HOUSATONIC RAIL TRAIL SOUTH LETTERBOX:

TRUMBULL, CONNECTICUT

-BIKE IT OR HIKE IT-

Planted:                September 4, 2002

Length:                Tait Road parking lot to Whitney Avenue parking lot; 2.7 miles.

                              Tait Road to Letterbox; 1 1/4 miles: Whitney Avenue to Letterbox; 1.4 miles.

Difficulty:            Moderate. Flat, hard packed gravel trail with a few rough spots.

Directions:

To start from the southern end, Tait Road parking lot; take exit 49 off of Route 15 (Merritt Parkway) to Route 25 north. Take exit 9 and go left on Daniels Farm Road to Route 127. Take a right onto Route 127 and turn right again at the second entrance to Tait Road . The first entrance is near the two intersections. Parking is available alongside the road leading up to the trail entrance at the brown steel gate on your left.

To start from the northern end, Whitney Avenue parking lot; take exit 49 off of Route 15 (Merritt Parkway) to Route 25 north. Take this divided expressway to a traffic light at the intersection of Route 111. Go left onto Route 111 south for 0.7 miles and turn left onto Whitney Avenue . The parking lot will be on your right less then ½ a mile down. The entrance is directly across from a white sign that reads "Parlor Rock", on the left side of the road.

The Housatonic Rail Bed originated in 1840 as the Berkshire Railroad linking Bridgeport and New Milford . It was later purchased by the Housatonic Railroad and later became part of the New York , New Haven and Hartford Railroad. It was abandoned in 1941. Today the state of Connecticut owns the land, which is part of the Pequonnock River Valley Park. Some maps refer to this trail as the Pequonnock Greenway, but signs on the trail call it the Housatonic Rail Trail. The trail runs from Trumbull in the south, up to the Botsford section of Newtown in the north. For more information visit; HOUSATONIC RAIL TRAIL  .

Starting from Tait Road; after you pass by the steel gate, look to your left for a map of the trail. This trail is well shaded as it follows a shelf of land along a steep slope of trap rock to your left and the Pequonnock River below to your right. There are a few wet spots you cross if you go after it rains, but the trail is pretty smooth over wise. There are a lot of side paths down to the river for trout fisherman. The river has some very scenic rocky chasms and small rapids. After the first mile, a trail will bank right, down towards the river. Stay straight on the main trail. You'll cross over a couple of stone culverts and come to a massive rock face on your left. The river is no longer in sight, just a marshy area. As you pass by the rock formations, keep an eye out for a particular rock formation right next to the trail on your left. It looks like an amphitheatre has been carved out between two large rocks and appears at around the 1 ¼ mile mark. You'll spot some white graffiti on this rock. Go around the left side of this rock and climb to the top. Looking directly uphill, you'll see a long section of rock wall about 50 feet up. Go to this wall and follow it right (north).  Spot a 3-trunked Beech tree on your right, located about 6 paces (2 steps = 1 pace) away from the rock wall. There will be a flat rock leaning against the trees base. Behind this rock in the trees cavity is the Housatonic Rail Trail South Letterbox. Continuing along the trail, you'll pass by the only mileage marker on the trail at 2 ½ miles. You come to the Whitney Avenue parking lot at the 2.7 mile mark. The trail then crosses Whitney Avenue and continues for another 0.2 of a mile to Parlor Rock. This was the site of a late-1800's amusement park built by the railroad to attract passengers. There is a path here, next to the sign board that will take you to a nice overlook of a rock gorge on the river. An old dam was also here, which now forms a small waterfall. Worth the quick side trip. Note; if you wish to continue on a mountain bike is recommended, as the trail detours along a narrow, bumpy path underneath Route 25 for 0.3 of a mile before it rejoins the unimproved rail bed. Another ¼ mile will bring you into a parking lot for Old Mine Park. This is the site of an old tungsten mine that was operated by the American Tungsten Mining & Milling Company from 1899-1906. Remnants of the operation are still visible along the parks hiking trails. There are picnic tables, a pavilion and a small pond here. The trail continues by following the parking lot out to Route 111 and crossing over to the old unimproved rail bed. The trail is rough and not recommended. It eventually hooks up to the northern section of the Housatonic Trail in Monroe . See;  Housatonic Rail Trail North Letterbox.

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CLICK HERE FOR MAP

CLICK HERE FOR REGIONAL TRAIL MAP

LETTERBOX LAST VERIFIED ON

MARCH 7, 2009

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WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY AND DISCLAIMER

BIKE IT OR HIKE IT LETTERBOXING

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