2021-8-26, Sunrise and Machimoodus State Park, East Haddam, CT

 I first visited Sunrise and Machimoodus State Parks on 2015-7-30 on an Appalachian Mountain Club hike.  I went back on another AMC hike on 2016-9-15.  On my own, I visited the state parks on 2021-8-24, 2021-8-25, and 2021-8-26.

I made an interactive map of the parks with location numbers that I will refer to.  Here's a link to the interactive map: https://arcg.is/zC1ve .

1.  Here's a picture from my 2015 trip.  This was at the boat launch which had its own large parking lot.  To get to the boat launch parking lot from Route CT-151, you enter from a different entrance from the entrance for Machimoodus State Park.  I think the flowers were on purple loosestrife plants.  In the background was the Salmon River.  What is now Sunrise State Park used to be a resort with various entertainments.  The paved road that went through the resort are still there, although some are overgrown.  You can still see the tennis courts.


2.  This was a plant that I saw a lot of in Machimoodus State Park.  This was near the parking lot for Machimoodus State Park.  I think the plant was Lespedeza capitata, round-headed bush clover.




2  A close-up of Lespedeza capitata, round-headed bush clover.


3.  Some sort of garden near the parking lot.



Near 3. Another view of "Gingers Garden."




Near 3.  The area in Machimoodus State Park near the parking lot was like a city park, with mown grass and planted trees.  Some of the trees were species you won't find in Connecticut woods, although I think this tree was a scarlet oak, which is found in Connecticut woods.



Near 3.  Scarlet oak, I think.



Near 3.  Scarlet oak, I think.



Near 3.  Scarlet oak, I think.



4.  This was a sassafras tree displaying its fruit.



5.  A view of the city-park-like area.


6.  I think this was a little-leaf linden, Tilia cordata, tree ---- not a tree that grows in Connecticut unless it is planted here.



6.  Little-leaf linden, Tilia cordata, tree.



6.  Little-leaf linden, Tilia cordata, tree.



6.  Little-leaf linden, Tilia cordata, tree.


7.  Callery pear, Pyrus calleryana, another tree that you won't find in the Connecticut woods.



7.   Callery pear, Pyrus calleryana.



7.   Callery pear, Pyrus calleryana.



7.  Callery pear, Pyrus calleryana.


8.  Where water exited one of several man-made ponds.



9.  Someone put a lot of time into creating this display which was about twenty feet off a blue-blazed trail.



10.  I went back and forth on this trail segment trying to figure out if the blazes were supposed to be orange or yellow.  As I recall, the newer blazes were yellow, but I only saw them at the east end of the trail segment.


11.  This trail was a bit overgrown here.



12.  This unblazed trail was not too hard to follow, but had several large fallen trees across it.



Near 12.



13.  Another somewhat-overgrown trail.



13.  There were lots of three-dimensional spider webs along the somewhat-overgrown trail.



14.  A large white oak with decorations.  Maybe the same artist who made the little house at 9 put up "Village III."



15.  This is in the far-eastern section of Machimoodus State Park on an almost imperceptible unblazed trail.  The bridge seemed to be less than a year old and to be made almost entirely of cedar logs.



15.  A bent galvanized steel strap was used to attach the posts to the deck.



15.  More bridge-construction detail.





16.  A view of the Salmon River, which is tidal here.



17.  This unblazed trail that ran along the steep bank of the Salmon River required me to use my hands to feel safe in spots.


18.  A rope swing which I didn't try.  I would think it would be dangerous to use this rope swing.


18.  Rocks below the swing.



19.  I was trying to photograph a spider web along this unblazed trail.


20.  A view of the Salmon River from the turnaround at the south end of a road section of a purple-blazed trail.


20.  The same view from the Appalachian Mountain Club hike in 2015.


21.  A  view of the Salmon River from the south end of another road section of the purple-blazed trail.



Near 21.  A good spot to take a rest.



22.  There was a bench here, but I think the view has become overgrown.


23.  This trail was a little overgown.


Near 23.  A view of the Moodus River.







David Reik

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