Housatonic Meadows State Park: Pine Knob Loop Trail (Blog Hike #534)

Trail: Pine Knob Loop Trail

Hike Location: Housatonic Meadows State Park

Geographic Location: north of Cornwall Bridge, CT (41.83331, -73.38356)

Length: 2.7 miles

Difficulty: 9/10 (Difficult)

Date Hiked: August 2015

Overview: A loop hike using the Appalachian Trail with two viewpoints of the Housatonic River valley.

Park Information: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/State-Parks/Parks/Housatonic-Meadows-State-Park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=728131
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of SR 4 and US 7 on the west side of Cornwall Bridge, take US 7 north 1 mile to the signed gravel Pine Knob Loop Trail parking lot on the left (west) side of the road.  Park here.

The hike: Tracing a 139-mile north to south course through western Massachusetts and western Connecticut, the Housatonic River is one of the main waterways in southern New England.  The river’s name is a corruption of the Mohican Indian word usiadienuk, which translates to “beyond the mountain place.”  Popular culture became familiar with the river in the 1910’s when American composer Charles Ives wrote “The Housatonic River at Stockbridge,” a piece inspired by the river views he obtained on his honeymoon in Stockbridge, MA.  The river is also famous for hosting the southernmost spawning run for Atlantic salmon.

            Many parks call the banks of the Housatonic River home, but one of the more famous is Connecticut’s Housatonic Meadows State Park featured here.  The park is best known for its fishing opportunities and its riverside 61-site campground.  In terms of trails, most of the park’s trails are short trails used by anglers to access the river.  As such, the park has only one good loop trail for hikers, the one described here.  This loop takes you up to the Appalachian Trail (AT) and past a couple of valley overlooks before embarking on a steep, rocky descent back down to the river valley.

Start of Pine Knob Loop Trail

            The dirt trail starts at the right (north) side of the parking lot and immediately heads into the woods.  The Pine Knob Loop Trail is well-marked with blue rectangular paint blazes for its entire distance.  After crossing Hatch Brook on large stepping stones, you reach the fork that forms the loop.  To make the climb a little easier, I chose to angle left and use the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the loop clockwise.

            The trail climbs on a moderate to steep grade with Hatch Brook visible on your left.  After climbing past a scenic cascade in the brook, the trail briefly levels as you enter a quiet glen with plenty of hemlock trees.  Some rocks beckon you to sit and rest in the peaceful setting.

Intersecting the AT

            After some more climbing, you reach the AT 0.6 miles into the hike.  Turn right to begin your northbound journey on the AT.  For the next 0.75 miles the white AT blazes and the blue Pine Knob Loop Trail blazes run conjointly along the top of the ridge.

            At 0.9 miles, you reach the first overlook.  This viewpoint looks east directly across the valley with the river valley in the foreground and Mohawk Mountain in the background.  Some pine trees frame the view perfectly.

View from first overlook

            Continuing north, the trail assumes a fairly level but slightly rocky ridgetop course.  Some nice oak trees live up here on top of the ridge.  After curving right, the trail descends slightly using a couple of switchbacks to avoid any steep areas.

            1.4 miles into the hike, the AT and the Pine Knob Loop Trail part ways at a signed intersection.  Turn right to leave the AT and continue the Pine Knob Loop Trail.  Now you need to baton down the hatches because the hardest part of the hike begins.  After dipping through a high saddle, the trail climbs on a steep and rocky grade to reach Pine Knob.  Just over the summit of Pine Knob sits the second viewpoint.  This overlook looks down the Housatonic River valley rather than across it.  Thus, you get a different angle on this scenic area compared to the first overlook.

View from second overlook

            The steep and rocky descent continues past the second overlook.  Follow the blue blazes to stay on the trail, and carefully pick your way down the rocks one step at a time making sure each step is on solid footing before taking the next one.  A light rain shower started falling as I made my way through the rocks, so I had to take it extra slow and be extra careful to avoid slipping, which I did successfully.  A small secondary vista opens up as you get near the bottom of the super rocky section.

Descending steep, rocky trail

            The steep descent continues, but the treadway becomes dirt rather than rock, thus making for better footing.  2.1 miles into the hike, you reach the bottom of the hill and a trail intersection.  As directed by a sign, you need to turn right to continue the Pine Knob Loop Trail.  The trail going left leads to the state park campground.

            The final 0.4 miles head south through the flat river valley, a welcome reprieve from the steep rocky areas you handled earlier.  US 7 becomes audible through the trees to the left while the hillside rises to the right.  A couple of wet areas need to be negotiated, but overall the going is quite easy.  Just shy of 2.6 miles, you close the loop.  After a left turn and a recross of Hatch Brook, you return to the parking area to complete the hike.

Kent Falls State Park (Blog Hike #533)

Trails: White, Yellow, and Red Trails

Hike Location: Kent Falls State Park

Geographic Location: northeast of Kent, CT (41.77668, -73.41678)

Length: 1.3 miles

Difficulty: 5/10 (Moderate)

Date Hiked: August 2015

Overview: A loop hike beside long, cascading Kent Falls.

Park Information: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/State-Parks/Parks/Kent-Falls-State-Park

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=728130
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Kent Falls State Park is located on the east side of US 7 5.1 miles north of Kent, CT or 4 miles south of Cornwall Bridge, CT.  Enter the state park, pay the confiscatory entrance fee ($4 higher than any other state park I have ever visited), and park in the large blacktop parking lot.

The hike: Located in extreme western Connecticut less than 5 miles from the New York state line, Kent Falls State Park protects 495 acres around its namesake waterfall.  The main land parcel was donated to the state in 1919 by the White Memorial Foundation.  The depression-era Civil Works Administration developed the park, and the Youth Conservation Corps of Connecticut reconstructed many of the park’s trails in the 1970’s.

            Kent Falls State Park offers only a few picnic tables and 1.5 miles of trails in terms of facilities.  Thus, the waterfall remains the park’s centerpiece.  Nevertheless, the park’s website warns that the park closes when the parking lot fills, an indication as to how popular this park can be.  Most park visitors only hike to the falls, so any crowds you may encounter will thin out after you get past the highly developed trail along the cascade.  Somewhat to my surprise, when I came here on a warm Saturday morning, there were only two other vehicles in the large parking lot.

Covered bridge at trailhead

            Start by crossing the red and white covered bridge at the left (north) side of the parking lot.  The covered bridge is a reproduction built in 1974 by Edmund Palmer, a state park employee.  Once across the covered bridge, angle left on the wheelchair-accessible paved path to arrive at the base of Kent Falls.  For a 250-foot waterfall, the shallow plunge pool is quite small, making a dip look uninviting.  Moreover, entry into the water is prohibited by park rules.

Base of Kent Falls

            The trail ascends the right side of the waterfall using several sets of well-constructed steps.  Several viewpoints provide views of cascades, each cascade higher up the hillside than the previous one.  As such, the waterfall seems to go on and on without end.  A few pools allow the water to collect, but for the most part the string of cascades is continuous.  Although the water volume on my early August visit was only moderate, each cascade was still quite scenic.

More cascades

Top of Kent Falls

            Just past 0.3 miles, you reach the upper-most viewpoint.  This point gives a nice view of two consecutive 8-10 foot drops, which turn out to be the very top of the waterfall.  The nice steps end here, and most people turn around at this viewpoint.  However, the trail continues up the hillside by using a switchback to get around a vertical cliff.

            At 0.4 miles, you reach the west shoulder of gravel Dugan Road, where the trail you have been following ends.  To continue the loop, turn left and use the narrow concrete road bridge to cross Kent Falls Brook.  Now on the north side of the creek, look for the red blazes that enter the woods on the left to begin the return route.

Descending on the Red Trail

            In contrast with the very developed trail you climbed on the south side of the creek, the dirt Red Trail is rather primitive with a large number of roots to impede your progress. 0.5 miles into the hike, the Yellow Trail exits right.  This intersection is marked by a sign with yellow letters that spell out “trail” and an arrow.  The shortest route back to the parking area would be to continue straight on the Red Trail, but for a change of scenery and to see a little of the area’s history, turn right to begin the Yellow Trail.

Descending on the old road

            The Yellow Trail quickly joins an old dirt road and begins a gradual descent.  Some stone walls mark old property boundaries that predate the park and remind you that this land was once farmland.  At 0.8 miles, the trail curves left to briefly leave the old road only to rejoin it at a slightly lower elevation after making a broad switchback.  Traffic on US 7 can be heard downhill to the right.

Old stone walls

            1.2 miles into the hike, the Yellow Trail ends at its lower junction with the Red Trail.  Turn right on the Red Trail to begin the final segment back to the trailhead.  While the descent on the Yellow Trail was quite gradual, the descent on the Red Trail is quite steep with many roots to cause footing issues.  A final left curve deposits you at the north side of the parking area near the covered bridge, thus marking the end of the hike.