Shenipsit Trail: Somers to Ellington • Hike • Connecticut • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

login for filter options

Aug 27 2022

GrangerGuy

Guides 34
Routes 138
Photos 931
Triplogs 111

68 male

Joined Dec 26 2018
Phoenix, AZ

Shenipsit Trail: Somers to Ellington

Tolland, CT

Shenipsit Trail: Somers to Ellington

Tolland, CT

Hiking		Aug 27 2022
		GrangerGuy • Triplogs 111

Hiking	11.30 Miles	1,942 AEG

Hiking	11.30 Miles	7 Hrs 45 Mns		1.46 mph
	1,942 ft AEG		10 LBS Pack

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

With this hike, I’ve completed the Shenipsit Trail, except for the boring road bits, and an isolated section along Shenipsit Lake, which I don’t feel compelled to hike. I created guides for the southern and central sections, but kingsnake was here first on the northern section. Some trail has been added since the guide was published. I hiked all the way from the current north terminus at the intersection of Old Springfield Road and Greaves Road in Stafford Springs south to Grahaber Road near Bonair Hill Road in Tolland. The one-way adventure is 11.3 miles, AEG 1942’.

Update to the guide: The observation deck has been rebuilt and is nice. A good place to look above the treetops well into Massachusetts. You can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles.

There is good parking at the north terminus, about 0.1 mi up Greaves Road. At the southern end, there is grassy shoulder on the south side of Grahaber where my wife met me. If the grassy shoulder doesn’t appeal to you, official parking per the Connecticut Forest and Park Association is at the cul-de-sac at the end of Bonair Hill Road, about 2/3 mile away.

This part of the Shenipsit is well-maintained, and pleasant all the way. I ran into the trail steward, a spritely 83 years old, with his gloves and loppers. It had rained hard the day before, and the ferns encroach the trail, so I got a little wet at times, but it was pleasant in the late summer heat.

Although the Shenipsit State Forest is criss-crossed with two-tracks, and potentially wheeled vehicles, the north section down to Parker Road is on hiker-only single track. South of there, the trail follows on or near two-track, and there were some unmuffled bikes nearby that took away some of the experience of solitude. There is also a gun range just north of the trail intersection with Gulf Road and Sodom Road that impacted the experience somewhat.

At the end of August, the trees were just starting to turn and lose their leaves. Thanks to the Connecticut Forest and Park Association for making this trail possible.

Autumn Foliage Observation Isolated
Just starting!

May 23 2017

kingsnake

Guides 117
Routes 338
Photos 11,399
Triplogs 894

63 male

Joined Dec 20 2010
Sunnyslope, PHX

Shenipsit Trail: Somers to Ellington

Tolland, CT

Shenipsit Trail: Somers to Ellington

Tolland, CT

Hiking		May 23 2017
		kingsnake • Triplogs 894

Hiking	8.03 Miles	1,058 AEG

Hiking	8.03 Miles	2 Hrs 47 Mns	2.89 mph
	1,058 ft AEG

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

My first trip to Connecticut in five or six years was for the same reason as my last one: An endurance karting race.

If you’ve been following my triplogs, you are probably aware by now that wherever I go, I hike, be it a weekend in Flagstaff, or a trip to Scotland.

So, I did some research, and it turns out the Shenipsit Trail is only a few miles west of Stafford Springs, with decent spots for my helpful & understanding wife to drop me off at one end and pick me up at the other. My only concern was ticks.

Ticks can carry Lyme Disease, and I was under the impression it was first discovered in Connecticut, so I was even more careful than normal about brushing against any vegetation. (In the end, all that ended up on me was a few small caterpillars.)

I actually started hiking from Galbraith Rd., just west of Sodom Rd., as I was not sure where the Shenipsit Trail crosses CT-190. I ended up walking down gravel Sodom Rd. for a half mile, making several false turns, before finally finding the actual trail.

Shenipsit Trail is a Connecticut blue-blazed trail. Sometimes it is one blue blaze; sometimes it is two. At least on the Shenipsit Trail, one or two does not seem to indicate side vs. main trail. There are numerous other markers as well, including white dots, white arrows, yellow diamonds, yellow diamond with a black arrow, mileage signs and more I’ve forgotten. I continued to make false turns throughout my hike, but found that if I went more than 100 yds. without seeing a blue blaze (of either sort), it was best to return to the previous intersection, and try the alternate direction.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a beaver lodge in the pond just north of Gulf Rd. I heard plenty of birds, all morning, but did not see or hear the beaver. There were blessedly few bugs until the small pond just north of Webster Rd. From there to CT-140, there was always something buzzing around, but I escaped the Death Itch I suffered on Oklahoma’s Bison Trail.

The flower pr0n was Rated G. There were few flowers on the Shenipsit Trail, other than scattered patches of some small white ones. The only other flowers I recall seeing were exactly one blooming dandelion, a couple of dead ones (dead-elions?) and very few of some four leaf purple flower.

There were a few cars at the CT-140 trailhead, and a few more at the Gulf Rd. trailhead, but I only saw two hikers and one dog all morning.

To sum up, the Shenipsit Trail is not a destination hike: It is a enjoyable stroll in the woods that beats riding the bike in your hotel gym.

Hike Video: [ youtube video ]

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Unidentified Flora

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Graffiti Trail Signs and Markings

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

_____________________

http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored.

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

username		X
password		X