Wadsworth Falls, Middlefield CT

Wadsworth Falls State Park is a nice little group of woods between Middletown and Middlefield.. The main park with formal entry (fee) showcases some great hiking trails. However- If you are ever in the area i would advise a visit to the small (free) park that houses one of the best waterfalls in the state.
Besides having a great waterfall- within a quick walk from the parking area, you can be walking along small trail that follows the Coginchaug River.
It's also a great place to set up a nice picnic- bring a lunch and some bocce balls, and just relax to the waterfall crashing in the background. And for the photographers- bring your cameras because the waterfall is awesome in any season!
Here's a close up shot of the falls with the water level lower than usual. Sometimes you catch it pouring thousands of gallons per second... sometimes it's just a trickle, the waterfall is always different- which makes it unique!
Wadsworth Falls full view, what a great spot to appreciate- with everything going on in the world it's nice to know you can make a quick stop and just experience such great nature. Here's some wiki info for you- "The falls are named after Clarence C. Wadsworth, who owned the property where the park now exists. He had a fine reputation in academics, and studied linguistics avidly. He settled in Middletown Connecticut, home of Wesleyan University- it became his passion for 45 years to preserve Wadsworth Falls. His will established the Rockfall Corporation, which is tasked to maintain the protection of the land, plants, and animals in his estate. In 1942, 267 acres (1.08 km²) of the estate were given to the State of Connecticut. The park is now operated by the Department of Environmental Protection and is open every day until sunset."
No Swimming, sorry- however when it comes time to pay to get into the other park this one gets a little crowded, A lot of out of towners leave trash and litter in the picnic area and trails during that time, it's unfortunate- everyone should follow the Local Hike Motto: "Remember to take only photographs and leave only footprints."
Technology meets nature. And i highly suggest bringing your cameras! Everyone should get outside and enjoy the great outdoors- especially the local ones we have in our area. This park is a great starting point for anyone looking for some quick fresh air. With it's unique meandering river and rushing falls- all within a quick walk from the parking lot it's a local gem that we should be proud of! If you haven't been to the falls lately i would make it a point to stop by and soak up some fun local nature!

Seven Falls park, Higganum CT

Seven Falls Park is really part of the Bear Hill Loop trail, Which loops all the way to River rd. in Middletown. However, if you're just in the mood for a good few hour local exploration The trails around the Seven falls park are filled with cool boulders, caves, and streams to discover.

This is the actual park above, there's a small river going through the picnic area at the base with some awesome boulders to climb on and navigate around. You can catch the blue trail here, but there is also the blue/yellow trail which is pretty awesome. I usually follow the blue yellow trail to this opening...
At this part there is some powerlines that really open up the area nicely. There is a great rock trail that spirals along the whole distance. To the left in this picture the Blue yellow trail meanders off into the woods- which showcases some more unique and awesome rocks and plant life. If you follow this rock path under the powerlines it brings you to a sweet rock formation- you can see it in the distance.
The photo above shows the opposite view after walking the path to the rock formation. And now that we've made it this far- I can reveal the truly awesome part about this local hike...
THE CAVE!!!! There is a huge cave in the rocks here- with a firepit in the middle if it's chilly.
It's fun to explore and climb around on- just make sure there are no bears inside first!
There are some very unique carvings on the cave wall- perfectly chiseled into the rock are the names of a few folks with two dates.. 1830 and 1800! So someone found this cave and enjoyed it a long time before we did!
The carvings are cool but strange and spooky at the same time. You can see the detail on photo above, C.W. Johnson. Cool Cool.
This is a shot of a Plant growing out of a crazy vertical log above the cave on the rock formation- Had to do some sweet bouldering and rock jumping to get the shot but its all part of the fun.
Hiking the trails behind Seven Falls park can be a great day hike. It has awesome features and terrain which make it a perfect choice if you want to see some new unique environments. As you can see in the shot above, there's some sweet rock climbing and bouldering to be had. I highly suggest it with fall coming up there are great views of the foliage!
Oh and i almost forgot... Remember to stop at Higgies right down the road for some tasty after hike ice cream or a milkshake! :)

Mt. Higby

Mt. Higby Hike, Blue trail Is a great local hike. The trail is pretty steep right off the bat but once you get up the first steep part the terrain evens out while meandering along the cliff edge and becomes quite enjoyable.
It's located in Meriden CT, Parking area off of Rt. 66. Very easy to get to and great for a quick afternoon or sunset hike. When you get up the steep and wind along the cliff edge you can see pretty far. Hartford to the north, Meriden toward the west, and a good view to the south, including Beseck Mountain, with Black Pond right under it. On clear days Long Island Sound and New Haven are visible.
The Connecticut State Police Academy, memorial tower and shooting range can be seen at the base of the mountain, its pretty cool- perhaps you may see some police shooting machine guns.
Here's a view of the cliffs that you walk along, a little intimidating but awesome at the same time.
The trail along the edge of the cliff is fun with big rocks and boulders to climb around.
Here is a little wiki quote "Higby Mountain is known for its high cliff faces, unique microclimate ecosystems, and rare plant communities. It rises steeply 600 feet (180 m) above the Quinnipiac River valley and the city of Meriden to the west as a continuous 2-mile (3 km) long ledge. The mountain is traversed by the 50-mile (80 km) Mattabesett Trail.<sup>"

So overall this is a great quick local hike, and you still get a nice workout. I recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet local hike.</sup>

Castle Craig Hike

Yesterday, we went to Castle Craig located at Hubbard Park, in Meriden CT.. Its a good park and behind it is a network of trails and roads that house some cool natural features, The view from the castle and Mirror lake is pretty sweet- we hiked the trail up and took the road down.

Here is some history and info...
Hubbard Park is a popular outdoor recreation destination. The park is crossed by a number of hiking trails, most notably the 51-mile (82 km) blue-blazed Metacomet trail (maintained by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association), which traverses East Peak and West peak the park. Trails are open to hiking, backcountry skiing; roads are open to bicycling and mountain biking. Swimming and rock climbing are prohibited. From the top of Castle Craig it is possible to see most of the Quinnipiac Valley region, Long Island Sound, and the distant higher peaks of southern New England. East Peak is often cited as the highest mountain within 25 miles (40 km) of the coastline from Cadillac Mountain in Maine to Florida, however, nearby West Peak is higher.
So that is cool, an awesome mountain with a castle to go check out right here in CT...

The Hike Up starts on the road from the parking area, you walk underneath Rt.66..

As you go up along the hill towards mirror lake make sure to take a left through the gate as that's where the trail begins..

About halfway up the trail is a pavillion, excellent spot to stop off for a snack and break for a minute- Great views from it also.
I would suggest taking a nice water break there because the next leg of the trail is steep and rocky terrain. From here it is pretty much a straight shot up a small path that brings you up and around the cliff face of the castle. And then you get to the top...

The castle is cool, with spiral stairs leading to the top.
From the top of the observation tower, 1,002 feet (305 m) elevation, it is possible to see New Haven and Long Island Sound 25 miles (40 km) to the south. To the west, the foothills of the Berkshires are visible; to the north, the summit of Mount Tom in Massachusetts.
All sorts of crazy sharp rocks make up the structure.. Below is the view off the top of the tower, very clear- awesome view.
Overall it is a great place for a decent hike, pretty strenuous in some areas on the hike and the total trip took about 2 and a half hours.
All photos courtesy of Jrobisonphoto.com