Characteristics of a Good Hiking Area

The Great Ledge in Redding provides a panoramic view over the Saugatuck Reservoir as seen in Dec. 2017. Viewpoints are one of many reasons a hiking area is worth visiting.

Every hiker has their favorite area for hiking and on related pages, there is information about some of my favorite places in western and central Connecticut. Before moving to those pages for those recommended places, read through the elements I believe that make for an enjoyable hike, and those conditions that detract from the experience. These characteristics guide my selection for the areas I included and those I excluded.

Characteristics of a Good Hiking Area

There are many characteristics of a natural area that determine whether a hike will be simply a pleasant stroll in the woods, a leg-burning, lung-searing endurance event, or a positive and memorable outing. In thinking about the many hiking areas I use, I see the following characteristics as those that make hikes interesting, enjoyable and safe.

Desired: Streams, Brooks and Hemlocks

My favorite elements are streams and brooks splashing down a rocky streambed under the filtered light of a hemlock grove, particularly when they are located within a deep ravine. The addition of snow makes the location even more enjoyable.

Regrettably, West Rock cannot claim this type of hiking experience.

Running water and hemlocks can be found in places like the Mattatuck Trail along Mad River in Wolcott, the Pequonnock River Valley in Trumbull, and Hidden Valley Preserve and Steep Rock Preserve in Washington Depot. Spruce Brook Gorge in the Naugatuck Forest in Beacon Falls has the additional benefit of a series of cascades passing through a narrow ravine under the shade of hemlocks. 

Desired: Lakes, Ponds and Reservoirs

Lakes, ponds and reservoirs all add interest to a hike, due to their scenic beauty, which is often viewed with a backdrop of evergreen trees.

West Rock has the benefit of close lake and pond views with Lake Wintergreen, Farm Brook Reservoir, and the Belden Brook Diversion Pond on the Red Trail near Mountain Road. On the Regicides Trail, hikers can enjoy more distant views of Konolds Pond, Lake Dawson, and Lake Watrous.

Multiple reservoir views can be found at the Naugatuck Forest on the Seymour side. Extended water views are available by the Saugatuck Reservoir in Weston/Redding on the Saugatuck Trail, along Lake Zoar on the Zoar Trail in the lower Paugussett State Forest in Newtown, and by Lake Lillinonah on the Lillinonah Trail in the upper Paugusett State Forest, also in Newtown.

Desired: Rock Formations

Another natural element that adds interest to hikes is rock formations, especially ones where hikers can walk through them and over them.

At West Rock, hikers get brief examples of these on the Red-White Trail along Lake Wintergreen, on the Red Trail above the open field by Farm Brook Reservoir, and on the Regicides Trail climbing up to the Quinnipiac Trail.

These experiences can be found at Chatfield Hollow State Park and the Chatfield Trail in Killingworth, at Leatherman’s Cave on the Jericho Trail in Watertown, and at Timberland and Westwoods in Guilford.

Desired: Impressive Views

Impressive views are another highlight of hiking areas, particularly when they can be reached without long, uncomfortable climbs.

West Rock shines in this category with the panoramic views from the South Overlook, overlooking Konolds Pond, at Lake Watrous and above Farm Brook Reservoir.

Other places in Connecticut for great views include West Peak, East Peak and South Peak, Chauncey Peak and Lamentation Mountain in Meriden, and East Rock in New Haven/Hamden.

A favorite area of mine is Minnewaska State Park Preserve near New Paltz, N.Y. with incredible views from peaks at 2,200 feet of elevation that are reached without extended climbing.

Unwanted: Long Extended Climbs and Descents

There are certain characteristics of areas that cause me to avoid hiking there. These include long, extended climbs that seem endless, only to “reward” the hiker with a steep, knee pounding decent. In addition to being uncomfortable for the hiker, these types of trails are subject to severe erosion, so they are also bad for the environment.

This type of hiking is rarely found in Connecticut, simply because the elevations are too low, and this includes West Rock.

For those rugged hikers who believe they need this type of environment to build their endurance, they have two effective options: increase their pace and lengthen their hike distance.

Unwanted: Constant Up and Downs

The related bad cousin to long, steep climbs are areas where an uphill is immediately followed by a downhill that is immediately followed by an uphill.

West Rock is also a star in this area because the climbs are not that steep or long, and once a hiker has reached the top of the ridge, the climbs are mostly short and easy, excepting the dip over the West Rock Tunnel and the final rise to the Quinnipiac Trail, which have short, but steep climbs.

Trails that cross trap rock ridges can often have a series of climbs and descents. The Jericho Trail in Watertown, and Ragged Mountain Preserve in Berlin are two areas where the terrain is more challenging than the distance. For those hikers who seek this type of challenge, head for those areas.

Unwanted: Poor and Unsafe Footing

Another reason to avoid a hiking area is because the footing is unsteady, slippery and therefore potentially unsafe. This can include areas that are rocky, particularly when the rocks are loose, or when trails are slippery and muddy, and prone to icing, especially when the trails are angled toward a steep slope.

West Rock again does well in this category because footing is generally secure, other than a few isolated areas that can be skipped in icy conditions. There are some loose rocks on the trails up the ridge, but they can be navigated. The Regicides Trail has rocky footing, which can be irritating, but it is rarely a slipping hazard.

Other unsafe situations are trails where a hiker literally has to get down on all fours to climb or descend past a rock formation, which is especially hazardous in wet and icy conditions. West Rock has two sections of the Regicides Trail that require hands and knees and that is only in icy conditions: just north of the junction with the Gold Trail, and at the northern end of Baldwin Drive. West Rock has no trail sections directly along the edge of a cliff.

The portion of the Zoar Trail along Lake Zoar in the lower Paugussett Forest in Newtown is best avoided in icy conditions because the trail has a tilt toward the lake. That part of the trail thaws later than most because it is sheltered from the sun by a steep slope. I also will not hike the trail through Spruce Brook Gorge in the Naugatuck State Forest in Beacon Falls in anything but dry conditions for similar reasons.

Unwanted: Trails Along Sharp Drop-Offs

Another potentially unsafe condition is when the hike is directly alongside a steep drop-off, which can feel uncomfortable from a perception standpoint. The hiking term for this is “exposure.”

At West Rock, the only cliff near a hiking trail is the Konolds Pond overlook, which is not directly along an official trail. There are unofficial trails that follow the cliff line in that area, but the key word is that they are unofficial trails, so hikers proceed at their own risk.

A local example of this is the Mattabesett Trail along Mount Higby in Middletown where the trail built right along the edge of the cliff. A tough and dangerous trail section is the scary ledge on the Metacomet Trail on the northern side of Short Mountain facing Ragged Mountain Preserve.

My poster child for a steep and scary trail is the aptly named Breakneck Ridge in Cold Spring, N.Y., which rises steeply up from the Hudson River at a sharp angle along a precipitous drop. There are many hikers who enjoy this type of hiking because Breakneck Ridge is often named on lists of top ten hiking areas to visit.

Unwanted: Difficult Stream Crossings

One other safety problem can be stream crossings that are difficult to impossible to navigate with no bridge is present.

There are no problematic stream crossings at West Rock, since the seasonal streams are small, and Wintergreen Brook passes under the trail through culverts.

The Mattatuck Trail in Morris just south of Rt. 109 has a wide crossing at Morris Brook, which is a stream that can run strongly in the spring. The way I work around that challenge is to lead hikes that do not require crossing the stream. Further south there are two challenging stream crossings that are best completed in winter when they are frozen, which is my way of approaching that situation.

Desired: Varied Terrain

Another positive characteristic of a hiking area is varied terrain with moderate climbs and descents on a trail that follows the contours of the land, as compared to a straight, flat walk. Related to this is the importance of having a forest with varied plant life, having a mixture of larger and smaller trees with an understory comprised of different shrubs and wildflowers. Ideally, trail corridors are narrow and twisting, which creates a sense of mystery, “What’s around the next bend in the trail.”

West Rock does fairly well in this category because the trails wind around through terrain that is ever-changing passing through a healthy forest with many different types of hardwood and the types of evergreen trees one would expect in Connecticut. The understory has shrubs like high bush and low bush blueberry, mountain laurel in abundance, witch hazel, spicebush, and many different wildflowers.

The Lillinonah and Zoar Trails in Newtown, the Pequonnock Valley in Trumbull, and Hidden Valley and Steep Rock Preserves in Washington Depot are other locations with good understories.

Unwanted: Monotonous Woods

The opposite example would be places that have a mature forest with little to no understory where the hiker can see half a mile in every direction. Other forests may be dominated by only a few tree species, typically birch and beech. The trails themselves may be wide, woods roads over level terrain, which runs straight for long distances. These places are the answer to the question, “Where have you hiked that you would not want to hike again?” I will not name, names because places that I find boring may be the favorite hiking locations of other people.

A good example of wide, straight and flat at West Rock is the Red Trail from Lake Wintergreen to Mountain Road. Those looking for a more varied hiking experience can choose to hike the White Trail instead.

Desired: Good Maps, Well Marked, Well Maintained Trails

When hikers plan an outing, they probably start with reviewing a map of the area they plan to visit, a map that is hopefully available online, or may be in a map packet, or a guidebook. When they set off on their hike, they expect that the trails will match the map, and that the trails are well marked, easy to follow, and clear of overhanging branches and blowdowns. I have certainly faced the challenge of trying to navigate an area with no blazes, blazes that come and go, or blazes in various colors that do not match the map.

After years of work, I believe that the trails at West Rock are well marked and well maintained. At times markings may be older and more faded than I would like, or the invasive plants grow faster than I can prune it back on my volunteer schedule, but overall the trails can be followed and hiked without difficulty.

I have hiked my share of areas where there are not enough volunteers to take care of the trails. Not wanting to embarrass any particular group of volunteers, I will spare naming names about problematic areas for blazing and clearing.

Desired: Various Loop Hikes Available

Another component of a good hike is being able to hike in a loop, going out on one trail or trails, and returning a different way. This maximizes the hiking experience by providing different scenery throughout the day. In areas where there is only one trail, hikers have two choices: a car spot or an out-and-back. With the car spot, hikers can easily spend 30 to 45 minutes at each end of the hike moving vehicles from the starting trailhead to the ending trailhead, and returning to the first set of cars at the end. I prefer an out-and-back hike because the views and experiences are different in the other direction, and there is no time or fuel wasted moving cars. In certain areas, such as sections of the Mattabesett Trail, I have led point to point section hikes and try to keep the car spot to no more than 15 minutes. 

A related feature of a hiking area is being able to plan loops of different length, depending on your schedule, your desires, and your endurance.

West Rock is a star in this category because the trail design makes many loops of varying lengths and difficulties possible.

Some of the CFPA trails require an out and back or a car spot because they are the only trails in a particular area. Loop hikes are easy to create at the Naugatuck State Forest, West Block, Westwoods, White Memorial Conservation Center, and on CFPA loop trails like the Lillinonah Trail and the Zoar Trail.

Desired: Peace and Solitude

One reason people hike is the opportunity to spend time in a quiet place, away from the sounds, crowds, and views of urban and suburban life. Some hikes may pass near highways or overlook shopping centers and densely populated areas. In popular hiking areas, hikers continuously encounter multitudes of other people who are also “looking to get away from it all.”

West Rock has a split personality in this regard. The southern section of the park, south of Lake Wintergreen has a decidedly different feeling than the northern section of the park. The southern section of West Rock has traffic noise from the Wilbur Cross Parkway, and overlooks the city of New Haven. In the northern section, West Rock has a peaceful feeling with views of reservoirs and forests with occasional road noise from Rt. 69. West Rock can be busy around Lake Wintergreen, and sometimes at the South Overlook, but in most areas hikers can go for many miles without encountering other people.

This description of characteristics leads to a list of some of my favorite hiking areas in western and south central Connecticut, which is where I mostly hike, since I live in this area. These are areas to which I return year after year because I find them interesting enough to warrant repeated visits. Some of these areas are mentioned above as having potential footing concerns, but those mostly relate to icy conditions, so I simply hike these areas when they are dry, or wear traction devices on my boots.

Related pages on this website are listed on three pages by county starting with the name: Hikes Beyond West Rock, followed by the county name.