Posted By auntie on April 1, 2013

4.44 miles   2.4 mph

did a quick out-and-back because i’m still nursing a sore muscle in my calf. the first part of this trail was on the blue-blazed pachaug trail, and aside from the usual atv and dirt bike damage, both of these trails were really interesting. they went through an abandoned farm and by an old mill site which beavers have turned into a beaver pond. and the view from the rock is quite impressive.

old mill site

you can see the old mill site in the above photo. according to the connecticut walk book, this was a “sap mill,” in which an acid was extracted for use in making a black dye for textiles. the mill is on the eastern side of the white-blazed pharisee rock trail.

beaver dam

on the western side, opposite the mill site, the book describes a wildlife marsh, but local beavers apparently had other ideas, and have turned it into a beaver pond. the water level is several feet above the level of the trail, which is kind of an odd feeling. for me, the water is almost at eye-level.

view from pharisee rock

this is the view from pharisee rock, looking southwest towards route 49 and ekonk hill in sterling. you can just make out the back of a huge barn across a large field. good thing i got here when i did, though, because once the trees leaf out you won’t be able to see much at all.

i’ve added this hike to the hikefinder.

Categories: CFPA Trails, Connecticut, Walks and Hikes
Tags: 2–5 miles, CT, Voluntown CT