Trail Route Shenipsit Trail

1 trail route

1.1 south section
1.2 central section
1.3 north section

trail route

the shenipsit trail has 3 sections. south section goes gadpouch road in cobalt route 2 in glastonbury. central section goes route 2 risley pond in vernon. after 4-mile gap between central , north sections, north section goes grahaber road in tolland greaves road in stafford.

the shenipsit trail passes through following connecticut towns south north: east hampton, portland, glastonbury, manchester, bolton, vernon, rockville, tolland, ellington, stafford, , somers.

south section

connecticut river seen great hill in meshomasic state forest, off shenipsit trail

the south section of shenipsit trail runs gadpouch road in cobalt route 2 in glastonbury. starting on gadpouch road in cobalt, ct next (former site of the) meshomasic state forest ranger headquarters, trail climbs steep ridge top of great hill, part of bald hill range. spur trail takes hikers rocky vista views of connecticut river, middletown, , great hill pond below. trail continues north along great hill ridge, crossing woodchoppers rd, dirt road in state forest. after, trail crests on bald hill @ 893 feet, highest point on shenipsit trail within meshomasic state forest. trail follows unmaintained dirt roads , few single-track trails until reaching connecticut route 2 in glastonbury. hikers should take caution crossing four-lane freeway , recommended take connector trail dickinson rd, mott hill rd, toll gate rd go around route 2.

central section

view lookout mountain, off shenipsit trail.

the central section goes route 2 in glastonbury risley pond in vernon. central section of trail starts north of route 2, , can reached toll gate road in glastonbury. trail stretches 4.9 miles route 2 hebron avenue (route 94) in glastonbury. trail crosses hebron ave @ birch mountain road.

the trail follows birch mountain road 0.3 mile before turning left woods , once again becomes single track trail. trail crosses through many stone walls , enters case mountain trail system. after crossing power lines, trail becomes rocky , section of referred mountain-bikers “slick-rock”. crossing coop-sawmill road, dirt road, trail rolls , down small steep hills until reaches top of case mountain in manchester. taking left on lookout mountain trail 600 feet takes top of lookout mountain there benches, information kiosks, , vista view of hartford , connecticut river valley. trail continues along ridge past intersection lookout mountain trail, crosses birch mountain rd in manchester, comes out on residential street.

after following trails, gas-line easements, , roads, trail picks again @ abandoned drive-in theater on route 6 near bolton notch state park. trail goes though bolton notch state park mile, shares pathway hop river bike path 2 miles between bolton notch , valley falls park. trail crosses bolton road, , drops belding wildlife management area, crossing tankerhoosen river @ bottom of mill pond. winds north between west walker reservoir , highway 84, before ending @ public area on reservoir road @ east walker reservoir, there picnic tables , fishing areas. there, trail follows roads 4 miles. paved roads lead under route 31 underpass of hwy 84 (exit 67) , down route 30, takes turn through tolland county agricultural center, before making way route 30. trail turns down kingsbury road , briefly down route 74 before following wooded trail along lake shenipsit. @ northeast corner of lake, trail meets shenipsit lake road. trail leaves public roads on grahaber rd in tolland, half mile west of intersection of shenipsit lake road , grahaber road/browns bridge road, southern end of north section.

north section

the north section of shenipsit trail starts @ grahaber rd in tolland. continuing through shenipsit state forest, trail climbs 1,075 foot soapstone mountain. on top of mountain lookout tower built in 1970s replace fire tower had been built civilian conservation corps. tower tall enough see on tree line, there 1 can see connecticut river valley, mount greylock in berkshires of massachusetts, , mount monadnock in new hampshire. continuing down mountain, trail comes end on greaves road in stafford.

historically, trail continued north beyond bald mountain, perkins mountain, , rattlesnake mountain in somers , ended in town of hampden, massachusetts. portion of trail discontinued in 1980s. in 2014, trail extended again end in somers 2.5 miles on bald mountain stafford.