2021-3-28, Metacomet Trail, Berlin, Southington, CT

 On 2021-3 28, I hiked a section of the Metacomet Trail in Berlin and Southington, and a section of the Metacomet Blue-Red Loop Trail in Berlin.  I decided to record the locations of various trail issues I encountered.  I recorded GPS Waypoints with my Garmin.  I made an interactive map on which I display the Waypoints.  Here's a link to the interactive map where you can zoom in and out, pan around, and turn various layers off and on: https://arcg.is/0fC95e .  Below is a static screenshot of the interactive map.



001.  A blow-down on the Blue-Red Trail.


002.  Apparently, there was a major blow-down here on the Blue-Red Trail that damaged the bridge.  Someone has done a lot of work to cut up the blow-down and repair the bridge.


003.  A low blow-down on the Blue-Red Trail.  I think it's best to remove even low blow-downs because send a message that hikers who encounter the blow-down have gone the wrong way.  A cut blow-down sends a message to hikers that the hikers are on the trail.


004.  Here, I was on the Metacomet Trail.


005.  I found this stream crossing to be a challenge.


006.  


007.


008.


009.  Although I have walked this trail many times, I missed the turn out of the eroded, sunken old road up onto higher ground.  Maybe a log across the sunken road with a left-turn blaze on it would be good.


010.


011.  A tree leaning into the trail.  I would not know how to safely remove this tree.


012.


013.  Here, the trail split, but I could not see a blaze in either direction.


014.


015.  Two blow-downs.


016.  Again, two blow-downs.


017.  Two more blow-downs.


018.  Several blow-downs.


019.  Two blow-downs.


020.  Several blow-downs.


021.



022.


023.  The blow-down in this picture is not actually obstructing the Metacomet Trail --- the blow-down is just after where the Metacomet turns to the left and goes down a scary ledge.  There was a new turn blaze on the tree that fell.


024.  Here, I was on my way to the scary ledge.  The only time I have really had a problem with the scary ledge was when it was covered with wet ice last year during a Tom Ebersold-led hike.


025.


026.


027.  A low blow-down and a leaning blow-down that would be hard to safely remove.


028.


Here's a screenshot of the map that shows Waypoint 029.


029.  Where the Metacomet meets Millbrook Lane.  People have done a lot of work to make the trail easier to follow here.  A lot of brush has been cut.  I think the No Parking sign with a blaze on it must have been put in by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association.  Millbrook Lane is a narrow, private road.  I don't believe you can park anywhere on the road.


030.  On my way back,  I took a picture here to show the old mill dam.  I was standing in what was the mill race that took water from the dam to the waterwheel.


030.  I think the stones in the upper left are the remains of the mill.


031.  The trail splits but I could see no blazes.  In the other direction, a blaze makes clear that the trail is the trail on the right in this picture, the trail closer to the cliff.


032.  Another place where the trail split but I couldn't see a blaze which would show me which way the trail went.


033.  An intermittent waterfall off the trail.


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