Back to Where it All Began
Hike # 100
Metacomet Trail
Route 372 (Plainville, CT) to Route 4 (Farmington, CT)
Section Distance (Per CFPA Walk Book): 6.3 Miles
Hike Distance: 6.58 Miles
Date Hiked: 5/3/2014
Date Published: 5/3/2014
For Hike #100, I wanted to do something other than just another hike. So, as I started to think about how to make #100 more meaningful, I started to consider how far I'd come since Hike #1. And, it occurred to me I should go back and do the same hike...in order to see if there was a noticeable difference.
As I considered a repeat of Hike #1, it also occurred to me I should ask some friends who appeared in previous recaps to join me. I couldn't get a hold of everyone...and Jaci made it clear she wasn't interested...but I was able to round up a few peeps and I'm thankful for that. Joining me on this "celebration hike" would be my dad (who has appeared in several recaps), his friend Allan (who started hiking with me and my dad over the winter), my friend Eric (who appeared in Hike # 29...also on the Metacomet), my friend Monika (from my Sleeping Giant hikes), my friend Mark (from our Mattabesett hikes), and...of course...the greatest hiker on four paws.
Before setting out, Monika and Jaci (who was kind enough to provide an additional shuttle from Route 4, where everyone else left their cars, to Route 372) took a few pictures of the boys. In the background, you can see where we dropped my car. I've parked here three times now without getting a ticket, but I'm still not sure it is legal. The lot seems empty on the weekend, but park here at your own risk...
Hike # 100
Metacomet Trail
Route 372 (Plainville, CT) to Route 4 (Farmington, CT)
Section Distance (Per CFPA Walk Book): 6.3 Miles
Hike Distance: 6.58 Miles
Date Hiked: 5/3/2014
Date Published: 5/3/2014
For Hike #100, I wanted to do something other than just another hike. So, as I started to think about how to make #100 more meaningful, I started to consider how far I'd come since Hike #1. And, it occurred to me I should go back and do the same hike...in order to see if there was a noticeable difference.
As I considered a repeat of Hike #1, it also occurred to me I should ask some friends who appeared in previous recaps to join me. I couldn't get a hold of everyone...and Jaci made it clear she wasn't interested...but I was able to round up a few peeps and I'm thankful for that. Joining me on this "celebration hike" would be my dad (who has appeared in several recaps), his friend Allan (who started hiking with me and my dad over the winter), my friend Eric (who appeared in Hike # 29...also on the Metacomet), my friend Monika (from my Sleeping Giant hikes), my friend Mark (from our Mattabesett hikes), and...of course...the greatest hiker on four paws.
Before setting out, Monika and Jaci (who was kind enough to provide an additional shuttle from Route 4, where everyone else left their cars, to Route 372) took a few pictures of the boys. In the background, you can see where we dropped my car. I've parked here three times now without getting a ticket, but I'm still not sure it is legal. The lot seems empty on the weekend, but park here at your own risk...
We crossed Route 372 and stopped at the blue oval Metacomet Trail sign to take another starting photo. This time, I made sure Monika was included so we could get a photo of the whole crew...
We crossed some train tracks and soon encountered this trail sign, which provided a preview of what was to come. The distances are accurate but, as you will see, our hike distances don't match up exactly because of a couple of small detours we took...
As I've mentioned in previous Metacomet recaps, this trail doesn't mess around with warm-ups. As soon as you get out of the car, you are climbing. This is the case at most (maybe even all) of the trailheads...including this one. It wasn't long (maybe 6/10 of a mile) before we had gained over 150 feet of elevation. I felt like I handled this a lot better than the first time around two years ago. But, we still stopped to enjoy some of the views from several overlooks...
It wasn't long before we started to see these two TV antennae, which are near the halfway point of our hike...
Other than the views, which are the same at pretty much all of the overlooks, the first mile and a half of this hike isn't very exciting. But, at roughly the 1.6 mile point, we reached the first "highlight" of this hike. Here, there once stood a Nike military base. I remember being excited about, and then disappointed by, this on my first time around. I'm sure it was impressive at one time, but now it is basically a barbed-wire fence on top of a cliff...
Approximately 2/10 of a mile later, after a solid uphill climb, we reached Pinnacle Rock. Here, we took in some more views and noted how much closer we were getting to the TV antennae...
It was also around this time, I spotted a good view of the UConn Health Center (roughly 4.5 miles away) and a partial view of downtown Hartford...
Around the 2.9 mile point of our hike (2.3 per the Walk Book), we went off trail for a bit to check out a quarry I remembered from my previous hike through the area (when Jaci and I got lost for a few minutes)...
Leaving the quarry behind and returning to the trail, we reached what I consider to be the most rugged part of this section. First, there is a steep slope to descend...
...followed by a muddy crossing through a power line cut...and an immediate climb back up the other side, at the base of Rattlesnake Cliffs...
As I noted earlier, this day was all about reuniting with friends from previous recaps. So, it is only fitting that we had an encounter with what appeared to be a Black Rat Snake. Those of you who can remember all the way back to Hike #1, might recall I saw a similar snake on that hike...in almost exactly the same section of the trail. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised to find out this is the same snake from two and half years ago...
He was just hanging out in the middle of the trail. So, I moved him away using a stick and we were able to continue on...
The trail through here switches back a few times before running right along the base of the cliffs...
It then heads directly through this hole in between two boulders. Mark noted that the temperature was about 10 degrees cooler under the rocks and I agreed...
At the top of Rattlesnake Cliffs, I signed the trail register and stopped to get a better shot of downtown Hartford...
I also took a picture of the ridgeline to the south. In the distance (center frame), you can see the Hanging Hills and East and West Peaks in Meriden (roughly 20 miles away)...
Once we were done checking out the views, the trail took us right by Will Warren's Den. From the Walk Book, "The cave known as Will Warren's Den is one of Farmington's historic landmarks. In the 17th century, Warren, according to legend, tried to burn down the village of Farmington after he was flogged for not going to church. Driven out of town and pursued into the mountains, he was hidden in this cave by Native American maidens. In the 1870's, a skeleton was discovered in Will Warren's Den and it was believed to be Will himself. The office of the State Archaeologist conducted a forensic examination of the skeleton, however, and it did not appear to match any of the aspects of Will Warren's life."
Leaving Will Warren's Den behind, the trail brought us to the TV antennae...and the approximate halfway point of our journey...
Around the 4.6 mile point of our hike (4.1 per the Walk Book), we reached and carefully crossed Route 6 (one of the busiest roads in the state)...
Roughly 6/10 of a mile later, we reached Poplar Hill Drive and walked by a large mansion. This 50,000 square foot...52 room...estate was once owned by Mike Tyson. More recently, it was (and possibly still is) owned by 50 Cent...
We continued to follow the trail as it led us down Poplar Hill Drive. 5.7 miles in, we made a left on Mountain Road and followed that for a stretch. Then, we veered right through what looks like somebody's front yard...
At around the 6.4 mile point of our hike, we crossed Route 4 and returned to our vehicles shortly after...
This was one of my favorite hikes. I had great weather, great company, and I was finally able to get some pictures of this section of the Metacomet. Now that I've completed 100 hikes, I feel like I'm ready to take off the training wheels. And, as a result, I'm ready to take my game to the next level. What level is that, you ask? Some of you already know, but the rest of you will just have to wait until the next recap is posted...
For a map of this hike, along with elevation data, please click here.
Total 2014 Miles: 217.11