Posted By auntie on September 17, 2012

4.29 miles   ★★★★½

four days since my last hike, and i was craving it badly. this was a very nice walk, and i went slowly because i wanted it to last. perfect weather, less than perfect trail, but i found my first hen-of-the-woods mushroom, so WIN!

old stone house

i hiked this as part of a larger loop in june, in the opposite direction from today, and i’m glad i reversed the direction, because i totally missed this old stone house last time. it’s really a beautiful old ruin. i don’t think it’s really very old, either, as it has some cement features, and the stones are all mortared. i love the keystone over the window opening in this picture.

perennial sunflower

this is a perennial sunflower or jerusalem artichoke. they aren’t wildflowers. i bet they’re all that remains of the garden that belonged to the people in the stone house.

dutchman’s pipe

i liked the red stems on this dutchman’s pipe.

chicken-of-the-woods, laetiporus sulphureus

today’s fungus shot is chicken-of-the-woods, or laetiporus sulphureus. and this is just a moment before i popped it into my bag. this is one of the “foolproof four” wild mushrooms, and one of the best-tasting and healthiest. can’t believe i finally found one. i’m thinking leek and mushroom risotto…

this hike is in the pachaug state forest, and can be accessed from hodge pond road in voluntown. park on the south side of hodge pond road, just after crossing myron kinney brook, and east of the old kinney cemetery, and take the woods road in past the gate. it makes a big, long, loop around to the south and then back up to hodge pond road. i took a side trail that parallels the woods road about 2 miles in, which reconnects back up with it after a mile or so.

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