Category: Hiking (Page 1 of 6)

HIKING GREENWICH AUDUBON CENTER

GREENWICH, CT

    10 AM MONDAY MAY 20, 2024

Greenwich Audubon Center is a 285 acre sanctuary which opened its doors in 1943 as Audubon’s first nature education center in the country. Located on land donated by Eleanor Clovis Reese and H Hall Clovis the center includes over 7 miles of trails through a rich diversity of hardwood forest, meadows, lakes, streams and vernal ponds. Also on the property are an expansive Nature Education Center, an old apple orchard and original New England homestead buildings.

We plan to meet in the main parking lot at 10 AM and hike for about two hours over varied terrain including one steep climb and several sections of rocky trail. We rate this as a hike of moderate plus difficulty. We hope to see migrating birds but our wildlife scorecard has not been good! As always, guests and spouses welcome but NO DOGS. If the weather is iffy, contact one of us to see if we are hiking.

Optional lunch after at Ole Mole at 1030 High Ridge Road in Stamford

 The Center is located at 613 Riversville Road in Greenwich on the north side of the Merritt Parkway. Exit at Round Hill Road and use GPS to get you to the center. 

CONTACTS: Dave McCollum 203-858-5688 and dgmccollum63@gmail.com and Robert Plunkett 203-246-2898 and rgplunkett1@gmail.com.

We looked up our report on our hike here in May of 2022 at which we had a total of 12 hikers. Today we had 19 who enjoyed a beautiful day hiking about 3 miles in about two hours. We are very happy that more DMAers are coming on the hikes! This hike is really a tale of two different types of trail. About half  is relatively flat and the other half is pretty steeply up and down as the property drops over 160 feet from top to bottom. All hikers handled the terrain with minimal difficulty. Alas, your hike leaders missed one turn which required a short backtrack but there were only a few random comments about the goof. As we should have learned from past hikes, talking while navigating trails sometimes doesn’t work out well!

Eight hikers enjoyed a delicious Mexican lunch at Ole Mole on High Ridge Road in Stamford. All in all a wonderful day!

This concludes our hikes for the 2023-24 season. We had seven hikes averaging over 20 hikers and finally got to traverse the Walkway Over the Hudson in October. Thank you to all who participated! The next hike will be in September 2024.

Dave McCollum and Robert Plunkett

HIKING MIANUS RIVER PARK​

​​​​STAMFORD, CT

​​​​   APRIL 22, 2024

​​​​     10:00 AM

Mianus River Park is a 391 acre nature preserve on the

Stamford/Greenwich border. The park, one of a series of green areas in the Mianus River Watershed, features a two mile stretch of the beautiful Mianus River, forest lands, vernal pools, glacial outcroppings, varied wildlife and rolling hills. The trails are good but feature the usual rocks and roots and some elevation change but anything steep is in short spurts.

We rate this hike of about 3.5 miles as easy to moderate and it should take us about 2 hours to complete. Dogs on a leash are welcome (there are many dog walkers here!) and, of course, bring a spouse or friend to enjoy this hike.

There will be an optional lunch after the hike at Zody’s 19th Hole Restaurant at the E Gaynor Brennan Golf Course near the Park and Stamford Hospital.

DIRECTIONS:

We will meet at the Merriebrook Road entrance to the Park in Stamford. Both Waze and Google Maps respond to “Mianus River Park”. There is parking on the right before the bridge over the river. Do not park on the roads in the area which are marked and patrolled.

Write Up:

A cloudless sky, 54 degree temperature and Earth Day to boot made for a memorable 2 hour hike through the spectacular Mianus River Park! A total of 21 DMAers, spouses and two dogs spent the first half hour walking upstream along the river which was full and moving rapidly. Two of the party retraced that section back to parking but the rest continued on over the inland portion of the trail, which is hillier and more rugged, through scenic views of rocks and trees. This is a park that is well used by the public and it is easy to see why! 

We encourage hikers who would like a shorter hike to come with us. There is almost always an intermediate point where it is an option to return to the start. So long as there are at least 2 for that option, we can offer it on most hikes.

After the hike a smaller group ate lunch at Zody’s 19th Hole Restaurant at the E Gaynor Brennan Gold course. Lunch there, by the way, is excellent and well priced!

Dave McCollum

Robert Plunkett

HIKING – SHERWOOD ISLAND STATE PARK

WESTPORT, CT

MARCH 14, 2024

We finally had some beautiful weather with mild temperatures and sunny skies for our hike today at Sherwood Island. A total of 32 hikers came out to enjoy the day. Our walk of just over three miles included a stroll on the beach followed by a hike in the woods on a loop trail and then onto various paths nearby and along another part of the beach. We also spent some time reflecting at the meaningful 9/11 memorial. Following the hike, 12 of us enjoyed lunch at The Little Barn in Westport.

Robert Plunkett

URBAN HIKE

NORWALK RIVER VALLEY TRAIL

      NORWALK, CT

    FEBRUARY 22, 2024

  10:00 AM

The Norwalk River Valley Trail will eventually run from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk to Danbury. We hiked one finished section in Wilton last November. The trail is either paved or packed stone, is well marked and has limited ups and downs. The section of the trail we will be hiking on 2/15 runs for 3 miles north from the Maritime Museum in South Norwalk. This is an out and back hike so, depending on the weather and how we feel, we can turn around at any point and return to the start. We will probably hike for 4-5 miles in total which should take us 2 hours or less.

From the start at the front door of the Maritime Museum the trail takes us along the Norwalk River behind the SONO Mall, along the Metro North tracks, past the Norwalk Transfer Station and into the Pine Island Cemetery which dates from 1708 where the oldest surviving headstone dates from 1723. On north past the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion, through Union Park and along the river again up past Riverside Cemetery to the end at Kellogg Pond. On the return we will pass through Oyster Shell Park which has a commanding view over the river out to the sound. We will have an optional lunch at Mamma Bella Cucina near the museum.

DIRECTIONS: Park in the Maritime Center Garage on N. Water Street which is directly across from the Center. The restaurant is in the garage building. Bring friends and family and dogs on a leash are allowed.

CONTACT: Dave McCollum

Recap:

A group of 22 DMA hikers and friends braved a chilly but pleasant day traversing a completed section of the future trail from Norwalk to Danbury that begins at the Maritime Aquarium and runs north for 3 miles to Broad Street. Our group only went up as far as Riverside Cemetery, a distance of 2.2 miles, before returning back along the same path to the Aquarium. We were joined by Tanner Thompson, a Norwalk resident who is planning a new trail from Norwalk to Greenwich. Tanner is also involved in Norwalk affairs and was able to provide interesting commentary on many aspects of the history and state of the NRVT.

This section of the NRVT runs along the Norwalk River and passes through Pine Island Cemetery, which dates from 1708, past the Lockwood-Matthews Mansion and on up past Union Park to Riverside Cemetery.

Because it was an out and back hike, some hikers turned around at various points and headed back to the Aquarium, tailoring their hike to the distance that was comfortable for them. Fourteen of us made the entire trip and eight stopped for lunch on the way back at The Norwalk Art Space Café at 455 West Avenue for lunch. We were joined by one non-hiker who came to lunch. The Art Space is in a repurposed church and features local art in addition to delicious food. After lunch, we resumed our hike back to the Aquarium. 

This trail is an amazing amenity for all of Fairfield County to enjoy.

Dave McCollum

Robert Plunkett

“HIKING” SHERWOOD ISLAND STATE PARK

SHERWOOD ISLAND CONNECTOR

              WESTPORT, CT

      JANUARY 18, 2024

We will be walking about 3 miles through Sherwood Island State Park on mostly hard and gravel paths. Very little up and down. We will meet in the Pavilion parking lot at 10:30 AM. The Park hugs the Sound shoreline and is often quite windy. Dogs are permitted on a leash and, as always, bring anyone with you who would enjoy a one hour plus walk in a beautiful setting. We will have an optional lunch after at the Little Barn in Westport.

HISTORY

Sherwood Island State Park is the oldest state park in Connecticut dating to 1914. The island itself was first settled by Daniel Sherwood in1787 where he built a grist mill. Over the next 70 years the land was farmed by many others but around 1860 the property became known as “Sherwood’s Island”

After the Connecticut State Park Commission was formed in 1911 the search for suitable shorefront property to buy was on. The first piece of the existing park was purchased in 1914 making this the oldest state park. The park officially opened in 1932 but not until 1950 did the Army Corps of Engineers build the jetties and extend the beaches. The Pavilion opened in 1959 and a 911 Memorial was added in 2002.

DIRECTIONS

This one is easy! Take Exit 18 off I-95 (Sherwood Island connector) and turn right towards the Sound. The road goes directly into the Park. Keep straight onto the wide roundabout and take the exit marked “Pavilion Parking”. We’ll meet at the front of that lot up towards the Pavilion.

“HIKING” GREENWICH POINT PARK

  7 TOD’S DRIFTWAY, GREENWICH

  THURSDAY DECEMBER 7, 2023

10:30

We will be walking around Greenwich Point starting at 10:30 am.  

NOTE THAT THIS START TIME IS LATER THAN OTHER HIKES. We will be walking about 3 miles over flat, mostly paved or packed gravel paths, which should take us about an hour and a half.

Greenwich Point is a 147 acre property owned by the Town of Greenwich which bought the property in 1945. The peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water, was the private estate of J. Kennedy Tod who purchased the property in the 1880s. Greenwich Point offers spectacular views of Manhattan and the Greenwich shoreline. It is a beautiful place to walk and only available to non-Greenwich residents (without a substantial fee) during the months of December-April. 

We will assemble in the first parking lot on the right after you pass the gatehouse. Greenwich Point can be windy and cold so layer up! Dogs on a leash are permitted and, as always, bring guests.

We will have an optional lunch at Lugano in Old Greenwich.

Contacts: 

Dave McCollum dgmccollum63@gmail.com and 203-858-5688 

Robert Plunkett rgplunkett1@gmail.com and 203-246-2898

HIKING GREENWICH POINT

DECEMBER 7, 2023

The scenery at Greenwich Point never disappoints. Even on a cold and cloudy day, there is so much to look at along the shore and inside the park itself. A hearty group of 23 DMAers and guests (plus two dogs) walked about 3 miles in an hour and a half. Some of the group were first timers to the site and were impressed with its size and beauty, not to mention the history of the Tod family’s ownership and the remains of the original mansion. Marilyn Parker’s superb photographs capture the day perfectly!

The ingenuity of DMA members was on display again at lunch after the hike. Out of the original 23, 16 opted to join the lunch at Lugano restaurant in Old Greenwich. An addition 3 skipped the hike and just came to lunch! Apparently the post hike lunches have become an attraction in themselves! 

Dave McCollum

Robert Plunkett

            HIKING

                    NORWALK RIVER VALLEY TRAIL

      WILTON, CT

NOVEMBER 2, 2023

9:30 AM

The Norwalk River Valley Trail, when completed, will be a multi-use 30 mile trail stretching from Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk to Danbury. The NRVT is a 501(c(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Georgetown, CT funded by private contributions. Every $250 donated builds one more foot of trail!

A completed section that we will be hiking in Wilton runs from near the Orem Diner on US 7 for 2.4 miles through thick woods up to Skunk Road where the completed section ends. We will hike up the trail and then retrace our steps back to RT 7. The path is 10 feet wide and composed of compacted stone and there is little elevation change. We estimate the round trip will take about 2 hours after which we will adjourn to Orem diner for an optional lunch. 

The parking lot for the trail is on the west side of RT 7 just past Orem but short of the corner where RT 106 ends at RT 7. It is marked as a lot for the trail as well as for carpooling. 

Dogs, friends and family are welcome on this hike.

Dave McCollum

Robert Plunkett

On the coldest day of the fall, 26 hearty DMAers and guests hiked the 4.5 mile roundtrip of the new Wilton Loop of the NRVT. This was an out and back trek since the new trail is not finished past Skunk Road on the east side of Rt 7 in Wilton. As advertised, the trail is wide and made of crushed stone giving a smooth surface now covered by leaves.. There was some ice on the several bridges but all traversed safely. As is typical on our hikes, we saw little wildlife but many other hikers and a couple of bikes.

With such a large group, we got strung out quite a bit but all gathered at the Skunk Road terminus for a group photo by Marilyn Parker. The different speeds also meant we arrived back at the parking lot in small bunches. Many hikers stayed for lunch at Orem Diner nearby but we were prevented from having a group lunch because of a large college group which was already in the Diner. All does not go as planned all the time! 

Dave McCollum

Robert Plunkett

HIKING AND HAPPY WANDERERS
WALKWAY ACROSS THE HUDSON
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY
OCTOBER 26, 2023

The Walkway Across the Hudson is billed as “The Longest Elevated
Pedestrian Bridge in the World” as it spans the Hudson River between
Poughkeepsie NY and Highland NY. It provides magnificent panoramic views
of the Hudson, and at 212 feet above the river, this 1.28 mile linear park
boasts scenic views north to The Catskills and south to the Hudson Highlands.
The Walkway structure dates from 1889 when it was built as a railroad bridge
eventually carrying as many as 3000 train cars a day. A fire on May 8, 1974
halted train traffic forever but after 35 years the bridge was reopened as the
Walkway on October 3, 2009 as a part of the Hudson Valley Rail Trail
Network. For more information on the Walkway see Walkway.org
TRIP PLAN
We will gather at the DCA for an 8:30 AM departure for Poughkeepsie by car
pool. The drive takes about 1.5 hours to the parking lot at 61 Parker Avenue
which is at the east end of the Walkway. We will cross the entire span to the
west bank of the Hudson, taking our time to enjoy the views and then retrace
our steps back to the Poughkeepsie starting point. On the Poughkeepsie side
of the bridge is an elevator down to the riverbank. If it’s open, we have the
option of a ride down and back. Once back up on the Walkway we will
proceed to lunch at Lola’s, a very good sandwich shop right under the
Walkway. There are restrooms at either end of the Walkway. We should be
back at the DCA by 3:00 PM.
As always, spouses and guests are invited. There will be a sign up sheet at the
DMA meetings on October 11, 18 and 25.

Dave McCollum

Bob Plunkett

David Mace

Joe Spain

Trip report:

On a late October day with weather more like early September about 35 DMAers, spouses and friends crossed the Hudson River on the spectacular repurposed railroad bridge from the 1890s. At its peak, the bridge carried more than 3000 train cars a day. A fire in 1974 closed the bridge but it was reborn in 2009 as the “Walkway”. 

Usually we can get an accurate headcount but here walkers came from different points and at slightly different times due to the distance from Darien. All of us traversed the 1.25 mile length to the west side of the river and then wandered back across, stopping often to admire the fantastic views of the river below and for miles up and down. The only boats visible today were an oil barge pushed by a tug and a sailboat moving slowly in the light wind.

Most enjoyed a sandwich lunch at Lola’s situated under the bridge on the Poughkeepsie side. Lola’s has really good food but seating is limited and it is popular so it took some patience for most to be fed. A smaller number opted for lunch at Tavern 23, a short walk from the bridge. 

We think all would agree it was a day well spent despite the long trip. Thanks to all who participated!

Dave McCollum Robert Plunkett Joe Spain David Mace

HIKE THE SAUGATUCK TRAIL

      REDDING, CT

SEPTEMBER 7, 2023

9:30 AM

The Saugatuck Trail is a part of the Centennial Watershed State Forest which covers parts of Easton, Redding, Weston and Newtown and is a partnership between Aquarion Water Co, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and The Nature Conservancy. Created in 2002, the property was developed to conserve 15,300 acres of land for water supply protection. It encloses the Saugatuck Reservoir and consists almost entirely of forested rugged terrain with rock outcroppings. While most of the trail is somewhat distant from the reservoir, it can be seen through the trees in several spots. The forest scenery is spectacular!

We will be hiking about 4 miles (2 hours+) on mostly well groomed trails with the usual roots and rocks. There are a few fairly steep places on the trail and walking sticks would be helpful but not at all necessary. We rate this hike as medium plus. NO DOGS are allowed in the Forest but, as always, bring friends and family!

There is limited parking so we will organize some car pooling from the DCA leaving at 8:45 AM. The Google address is “Saugatuck Universal Access Trail, Redding, CT” 

No lunch is planned after this hike.

Dave McCollum or Robert Plunkett

Hiking: Mianus River Park, Stamford CT, June 8 at 10 a.m.

Mianus River Park is a 391-acre nature preserve on the Stamford /Greenwich border. The park, one of a series of green areas in the Mianus River Watershed, features a two-mile stretch of the beautiful Mianus River, forest lands, vernal pools, glacial outcroppings, varied wildlife and rolling hills. The trails are good but feature the usual rocks and roots and some elevation change but anything steep is in short spurts.

We rate this hike of about 3.5 miles as easy to moderate and it should take us about 2 hours to complete. Dogs on a leash are welcome (there are many dog walkers here!) and, of course, bring a spouse or friend to enjoy this hike.

There will be an optional lunch after the hike at Zody’s 19th Hole Restaurant at the E Gaynor Brennan Golf Course near the Park and Stamford Hospital.

DIRECTIONS:

We will meet at the Merriebrook Road entrance to the Park in Stamford. Both Waze and Google Maps respond to “Mianus River Park”. There is parking on the right before the bridge over the river. Do not park on the roads in the area which are marked and patrolled.

CONTACTS:

Dave McCollum

Bob Plunkett

   HIKING 

      LARSEN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY

    FAIRFIELD, CT

    APRIL 27, 2023

10:00 AM

The Larsen Sanctuary is owned and run by the Connecticut Audubon Society and was a gift from Roy and Margot Larsen in the early 1960s after the construction of I-95 eliminated about half of Audubon’s sanctuary in coastal Fairfield. It consists of 155 acres of varied terrain with little elevation change, several ponds and streams and very well maintained trails. We will be hiking about 3 miles which we should complete in about two hours as there will be many places to stop and observe wildlife. What you say, “wildlife on a DMA hike?” yes indeed there is here. We saw birds, turtles, a snake and an active beaver pond during our pre-hike. There is a pair of nesting Barred Owls on the property and the center also has a birds of prey compound which we may be able to see as well. This should be a terrific hike!

The Sanctuary is located at 2325 Burr Street in Fairfield which is north of the Merritt Parkway. Google “Larsen Wildlife Sanctuary”. There is plenty of parking, a nature store and bathrooms. NO DOGS permitted on this hike but please bring spouses and/or friends!

There will be NO LUNCH after this hike so that hikers will also be able to attend the Current Affairs meeting at 2:00 that afternoon.

PS-The director of the Fairfield region of Connecticut Audubon is Amy Barnouw, the daughter of John Schlachtenhaufen, who guided us on our pre-hike!  Thank you Amy!

Trip report:

The forecast for today was occasional showers with a probability of rain of about 50% during the hike two hour window of 10-12 am. However, at about 8:30 the skies opened up in Darien which apparently had a sobering effect on many DMAers desire to hike. Your hiking captains, Robert and Dave, were not deterred and headed up to Fairfield ready to push ahead. 

As it turned out, five other DMAers were not deterred either and the seven of us set out pretty much on schedule to tour the spectacular Sanctuary. The weather was just fine for a hike, cool but no rain. We set out on the main trail and detoured for a one mile trip through Deer Meadow (no deer!) before resuming on the main path which then took us past two beaver ponds and into the forest of giant trees and many streams and ponds. We hiked 3.2 miles in under 2 hours.

The overcast weather kept more than hikers inside, most wildlife stayed away too! We did see two Canada Geese, a few birds and a squirrel. Thanks to all who turned out!

The next hike is scheduled for Monday June 5 at a site TBD. We will hope for a better forecast!

Dave McCollum

Robert Plunkett