UCONN Forest Hike Part 2: Nipmuck & Talmadge Spur - April 19, 2015

When the snow finally started to melt after a typically long winter, I dusted off this blog to see where I had left off.  It seems I had planned to do more hiking last summer than I actually ended up doing.  It turns out I spent the summer helping my sister with a few landscaping projects, so this ended up putting a few hikes on hold.  So when I took a look at this blog sometime in mid-March, I was a little disappointed to see that I had only accumulated a total of 10 miles toward my rambler badge.  Okay, no problem.... I kept myself active in the gym during the winter, hitting the treadmill -- with inclines -- and hoped I had kept myself in shape for the ever-elusive first springtime hike.

After laboring for hours at the computer on a beautiful spring afternoon, Sunday April 19th to be exact, I finally decided that enough was enough.  I don't even remember what I was working on, but I finally disengaged at about 4pm, threw on my uniform, lemon-squeezer and all, and drove down the road to the put-in point for the Nipmuck Trail, which is just about a mile down the road from us.  When I parked my truck, I realized I had missed the actual Nipmuck Trail crossing, but instead discovered a spur which looked to be pretty well blazed.  At the crossing was a brochure box with maps in it; I grabbed a map and off I went.

This particular spur is called the Talmadge Spur trail.  At the point where the trail starts on Mason Road in Willington, it heads west and then north into a 28 acre parcel called the Talmadge Tract (sign pictured above) and then junctions about a half mile down with the blue-blazed Nipmuck Trail in the UCONN Forest.  Across the street is the put-in point for another spur trail called the Knowlton Spur Trail, which crosses through the 138 acre Royal Knowlton Preserve, and eventually junctions with the Nipmuck trail further east.  All three trails form a loop of about 2.2. miles of beautiful hiking.  The brochure I picked up contains a map of the entire area with information and mileages noted as well. 

The Tamadge trail is blazed with blue and yellow blazes.  As the trail is relatively new, the blazes are presently very bright and easily seen.  The trail heads downhill from Mason road and meanders through a mixed hardwood forest, dotted with occasional hemlock trees.  The trail crosses a few small streams, and in a few places there are footbridge crossings. 

Partway down the hillside, the trail bends to the north, and if you look westward in the general direction of the Fenton Rover, you can see the forest switches over to mostly hemlock.  The photo below was looking to the left (west).  With the deciduous trees not fully leafed out, you can see the evergreens clearly.

The hike down the hill to the Nipmuck junction is relatively quick.  Where the trail ends, you can see the back side of a wooden trail sign indicating the opposite entrance to the Talmadge Spur Trail (photo below of the front side).  At this point, you can turn either left (south) onto the Nipmuck and head back towards US 44, or right (north). At this point, you have left the Talmadge Tract and have now entered the UCONN Forest.
 

On this particular day, I chose to go right and head north along the Nipmuck Trail.  The trail is currently well blazed and well maintained.  A short while down, the trail turns eastward, but in the genreal area of this corner is a smaller blue-red blazed loop trail off to the left (west side of the trail) that takes you out to the Fenton River and carries you along a scenic gorge that the river passes through.  A word of caution, the blue-red blazes are old and presently in need of repainting.   They are obscure and require a careful eye to make sure you don't end up off the trail.  The loop itself is beautiful.  You'll know you're getting close to the river as the mosquitoes start biting a little more aggressively.  Closer to the gorge, you will see some beautiful boulders left behind by the glaciers, one of which I've photographed below, covered with moss and ferns.  The river is not far from this point.

Upon finishing the loop, you join back up with the Nipmuck.  I continued east and uphill until reaching Mason Road again.  This particular part of the trail is well traveled and rocky in spots.  Upon emerging at Mason Road, you really can't miss the fact that the trail crosses the road here.  See below:
 

Mileage Count:  On this day, ended up turning right and heading back down Mason Road to where I parked my truck, as daylight was running out.  I want to come back and finish the loop.  For now, this excursion clocked in at 2.0 miles.  Running total: 12 miles... 88 miles to go!!