Step By Step
Hike # 91
Westwoods Trails (Guilford, CT)
Hike Distance: 7.33 Miles
Date Hiked: 3/16/2014
Date Published: 4/5/2014
By now, those of you who are familiar with this blog know how confusing the Westwoods trail network is. I've experienced frustration after frustration down in Guilford. So, this time around, I finally decided to plan out my hike. The following is a step by step process of the hike I planned out. This is how I wrote it up the night before the hike. So, I thought it would be fun to share it that way. I thought it would be a nice change up from my usual recaps.
Step 1 - Park at the Dunk Rock Road Parking Location.
Step 2 - Follow the Blue Circle Trail north until it turns to head south and crosses the Blue Square Trail.
Step 3 - Cross Blue Square Trail and continue heading south on Blue Circle Trail.
Step 4 - Turn left (east) on Red Square Trail...the Red Square Trail will lollipop, follow loop clockwise.
I stopped on the Red Square Trail to take this picture of Roscoe hauling tail down the trail. I also found an old chimney in the middle of the woods, so I stopped to take a picture of that.
Hike # 91
Westwoods Trails (Guilford, CT)
Hike Distance: 7.33 Miles
Date Hiked: 3/16/2014
Date Published: 4/5/2014
By now, those of you who are familiar with this blog know how confusing the Westwoods trail network is. I've experienced frustration after frustration down in Guilford. So, this time around, I finally decided to plan out my hike. The following is a step by step process of the hike I planned out. This is how I wrote it up the night before the hike. So, I thought it would be fun to share it that way. I thought it would be a nice change up from my usual recaps.
Step 1 - Park at the Dunk Rock Road Parking Location.
Step 2 - Follow the Blue Circle Trail north until it turns to head south and crosses the Blue Square Trail.
Step 3 - Cross Blue Square Trail and continue heading south on Blue Circle Trail.
Step 4 - Turn left (east) on Red Square Trail...the Red Square Trail will lollipop, follow loop clockwise.
I stopped on the Red Square Trail to take this picture of Roscoe hauling tail down the trail. I also found an old chimney in the middle of the woods, so I stopped to take a picture of that.
Step 5 - After completing the lollipop section of the Red Square Trail...and doubling back on the "stick"...turn left (south) on Blue Circle Trail.
Step 6 - Turn left (east) on the Red Diamond Trail and follow it to 3 Mile Course (a paved road)...double back to Blue Circle Trail.
Step 7 - Turn left (south) on Blue Circle Trail
Step 8 - Cross the Yellow Triangle Trail...at 2nd crossing, turn left and follow Yellow Triangle east then north (cross power lines in the process).
Step 9 - Turn left (west) on Blue Square Trail, then quickly left again (south) on Green Circle Trail.
Step 10 - Turn right (west) on Red Diamond Trail and follow it to the Orange Circle Trail.
Before making the turn on to the Red Diamond Trail, Roscoe and I stopped to explore an interesting rock formation. I really like these pictures because you can see how much the snow has melted since my last Westwoods hike. On that hike, about a month prior, there was still at least a foot of snow on the ground. Note: here, the Green Circle, Red Diamond, and Green Square Trails converge.
Step 6 - Turn left (east) on the Red Diamond Trail and follow it to 3 Mile Course (a paved road)...double back to Blue Circle Trail.
Step 7 - Turn left (south) on Blue Circle Trail
Step 8 - Cross the Yellow Triangle Trail...at 2nd crossing, turn left and follow Yellow Triangle east then north (cross power lines in the process).
Step 9 - Turn left (west) on Blue Square Trail, then quickly left again (south) on Green Circle Trail.
Step 10 - Turn right (west) on Red Diamond Trail and follow it to the Orange Circle Trail.
Before making the turn on to the Red Diamond Trail, Roscoe and I stopped to explore an interesting rock formation. I really like these pictures because you can see how much the snow has melted since my last Westwoods hike. On that hike, about a month prior, there was still at least a foot of snow on the ground. Note: here, the Green Circle, Red Diamond, and Green Square Trails converge.
Step 11 - Double back on Red Diamond Trail from Orange Circle Trail to Green Square Trail and turn right on Green Square.
Step 12 - Follow Green Square Trail to Blue Circle Trail, passing Green Circle Trail on the way...then, double back to Green Circle.
Step 13 - Turn right (north) on Green Circle and follow to Green Square.
Step 14 - Turn right on Green Square and follow to Red Diamond Trail.
Step 15 - Turn right on Red Diamond to alternate Yellow Triangle Trail.
Step 16 - Turn right on alternate Yellow Triangle and follow to Blue Circle Trail.
Step 17 - Double back on alternate Yellow Triangle and follow it due north (crossing the same power lines as Step 8).
I stopped here to take a picture of Roscoe as he was exploring some rock formations. But, you can also see the power lines to the right of the picture. Note: these power lines run east/west right through the center of Westwoods. Spend enough time here, and you will cross them many times.
Step 12 - Follow Green Square Trail to Blue Circle Trail, passing Green Circle Trail on the way...then, double back to Green Circle.
Step 13 - Turn right (north) on Green Circle and follow to Green Square.
Step 14 - Turn right on Green Square and follow to Red Diamond Trail.
Step 15 - Turn right on Red Diamond to alternate Yellow Triangle Trail.
Step 16 - Turn right on alternate Yellow Triangle and follow to Blue Circle Trail.
Step 17 - Double back on alternate Yellow Triangle and follow it due north (crossing the same power lines as Step 8).
I stopped here to take a picture of Roscoe as he was exploring some rock formations. But, you can also see the power lines to the right of the picture. Note: these power lines run east/west right through the center of Westwoods. Spend enough time here, and you will cross them many times.
From the power lines, we continued heading due north on the Yellow Triangle Trail.
Step 18 - Turn right on Red Diamond Trail to Blue Circle Trail.
Step 19 - Turn left on Blue Circle to Blue Rectangle Trail.
Step 20 - Turn right on Blue Rectangle and follow back to vehicle.
Note: The last section of the Blue Rectangle Trail follows a private section of Dunk Rock Road.
Step 18 - Turn right on Red Diamond Trail to Blue Circle Trail.
Step 19 - Turn left on Blue Circle to Blue Rectangle Trail.
Step 20 - Turn right on Blue Rectangle and follow back to vehicle.
Note: The last section of the Blue Rectangle Trail follows a private section of Dunk Rock Road.
For a map of this hike, along with elevation data, please click here.
Total 2014 Miles: 124.27