Mattabesett Postscipt
9 Section Hikes
Began: 5/23/2008
Finished: 11/9/2008
While I have a very long way to go to complete the Connecticut 400(825), completing my first of the longer CFPA trails leaves me with both a sense of completion and an odd feeling of sadness. Not sadness like sadness when you dog dies, but sadness in the sense that I no longer have any of the Mattabesset ahead of me to get excited about. Some of you will know what I mean, but most won’t.
A friend of mine, Karl, who is planning on completing his CT 400(825) in a scant few months wrote to me at the beginning of my adventure that he was envious of me because I had so much ahead of me still. And I certainly still do, there’s no doubt about that. But not the Mattabesset.
My CFPA Mattabesset completion patch!
As I wrote several times in my hike reports, I was consistently surprised by this trail. For some reason, I didn’t have high expectations for it at all. Perhaps because I thought I was familiar with the region and/or I knew I wouldn’t be climbing any high peaks. Sure there are road walks, and yes there are an unfortunate number of abandoned cars and a few property access issues, but in the end, I loved this trail.
It’s truly amazing how remote parts of the trail feel when in reality, I don’t think I was ever more than a mile from a road and houses. The plentiful parking areas from which to jump on the trail make it accessible for everyone and the various loop options in Meriden, Middletown, Madison and Guilford are definite bonuses. On top of that, the relatively easy hiking this trail affords (often with great scenic payoffs) really makes this worth at least a day hike for everyone in the state.
So get out and get up Higby, Chauncey, Mica Ledges, Bluff Head and Bear Hill. You won’t regret it.
Dead on, Steve. The opportunities for beauty and solitude are remarkable given the trail’s proximity to everything.
Comment #1 on 02.07.09 at 4:26 amThanks again, Steve!
Comment #2 on 11.26.12 at 11:28 pmThank you for such a wonderful description and photos of the trail! I’m thinking about hiking the entire trail soon (in September 2013). What would you (or anyone) think about covert camping along the trail: possible but not easy? Thanks!
Irek
Comment #3 on 05.30.13 at 1:23 pm