Length:                        Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail; 1.3 miles

                                       Oregon Road parking lot to Letterbox; 0.7 miles                                  

Difficulty:                     Easy. Flat, paved surface.

Directions:  

From the junction of Routes 70/71 in Meriden, take Route 70 west. When you come alongside Hanover Pond on your right, keep an eye out for Oregon Road where it crosses near the mouth of the pond and the Quinnipiac River Gorge. You'll see the old "Red Bridge" running next to it. There is parking located on both sides of the bridge, as well as overflow parking just up Oregon Road, next to the pond. You may also start from the Finch Ave trailhead by continuing along Route 70 (River Road) and taking a right onto Norton Lane and another right onto Cheshire Street. Take your next right onto Sindall Road, which becomes Finch Ave. The parking lot is on your right just past the Meriden Waterworks Building.

The Quinnipiac River Gorge Trail follows the abandoned rail bed of the former Waterbury-Cromwell Railroad which was built in 1888. It then became part of the Meriden-Waterbury & Connecticut River Railroad until abandonment of the Waterbury section in 1924. Water power was used to power industry along the river including the Meriden Gorge Carpenters Dam, which fed a civil war button factory. Larger dams created lakes such as Hanover Pond at the beginning of the trail. Here, you'll also find the 78 foot long "Red Bridge" as it crosses over the river. Built in 1891, this bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is in its original condition.

For more information visit; QUINNIPIAC RIVER GORGE TRAIL or  QUINNIPIAC RIVER GORGE TRAIL .

Starting from the "Red Bridge" at Oregon Road, the paved trail heads through the gorge alongside the river. There are benches located all along the trail and nice split rail fencing. At 1/2 mile, there will be benches on your right and the remnants of an old stone dam across the river. You then follow along a long split rail fence and cross over a culvert with fencing on both sides. Containing along the trail, a small knoll on your right contains Hemlock trees. You then reach an old dead tree stump and a fallen tree at the end of this knoll. Look up the hillside through the Beach trees and spot a large two-trunked Oak tree next to a small Hemlock. Go to this tree, where a stone wall meets it coming from above. Follow this stone wall 2 paces (1 pace = 2 steps) uphill along the right side of the wall and you'll come to a stone cairn (large mound of rocks in the wall). Look for a long flat rock in the pile and remove only this rock to reveal the Quinnipiac River Gorge Letterbox. Continuing along the trail, you'll come to another set of benches at 1 mile and the remnants of an old stone bridge abutment. The trail ends after 1.3 miles at the Finch Ave parking lot. Here you'll find the brick Meriden Waterworks Building, built in 1914.