The White Trail roughly parallels the Red Trail, other than a loop at either end to intersect the Red Trail.
The Red-White Trails are loops off the Red Trail that join the Red Trail at either end.
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This shot of New Haven, the harbor, and Long Island Sound offers only a partial look at the panoramic view available from the Red Trail at the South Overlook. |
Red Trail
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The Red Trail as seen on the state park map. |
The main trail on the east side of the ridge is the Red Trail, which starts between two stone pillars at the South Overlook and extends for 6.75 miles to its northern terminus at the Regicides Trail. From the South Overlook, the Red Trail has a sharp descent of 200 feet, starting on a series of stone steps before changing to a rocky and eroded section of trail that levels off near the Teal Trail.
In this next section, the Red Trail is a marvel of engineering as it flows along the terrain in a series of twists and curves that includes four sets of crumbling stone steps. The trail gains about 200 feet of elevation before leveling off along Lake Wintergreen.
The trail passes the Red Diamond-White Trail (Old Oak Nature Trail) in two places and the two trails briefly share the same section of trail. In one area, the original Red Trail continued straight where a bypass now heads to the left. The need for the bypass is apparent because the original trail narrows to 6 inches, yes inches, where an entire section of trail collapsed and washed away.
The Red Trail starts between these stone pillars at the South Overlook in this view. Walk down the steps between the pillars, go straight for about 100 feet, and look for the steps descending down the ridge.
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In this view looking up the ridge, this is the final section of the Red Trail before it reaches the South Overlook at the southern end of West Rock.
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This series of stone steps descends from the South Overlook toward the base of the ridge. The closer to the top, the better condition of the steps. |
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The Red Trail is a steep, rocky slope with uneven footing. as it ascends to the South Overlook. |
A mountain biker rides the Red Trail south of the main entrance.
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This set of stone steps connects the Red Trail to two switchbacks on Baldwin Drive. When heading north, after crossing the guardrail, where this trail veers left,
continue straight to stay on the Red Trail.
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At the Lake Wintergreen parking area, turn left and go 100 feet, and then turn right where the lake is on your left. The Red Trail continues as a wide woods road from Lake Wintergreen to the unnamed pond just past the southern crossing of Mountain Road. For this first section, Wintergreen Brook is on your left.
At the Purple Trail, cross over the brook on a culvert, turn right to stay on the Red Trail, and the brook is now on your right. Nearing Mountain Road, the woods change from deciduous, hardwood trees to rows of evergreen trees. Within the hemlocks, pines, and spruce trees, the northern trailhead of the White Trail is on the left, then the Red Trail passes under a set of powerlines before coming to a set of gates at Mountain Road.
At the Purple Trail, cross over the brook on a culvert, turn right to stay on the Red Trail, and the brook is now on your right. Nearing Mountain Road, the woods change from deciduous, hardwood trees to rows of evergreen trees. Within the hemlocks, pines, and spruce trees, the northern trailhead of the White Trail is on the left, then the Red Trail passes under a set of powerlines before coming to a set of gates at Mountain Road.
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The Red Trail passes over the spillway to an unnamed pond near Mountain Road in this view looking south. |
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The Red Trail enters a dense set of woods just beyond an unnamed pond near Mountain Road. The pond is on the left behind the fence. |
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This is the section of West Rock that inspired me to begin trail work. I led a group hike in 2006. When I came to this section where all the blazes had faded away, I continued straight because that seemed to be the obvious choice at the time. When I ended up in someone's backyard, I realized I was no longer on the Red Trail. When I blazed this turn in 2007, I also tossed brush on the false trail, which does get removed by other people. |
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The Red Trail features numerous mountain laurel plants in this narrow, twisting section of the trail between the two crossings of Mountain Road.
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The Red Trail becomes a gravel road starting at this gate on the upper portion of Mountain Road in this view looking south toward the road.
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Past the green metal gate and north of the second crossing of Mountain Road, the Red Trail is a wide gravel road extending to Farm Brook Reservoir. This view is looking north. |
A new state-approved relocation of the Red Trail has moved the trail from the hay field to a route within the woods near Farm Brook Reservoir in August 2015. At the end of the gravel road, continue into the field about 100 feet, then turn right onto the new trail that was hacked through the autumn olive, multi-flora rose, and bittersweet vines. If you are on a bicycle, be careful on the unexpected descent over the stone wall and down a sandy slope.
Follow the trail through several turns. In a quarter mile, the Red Trail crosses the Red-White Trail for the first of three times. Continue straight across the Red-White Trail past a large stone wall, then turn left to cross a gap in the stone wall, pass over a private driveway, cross the Red-White Trail a second time, and ascend a gentle slope. Turn right to stay on the Red Trail just above the field, and cross the Red-White Trail a final time as you ascend a steady rock slope up to the overlook.
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The gravel portion of the Red Trail ends at the field. Continue straight, then turn right into the woods in about 100 feet. This post was removed by a vandal in April 2016. |
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Autumn olive, a highly invasive shrub, lines both sides of the Red Trail near the hay field. Many autumn olive were removed to create the trail.
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The stone wall near the field as seen in this view looking northbound shows the challenge this descent poses for bicyclists. |
Approaching the Red-White Trail, the relocated section of the Red Trail parallels are large stone wall as it descends a gentle slope. |
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At the Red-White Trail, the Red Trail passes between two trees in this view looking north. Turning right here onto the Red-White Trail leads to the Hill Street parking lot. |
This view of the relocated Red Trail at the Red-White Trail shows the perspective when heading south toward the gravel road near the Farm Brook Reservoir dam. |
At top of the climb is a panoramic view looking east and south. Shortly past the overlook, the Red Trail ends at the Regicides Trail. This is the highest point on the Red Trail at 575 ft. above sea level.
Most of the Red Trail from the Wilbur Cross Parkway to the northern section of Mountain Road is about 275 ft. above sea level. The trail is also about this elevation at the South Overlook.
The Red Trail climbs a rocky ridge past numerous cedar trees at the north end of the park, en route to a terrific overlook toward the east and south.
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Cedar trees are a dominant feature of the Red Trail at the park's northern section. |
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The Red Trail ends just north of this magnificent overlook of the Farm Brook Reservoir and the Laurel Ridge Country Club in Hamden. Just to the right is a view of New Haven, the Long Island Sound, and Long Island. |
Red Trail Mileage Chart
Red-White Trail
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The Red-White Trail traverses the top of the rocky slope along the southeast side of Lake Wintergreen in this view looking up from the Red Trail. |
The Red-White Dot Trail offers an interesting, yet safe challenge (in dry conditions) for hikers near the south end of Lake Wintergreen.
There is a 0.65 mile long Red-White Trail extending from the parking area off Hill Street that intersects the Red Trail in four locations: once near the reservoir, in two places north of the hay field near Farm Brook Reservoir, and at the trail junction along the gravel road north of Mountain Road.
The Red-White Trail starts in the open field along Hill Street, then quickly enters the woods at the far end of the field, where it briefly parallels, then crosses two streams before heading out to a second field. Following the Red-White Trail could be tricky if the meadow grasses have grown tall. The trail continues in the woods directly across from the first set of woods.
Where the Red Trail ascends the ridge steadily, the Red-White Trail heads south along a beautiful, single-track trail, crossing a couple of ravines, before ending along the gravel road that is part of the Red Trail.
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The Red-White Trail crosses a bridge over a Farm Brook, a seasonal watercourse, just north of Farm Brook Reservoir. While the watercourse may be dry in summer and a trickle at certain times, it was absolutely roaring in Dec. 2015. |
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Regrettably in April 2016 some thoughtless person decided to undo some of the good work that I did. With my own money, I paid for two 4x4 posts and installed one on the Red Trail by the Farm Brook Reservoir dam, and one on the Red-White Trail where it crosses an open field, and the trail is not always obvious when the grass grows. A cedar post was donated by a fellow trail worker and installed on the gravel portion of the Red Trail just south of the dam. All three posts were pulled out in April 2016 by an unknown person. A park user contacted me to say she found them in the stream.
The purpose of the posts is to help hikers and bicyclists follow the trails. I did not need to spend my money and install them for my own use, as I know where the trails go. When I find the time, I may install them again, but I am not sure it is worth the effort if someone will just pull them up again.
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This post on the Red-White Trail by the open field near Hill Street is important because the trail is not obvious when walking south from the ridge. This post was taken in April 2016. |
White Trail
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The White Trail as seen on the state park map. |
With regard to terrain, the White Trail changes from nearly level to some mild rolling sections, never varying more than 50 feet from the highest point (about 300 ft. above sea level) to the lowest point (about 250 ft. above sea level).
Along Lake Wintergreen, the White Trail is a wide, hard packed woods roads with some gentle rollers. Near From the Gold Trail to the northern trailhead at the Red Trail, the White Trail is a woods road that is mostly flat, but has some short, gentle climbs in areas where the trail has been relocated away from eroded or wet areas. Near the northern end with the Red Trail, the White Trail narrows to a footpath.
North of Lake Wintergreen, the trail has some areas that are wet too many months of the year. Portions of this trail will be relocated as part of a future trails project that has no specific starting date. You can seen the original trail heading straight in a few sections where a relocation moves onto the ridge away from the mud. Follow the White blazes to stay on the trail. The White Trail turns east to connect to the Red Trail where the Red Trail has a row of evergreen trees.
The southern section of the White Trail features views of Lake Wintergreen. Near the junction with the Orange Trail is a grove of red pine trees. Just south of the junction with the Purple Trail is a grove of larch, a conifer that drops its needles in winter.
North of Lake Wintergreen, the White Trail is a more interesting trail than the Red Trail, as the White Trail twists and turns through the woods, while Red is a wide straight woods road.
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The White Trail is a wide woods road as it passes along Lake Wintergreen. |
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A straight section of the White Trail as it passes along Lake Wintergreen. |
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Snow blankets the White Trail (appropriately enough) in winter. This section is north of Lake Wintergreen. |
"Armoring" a trail building term used to describe the placement of stepping stones along muddy areas of the trail to give people secure, dry footing. This armored section of the White Trail north of Lake Wintergreen also features a waterbar to channel the water off the trail to the right.
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White Trail Mileage Chart
Mileage
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Trail Junction
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0.00
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Red Trail / Red Dot Trail,
southern tip of Lake Wintergreen
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0.75
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Gold Trail
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1.15
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Purple-White Trail
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1.35
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Purple Trail
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2.30
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Red Trail near Mountain Road
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