Posted By auntie on April 18, 2016

5.38 miles; East Haddam, CT

After a long hiatus, I finally got back to tackling the Connecticut DEEP’s “The Sky’s the Limit Challenge” with my hiking companions Stacy and Dallas the Dog. Stacy knew this park quite well, as she lived in the area growing up, so we didn’t need our maps. This hike was a lot more challenging than the first one we did, even if it was only a bit more than half the length. Lotta steep ups and downs. On the other hand, that sort of thing makes for some great views.

Selfie #1 at the State Park Shield

We parked near Chapman Falls, which is a wonderful waterfall, and had to walk down to where the sign was.

We did eventually manage to visit the falls.

Real Start of the Trail

The actual trail we followed, the Orange Vista Trail, starts at a covered bridge from the picnic area.

Selfie #2

 Here I am at the second designated selfie site, the “vista” on the Orange Vista Trail.

Pretty River

There are several streams that flow through this park. This is the Muddy Brook on the Red Millington Trail.

First Violets of the Season

And here are the first violets of the season. I’d have guessed these were dog violets, but they don’t have hairy stems, and these evidently do, so I have no idea which violet they are.

You can find out more about the Devil’s Hopyard State Park and the Sky’s the Limit Challenge at the CT DEEP website.

Categories: CFPA Trails, Connecticut, Walks and Hikes
Tags: 5–7 miles, CT, East Haddam CT