Nipmuck Trail
Encyclopedia
The Nipmuck Trail is a Blue-Blazed
hiking
trail "system" which meanders through 34.5 miles (55.5 km) of forests in northeast Connecticut
. It is maintained by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association
and is considered one of the Blue-Blazed hiking trails. There are two southern trail heads (two tines of a fork) in the south of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut
. The southwestern terminus is on Puddin Lane, the southeastern is in Mansfield Hollow State Park off Bassetts Bridge Road. The northern terminus is at the north end of Breakneck Pond along the Massachusetts
border in Nipmuck State Forest. Camping permits may be obtained for up to five separate locations for backpacking.
For 9 miles (14.5 km) the Nipmuck Trail travels through the Yale-Myers Forest
which is owned by Yale University
. The trail also traverses 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the University of Connecticut's East Campus (the protected Moss tract through the Fenton Forest).
, backpacking
, picnicking, and in the winter, snowshoe
ing.
Portions of the trail are suitable for, and are used for, cross-country skiing
and geocaching
. Site-specific activities enjoyed along the route include bird watching, hunting
(very limited), fishing
, horseback riding, bouldering
and rock climbing
(limited).
.
Government Links:
Land and Conservation Trusts:
Blue-Blazed Trails
The Blue-Blazed trail system, managed by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and the related trail systems documented in the two volume 19th Edition of the "Connecticut Walk Book" comprise over 800 miles of hiking trails in Connecticut.There are now over 825 miles of CFPA Blue-Blazed...
hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trail "system" which meanders through 34.5 miles (55.5 km) of forests in northeast Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. It is maintained by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association
Connecticut Forest and Park Association
The Connecticut Forest and Park Association , established in 1895, is the oldest private, nonprofit conservation organization in Connecticut. The organization is credited as an important early pioneer of the national land conservation movement and as an early advocate of long distance trail building...
and is considered one of the Blue-Blazed hiking trails. There are two southern trail heads (two tines of a fork) in the south of the town of Mansfield, Connecticut
Mansfield, Connecticut
Mansfield is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,720 at the 2000 census.Mansfield was incorporated in October 1702 from the Town of Windham, in Hartford County. When Windham County was formed on 12 May 1726, Mansfield then became part of that county...
. The southwestern terminus is on Puddin Lane, the southeastern is in Mansfield Hollow State Park off Bassetts Bridge Road. The northern terminus is at the north end of Breakneck Pond along the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
border in Nipmuck State Forest. Camping permits may be obtained for up to five separate locations for backpacking.
For 9 miles (14.5 km) the Nipmuck Trail travels through the Yale-Myers Forest
Yale-Myers Forest
The Yale-Myers Forest is a 7,800-acre forest owned by Yale University and administered by the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Located in the towns of Union, Ashford, Eastford, and Woodstock in the northeast corner of Connecticut...
which is owned by Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
. The trail also traverses 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of the University of Connecticut's East Campus (the protected Moss tract through the Fenton Forest).
Trail description
The is primarily used for hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, backpacking
Backpacking (wilderness)
Backpacking combines the activities of hiking and camping for an overnight stay in backcountry wilderness...
, picnicking, and in the winter, snowshoe
Snowshoe
A snowshoe is footwear for walking over the snow. Snowshoes work by distributing the weight of the person over a larger area so that the person's foot does not sink completely into the snow, a quality called "flotation"....
ing.
Portions of the trail are suitable for, and are used for, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
and geocaching
Geocaching
Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called "geocaches" or "caches", anywhere in the world....
. Site-specific activities enjoyed along the route include bird watching, hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
(very limited), fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
, horseback riding, bouldering
Bouldering
Bouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
and rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
(limited).
Trail communities
The official Blue-Blazed passes through land located within the following municipalities, from south to north:Landscape, geology, and natural environment
History and folklore
The Blue-Blazed was created by the Connecticut Forest and Park AssociationConnecticut Forest and Park Association
The Connecticut Forest and Park Association , established in 1895, is the oldest private, nonprofit conservation organization in Connecticut. The organization is credited as an important early pioneer of the national land conservation movement and as an early advocate of long distance trail building...
.
Hiking the trail
The mainline trail is blazed with blue rectangles. Trail descriptions are available from a number of commercial and non-commercial sources, and a complete guidebook is published by the Connecticut Forest and Park AssociationConnecticut Forest and Park Association
The Connecticut Forest and Park Association , established in 1895, is the oldest private, nonprofit conservation organization in Connecticut. The organization is credited as an important early pioneer of the national land conservation movement and as an early advocate of long distance trail building...
Conservation and maintenance of the trail corridor
The last week of March 2010 the Connecticut Forest and Park Association acquired the largest conservation easement in an agreement with the University of Connecticut for the 3.5 miles (5.6 km) section of the Nipmuck Trail which passes through University of Connecticut protected property (the Moss tract through the Fenton Forest). Also on that date a number of conveyances between the University of Connecticut, CFPA, the Norcross Wildlife Foundation and the towns of Willington and Mansfield secured the preservation of 531 acres (2.1 km²) of land on four forested properties near or surrounding the Nipmuck Trail.Image gallery
External links
Specific to this trail:- Connecticut Explorers Guide: Nipmuck Trail Overview Map
- Connecticut Explorers Guide: Nipmuck Trail Southern Trailheads Map
- Connecticut Explorers Guide: Nipmuck Trail Southern Trails Junction to RT 74 Map
- HikeCT Nipmuck Trail page
Government Links:
Land and Conservation Trusts:
- Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust, Inc.
- Joshua's Tract/Tract Trails Walk Book
- Joshua's Tract/Trust Trail Maps