Posted By auntie on July 30, 2014

2.4 miles, north stonington, ct

this was the second of the local preserves i wanted to explore today. it’s another very pretty place, and although it feels in places like you’re walking too close to houses, parts feel more remote. there’s a cool old cellar hole and a giant boulder with a ladder. and mysterious blue trail that leads off the property…

cellar hole and implements

there are three main trails on this north stonington citizen’s land alliance property: yellow, orange, and yellow-in-white (which looks to me like a fried egg). there are trail maps in little weather-proof stands in several places, and all the trails are pretty clearly blazed and well maintained. this cellar hole just off the yellow trail is lovely, with hewn granite blocks. someone picked up a lot of various and sundry bits of things and propped them up against the wall. to me, it looks like parts of a wagon or car. pretty sure i recognized some old rusty leaf springs.

old wreck

oh, and speaking of old cars, i bet this could be restored in no time. a little bondo, a little paint… uh, i think it was a car. the way it’s up against the tree makes it look like an ancient wreck, like someone drove headfirst into that tree.

coral mushroom

i have read that some of these coral mushrooms are tasty and some are poisonous. you really have to be a very experienced mushroom hunter to know which are which, and i am not. but they’re still pretty to look at.

fern shadows

again with the fern shadows. can’t help it. they’re very eye-catching.

boulder ladder

toward the end of the orange trail there is a little spur trail that leads to this massive glacial erratic perched atop a small hill. and there’s a ladder. uh-huh. i would have climbed it but there was a big old spider web between the 2nd and 3rd rungs. that’s my story and i’m sticking to it.

the orange trail ends in the far northeast corner of the property, right at the banks of pendleton hill brook. but just beyond the end of the orange trail, i spied blue blazes… mysterious blue blazes continuing north. you know i’m going to have to come back. there is no way i’m going to let mysterious blue blazes remain mysterious.

i have added this hike to the hikefinder. i have put the lower trail head on the hikefinder page, however, there is designated parking and an upper trail head further down fowler road. i drove by but it looks as if you’re driving into someone’s yard, and i just felt a little funny using it.

Categories: Connecticut, Walks and Hikes
Tags: 2–5 miles, CT, North Stonington CT