ONE-OF-A-KIND CONNECTICUT WALKS
HOGPEN HILL FARMS
Woodbury, Connecticut
ABOUT
Hogpen Hill Farms is a 234-acre tree farm and landscape sculpture park. From an airstream camper held high in the air by a massive steel base to collections of perfectly balanced boulders, 100 large and whimsical works of art make this a fascinating place to explore.
Edward Tufte is an American statistician and Yale University professor, referred to as the Father of Information Visualization - by those who understand what that means.
Hogpen Hill Farms is privately owned. Visitors must purchase a ticket in advance in order to be admitted.
DISTANCE: 1.5 - 5 miles
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy
PARKING
Follow road off 100 Weekeepeemee Road in Woodbury to Hogpen Hill Farms. Parking assistants will direct you to an open spot.
HOLY LAND USA
Waterbury, Connecticut
ABOUT
In its heyday, this Waterbury attraction boasted upwards of 40,000 visitors each year. Built into the 18-acre hilltop property was a mini replica of the Biblical Holy Land, a sign emulating the Hollywood Hills reading “Holy Land USA,” and a 56-foot steel cross that dwarfs the other sites in the park.
Holy Land USA was open between 1955 and 1984. It was abandoned and fell into disrepair after its creator, John Baptist Greco, died.
A violent crime in 2010 gave the already dilapidated Holy Land an eery and malevolent reputation. Holy Land USA began a favorite attraction of urban explorers, showing up on internet lists of the top abandoned places to visit.
Restoration of Holy Land USA began slowly in 2014. Occasionally Catholic mass and other relgious events are held on the grounds.
DISTANCE: Approx 0.4 miles
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy
PARKING
The park is accessible from a small lot at 60 Slocum Street in Waterbury, Connecticut.
MINE HILL PRESERVE
Roxbury, Connecticut
ABOUT THE HIKE
Recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, Mine Hill Preserve is a site of a 19th-century iron mine and furnace works. Miles of trails lead hikers past the remains of large roasting ovens, a blast furnace, furnace works and an abandoned quarry area.
The large roasting ovens and blast furnace are a short walk from the parking lot, making this a great place to visit with kids.
For a longer, moderately challenging hike, take the Donkey Trail and explore more remains of the old mine. Two mine tunnels and several deep grated air shafts - now bat caves - can be found about a mile from the blast furnace and roasting ovens.
For a more detailed history of Mine Hill, visit the Roxbury Land Trust’s website.
DISTANCE: 0.4 - 3.4 miles
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy / Moderate
PARKING
A parking lot can be found .3 miles off Mine Hill Road, in Roxbury.
GILLETTE CASTLE
East Haddam, Connecticut
ABOUT THE HIKE
Constructed on a hill overlooking the Connecticut River, Gillette Castle is an iconic landmark. The gorgeous stone mansion was intended to serve as a retirement home for its namesake William Gillette. A prominent 19th century actor, Gillette was best known for his role as Sherlock Holmes. Officially named the Seventh Sister Estate, is 122-acre property once contained a a small scale railroad. The "railroad station" near the mansion and a stone tunnel remain on what is today a state park.
For a more detailed history of Gillette Castle, visit the Gillette Castle Friends’ website.
When exploring the park, there are numerous trails to choose from. Take the purple trail to walk through one of the old railroad tunnels.
The park offers seasonal tours of the castle. Stop by the visitor center or click here to get your tickets.
DISTANCE: 0.1 - 2.2 miles
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy
PARKING
There is ample parking feet from Gillette Castle. Follow the road after entering the park off River Road in East Haddam to reach the large lot near the visitor’s center.
HOSPITAL ROCK
Farmington, Connecticut
ABOUT THE HIKE
Along the Metacomet Trail, the woods straddling the Farmington/Plainville line contain the vestiges from several eras of Connecticut’s history. Any one of the points of interest along this trail are worth a visit, but Hospital Rock is one of the coolest places I’ve ever visited.
Carved into a nondescript rock deep in the forest are the names of 66 patients of the late 18th century smallpox inoculation hospital that once stood on this site.
Hospital Rock was extremely difficult to find. I used a combination of AllTrails and Google Maps to pinpoint the rock. Sprinkling flour of the rocks and blowing away the excess will reveal the etchings more clearly.
There are two different trailheads that visitors can take to reach Hospital Rock. Beginning the hike in Farmington, the trail ascends towards the summit of Rattlesnake Mountain, pictured above. This was one of Quinn’s first hikes. Can you tell that he loved it? About 0.1 miles before the overlook is a collection of large boulders known as Will Warren's Den.
A bronze plaque marks the location that legend claims to be the cave where a 17th century man once resided. Historians are unsure how much of the Will Warren story is true, if any at all, but the tale states that he was driven out of town for refusing to attend church and stealing the sheep of the local farmers.
Beginning the hike in Plainville, a steep and rocky trail winds past several remains from the former Nike 1B defensive missile base that operated here from 1956 through 1961.
Pinnacle Rock, pictured above, offers an impressive panoramic view from the remains of missile base lookout.
DISTANCE: Approx 4 miles
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate
PARKING
Hospital Rock can be accessed either of two trailheads: one in Plainville and the other in Farmington at 157 Colt Hwy. Hikers who take the trail from Plainville must park across the street. I opt for 440 New Britain Ave.
HEUBLEIN TOWER
Simsbury, Connecticut
ABOUT THE HIKE
The Heublein Tower is the focal point of Talcott Mountain State Park and is only accessible to visitors on foot. A steep half mile hike opens up to the scenic ridge line on the Metacomet Trail. It’s a half mile more to reach the base of the tower. At 165 feet and six stories tall, the Heublein Tower is awe-inspiring.
Guests are able to go inside the museum Friday – Monday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Walk up to the top for a stunning 360 degree view!
For a more detailed history of the Heublein Tower, visit the Friends of the Heublein Tower’s website.
DISTANCE: 4 miles
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Moderate / Difficult
PARKING
The most convenient parking to take the trails up to the Heublein Tower is the lot on Summit Ridge Drive in Simsbury.
TIDAL MARSH TRAIL
North Haven, Connecticut
CLOSED INDEFINITELY
ABOUT THE HIKE
UPDATE: As of April 1, 2024, the Tidal Marsh Trail is closed indefinitely. After the sale of the land, the new owners conducted extensive soil testing and found that the ground is contaminated with unsafe levels of PCBs and other carcinogens.
The Tidal Marsh Trail in North Haven is a peaceful and easy walk along the Quinnipiac River. An early clearing in the trail offers a perfect view of the Sleeping Giant a few miles north.
More adventurous explorers are drawn to Tidal Marsh for the ruins of the Cedar Hill Rail Yard. Built in the 1890s, it was once one of the busiest railroad yards in the United States. Long abandoned, a few crumbling buildings, terminals and towers remain, reclaimed by nature.
The only AllTrails map for the Tidal Marsh Trail turns around before the path gets overgrown at the graffiti-covered tunnel. Follow the dotted line to the very end with your GPS to avoid getting lost.
Deep into the overgrown trail is an impressive and difficult-to-find work of art. The 14-foot-tall polar bear was created by New Haven-based artist M.J. DeAngelo using reclaimed materials from the former Cedar Hill Rail Yard.
There are a few things to keep in mind before hiking the Tidal Marsh Trail. The first are the bugs. This place has a ton of them. A sign at the trailhead warns of an abundance of tics that may carry Lyme disease. There’s no shortage of mosquitoes either. I recommend visiting in the winter to avoid getting eaten alive.
Next, the hike out to the polar bear can be tricky to follow after the half mile mark as the trail is extremely overgrown. Follow the dotted line on AllTrails with your GPS on for help.
My final concern is with the trail is safety. The abandoned rail yard has broken glass, rusty metal and many flimsy structures. The remains of the building housing the polar bear look as if they could collapse after one bad storm. I wouldn’t recommend taking children here.
DISTANCE: Approx 2.2 miles
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: Easy
PARKING
Parking for the Tidal Marsh Trail can be found at 200 Universal Drive in North Haven, behind the Target.
