CT Appalachian Trail to Bull's Bridge

This was a joint hike with NYC-based Sundance Outdoor Adventure Society, but despite more complicated logistics, the hike went amazingly well for the turnout of 12 hikers.

While three Gay Outdoors guys waited at the trailhead just over the state line in western CT, I met the Sundance group at the Harlem Valley/Wingdale, NY, train station at 9:45. Two other cars met there and then we shuttled four train passengers arrving from Manattan over to the trailhead.

We managed to get there by 10, which is the start time I had advertised for the Gay Outdoors guys. It was a perfect spring day, the hike started with a fairly gradual uphill on the way out, following the Appalachian Trail as it stayed close to the state line. Then the trail started to follow a tributary of the Housatonic, with water a little low due to recent lack of rain. We reached an iron foot bridge to cross the tributary near where it flowed into the Housatonic and many people lingered on the bank before crossing to enjoy the sunshine and sights and sounds of the river.

After crossing, we followed the trail along the Housatonic River. At the point where the AT hooked left to go up a hill, we kept on a spur trail to follow the river and reached a country road near where it would cross the river. We took a one-lane concrete bridge to get to an island in the river located just below a dam. We had lunch on the island, some people staying on an observation deck overlooking the confluence, others wandering down the embankment to sit among the rocks at the edge of the rushing water below the dam. After lunch we went back to the road to cross Bull's Bridge covered bridge and noticed a canal that had been built parallel to the river.

Then it was time to go back. Sundancer Gene was a great coleader. On the way back I was inattentively following a wide path, but Gene noticed the place where we needed to bear left on a narrower path to go back the way we came. Though we were just retracing our route, we definitely noticed a longer steeper uphill to challenge us. People became more spread out, but the faster hikers waited periodically for others to catch up.

At the end of hike we had some time, but not a lot of time before the return train for our Manhattan hikers. We ate/drink a bit at the Burgerritoville place in nearby Gaylordsville, indulging in an assortment of "burgerritos", hot dogs, fries, beer, hard cider, and root beer floats. They served us in time for us to make the train.

Join us for a moderate there-and-back-again 6.5 mile hike via the Appalachian Trail in western CT. We'll hike near the western border of CT and then along the ragin' Housatonic River. There will be beautiful views of the Housatonic River valley, and a great mid-river viewpoint on an island where we'll have our lunch stop within sight of Bull's Bridge covered bridge and the nearby falls. Expect rocky trails and one long sustained hill climb each way.

If there's interest afterward we can go into nearby Gaylordsville for drinks or an after-hike meal.

Equipment: Sturdy hiking shoes. Water - at least two liters. Trail lunch. Hiking poles if needed. Trail map. Fully charged cell phone. Plan to dress for spring hiking conditions, and avoid cotton.

Weather: Heavy or all day rain cancels; a shower doesn't.