and then really take off when the pasture is abandoned. The trees are younger and smaller here, and under assault by Bittersweet vines large enough to require a chainsaw to cut. 

Heading through the Barberry section, an old pasture

The trail brushes the backside of Sinsabaugh Heights, then comes to a "T" with the blue-blazed Paugussett Trail. From here, you could follow the blue blazes right to Shelton Lakes and Buddington Road, or left all the way to Birchbank Mountain or Webb Mountain Park in Monroe and beyond. For this lollipop loop, we'll go left down the hill for just under half a mile. 

Paugussett Trail

The blue blazes descend the hill gradually as the trail heads towards Indian Well State Park. There are seasonal views of the Housatonic Valley, along with the houses on Housatonic Rise. In the summer the trail feels more private. The woods become more open as you descend, although there are still many invasive plants in through here. 

Paugussett Trail

Keep an eye out for the junction with the blue/orange connector trail on the left and take that when you get to it. (If you miss it, you'll come to Route 110). Follow the blue/orange blazes across the hillside just 0.1 mile back to the junction with Woodsend Trail. 

Blue/orange Woodsend Connector Trail

When you get back to the orange-blazed Woodsend Trail, you've completed the loop portion of this hike. Take a right and head back across Boulder Brook, The Passageway, Tangerine Squeezer, and past Charcoal Plateau. Climb the hill back to the parking area. This last climb may feel like the hardest!