2.8 Mile Loop
CT Walk Book West pg. 329
When you drive down the narrow street to park for this hike you feel like you're in the middle of the city. You park at a Quarry, and actually pass through the Quarry on foot to start the hike.
The parking area for this hike leaves you wondering if this could possibly really be a good hike. I always cringe hiking around developed area's and quarries and things. While our vehicle has never been bothered anywhere we've parked for hiking, we have run into our fair share of poison ivy and such. The worst encounters we've had with that have been in places like these. However, there was none of that here, of course, it's also early spring, so things aren't in full growth.
Once through the muck we continued through the quarry towards the forest. It was Saturday and there seemed to be no one around save one person working under the hood of one of the big quarry trucks. He paid us no mind as we passed, and very soon we were being swallowed up by the forest. Any sounds of the city were easily drowned out by the rushing stream to our right.
The view is a little past the actual peak, and was fairly impressive. It is only around 660ft in elevation, but the wide, sweeping view, gave it the feel of a much higher, much more impressive view. You'll find a couple more nice places to take in views along the way as well.
We weren't able to move on for awhile. We were trying to keep back enough that they would keep moving away from the trail, but not close enough to make the male feel he needed to threaten us. We considered trying to bushwhack around, but were limited by terrain. Heavy brush and rocky scramble to the right, steep drop on the left. We decided waiting it out seemed preferable, and safer, and as it turns out there were more black racers in the rocks to the right, (saw at least one more come out while we were waiting) so we seem to have made the correct decision.
Sidetrack was busy snapping pics while we waited. I watched on in amazement before being distracted by some Black and White Warblers that were fluttering about and chirping around us. One ended up landing about a foot away from me on a young tree. Unfortunately, I never got a clear photo of the birds despite a brief close landing.
I'm not entirely sure how much time passed, but eventually the snakes moved far enough away that we could pass. They curled up together on some downed limbs and brush under the trunk of a tree. The male eyed us suspiciously as we passed by.
Many may beg to differ but I find snakes to be beautiful creatures.
Happy Trails,
-Molasses