Quinebaug Trail
Encyclopedia
The Quinebaug Trail is a 6.4 miles (10.3 km) Connecticut
hiking
trail and is one of the Blue-Blazed hiking trails
maintained by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association
.
The trail is located in the towns of Griswold
, Voluntown
and Plainfield
in eastern Connecticut and is almost entirely within the Pachaug State Forest
.
and extends from Breakneck Road near the intersection with Lee Road in Griswold, Connecticut
to northern Spaulding Road in Plainfield. Most of the Quinebaug Trail is on state land within the Pachaug State Forest
. It connects to one small public recreation area maintained by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
at Phillips Pond.
Much of the Quinebaug Trail is flat or has gradual ascents and descents and is suitable for casual walking or hiking
, running
- or snowshoe
ing in the winter. The steepest section is where the trail traverses the closed section of Flat Rock Road. The Quinebaug Trail crosses streams and wetland areas that are subject to flooding in periods of significant rain and snow melt. In particular the trail sections close to Hell Hollow Pond and Lockes Meadow Pond are low lying areas which are often under water.
The trail connects to other Blue-Blazed trails in Connecticut's Pachaug State Forest: the Pachaug Trail in the Philips Pond through Flat Rock section, and the Nehantic Trail
at Lee Road. The Nehantic-Quinebaug Crossover trail is an overlapping section of Lee and Breakneck Roads connecting these two trails and is marked with blue and red blazes (a blue blaze with a red bar in the lower half of the blaze). There are three connector trails from the Quinebaug to the Pachaug trail: The Quinebaug-Pachaug Crossover trail from the Quinebaug at Philips Pond to the Pachaug marked with blue and red blazes, the section of Hell Hollow Road between the two trails marked with marked with blue and red blazes, and the Pachaug-Quinebaug Crossover trail marked with yellow blazes.
The connecting main and side trails provide numerous opportunities for loop hikes. Since parking is available at each of the recreation areas (subject to State DEP fees in peak season), extended through-hikes are also popular on this trail.
, Voluntown
and Plainfield
Pachaug State Forest
features large extents of undeveloped land, consisting of mature growths of hardwood and evergreens, along with swampy areas having extensive coverage by Mountain Laurel and other shrubs and smaller trees.
as part of the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail system.
The Quinebaug were a tribe of Algonquian speaking people occupying the watershed of the current Quinebaug River
in Southern New England in the early colonial period of the region.
"Quinebaug" was also the name by which the area was known as well as the official name of the town when it was incorporated in 1699. The Town of Quinebaug was renamed Plainfield the following year (1700) and in 1703 the Town of Canterbury (the area of Plainfield west of the Quinebaug River) split off as a separate municipality. The name Plainfield refers to the extensive deforestation and subsequent numerous fields for farming which populated the area in the seventeenth, eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
The Quinebaug River
runs north to south from Sturbridge, Massachusetts
through the western border of Plainfield joining the Shetucket River
in Norwich, Connecticut
just north of the Shetucket joining Connecticut's Thames River (Connecticut)
.
Pachaug State Forest
was the first state forest in Connecticut and grew quickly in acreage primarily because many of the farmers and landholders in the area realized that their soil was poor for farming and sold their land to the state in the 1920s and 1930s.
There are several unsubstantiated legends and ghost stories which surround the Hell Hollow area including a false claim of witchcraft involving a young girl named Maud Reynolds who died before her second birthday in 1890. Officially she died of diphtheria. She was buried across in the family cemetery on one side of Hell Hollow Road. However because her gravesite was periodically disturbed it was supposedly moved deep into the woods and because the five foot concrete cross grave marker was periodically stolen it is now reportedly marked only with stones rather than a grave stone.
. More information can be found on the CFPA website (http://ctwoodlands.org/blue-blazed-hiking-trails) including updates on trail conditions and closure or restrictions. Contact information is also available on the site for trail users to report adverse trail conditions or submit other feedback or questions.
Weather along the route is typical of Connecticut
. Conditions on exposed ridge tops and summits may be harsher during cold or stormy weather. Lightning
is a hazard on exposed summits and ledges during thunderstorms. Snow is common in the winter and may necessitate the use of snowshoes. Ice can form on exposed ledges and summits, making hiking dangerous without special equipment.
Landscape is low-lying and trails cross wetland areas. Extensive rain and snow melt will lead to wet and muddy conditions, and in this case fairly high waterproof boots are recommended.
Biting insects can be bothersome during warm weather. Parasitic deer tick
s (which are known to carry Lyme disease
) are a potential hazard. Encounter with small wildlife is always possible and hikers should be alert to signs of erratic behavior or other disease symptoms and take evasive action if warranted.
Seasonal hunting is permitted on state forest land, so wearing bright orange clothing during the hunting season (Fall through December) is advised.
State regulations govern use of state forest land. The land, plants and animals should generally be left undisturbed, especially endangered and protected species.
There is also evidence of use by all terrain vehicles (ATVs), dirt bikes and horses. Some sections of the Quinebaug trail are explicitly multi-use (paved roads, dirt/gravel forest roads, jeep trails and the Enduro
off-road motorcycle trail which winds through Pachaug State Forest
), but in other sections there is clearly unauthorized vehicular and equestrian use.
The 58 mile Enduro
trail in Pachaug State Forest
is marked (on turns and intersections on trees) with white labels containing a red arrow pointing in the trail's direction. The route follows a mix of forest trails and public roads (therefore requiring both a valid current motorcycle registration and motorcycle driver's license rather than ATV registration).
Specific to this trail:
Nearby trails and the Pachaug State Forest:
Connecticut hikes and related information:
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...
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 and is one of the Blue-Blazed hiking trails
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...
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...
.
The trail is located in the towns of Griswold
Griswold, Connecticut
Griswold is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,807 at the 2000 census. Griswold contains one borough, Jewett City, and also contains the villages of Doaneville,Rixtown, Glasgo, Hopeville, and Pachaug...
, Voluntown
Voluntown, Connecticut
Voluntown is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,528 at the 2000 census. From 1726 to 1881 Voluntown had been part of Windham County.-Geography:...
and Plainfield
Plainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...
in eastern Connecticut and is almost entirely within the Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest is the largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, encompassing over 27,000 acres of land. It is located on the Rhode Island border in New London County, and parcels of the forest lie in the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, North Stonington, and...
.
Trail description
The Quinebaug Trail is a Blue-Blazed hiking trailBlue-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...
and extends from Breakneck Road near the intersection with Lee Road in Griswold, Connecticut
Griswold, Connecticut
Griswold is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,807 at the 2000 census. Griswold contains one borough, Jewett City, and also contains the villages of Doaneville,Rixtown, Glasgo, Hopeville, and Pachaug...
to northern Spaulding Road in Plainfield. Most of the Quinebaug Trail is on state land within the Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest is the largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, encompassing over 27,000 acres of land. It is located on the Rhode Island border in New London County, and parcels of the forest lie in the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, North Stonington, and...
. It connects to one small public recreation area maintained by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is a state agency of Connecticut. The department oversees the natural resources and environment of the state, as well as regulating public utilities and energy policy...
at Phillips Pond.
Much of the Quinebaug Trail is flat or has gradual ascents and descents and is suitable for casual walking or 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...
, running
Running
Running is a means of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. It is simply defined in athletics terms as a gait in which at regular points during the running cycle both feet are off the ground...
- or 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 in the winter. The steepest section is where the trail traverses the closed section of Flat Rock Road. The Quinebaug Trail crosses streams and wetland areas that are subject to flooding in periods of significant rain and snow melt. In particular the trail sections close to Hell Hollow Pond and Lockes Meadow Pond are low lying areas which are often under water.
The trail connects to other Blue-Blazed trails in Connecticut's Pachaug State Forest: the Pachaug Trail in the Philips Pond through Flat Rock section, and the Nehantic Trail
Nehantic Trail
The Nehantic Trail is a Connecticut hiking trail and is one of the Blue-Blazed hiking trails maintained by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association....
at Lee Road. The Nehantic-Quinebaug Crossover trail is an overlapping section of Lee and Breakneck Roads connecting these two trails and is marked with blue and red blazes (a blue blaze with a red bar in the lower half of the blaze). There are three connector trails from the Quinebaug to the Pachaug trail: The Quinebaug-Pachaug Crossover trail from the Quinebaug at Philips Pond to the Pachaug marked with blue and red blazes, the section of Hell Hollow Road between the two trails marked with marked with blue and red blazes, and the Pachaug-Quinebaug Crossover trail marked with yellow blazes.
Trail route
The southern end of the Quinebaug Trail starts on Breakneck Road in Griswold Connecticut, just north of the intersection with Lee Road and at the northern end of the Nehantic-Quinebaug Crossover trail. The trail leads generally north, connecting with the Quinebaug-Pachaug Crossover trail and Trail 1 forest road at Phillips Pond and then closely paralleling the Trail 1 forest road until crossing Hell Hollow Road to the west of Hell Hollow Pond. The trail continues through woods and then joins with the non-vehicular and closed section of Flat Road until they pass over the top of Flat Rock (41.65861°N 71.872°W). The trail diverge west of the Flat Rock "summit", with the Quinebaug Trail turning to the north to closely follow the western banks of Lockes Meadow Pond before veering north-west to it's northern terminus on Spaulding road north of Dow Road in Plainfield Connecticut.The connecting main and side trails provide numerous opportunities for loop hikes. Since parking is available at each of the recreation areas (subject to State DEP fees in peak season), extended through-hikes are also popular on this trail.
Trail communities
The Quinebaug Trail passes through land located within the following Connecticut municipalities, from south to north: GriswoldGriswold, Connecticut
Griswold is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,807 at the 2000 census. Griswold contains one borough, Jewett City, and also contains the villages of Doaneville,Rixtown, Glasgo, Hopeville, and Pachaug...
, Voluntown
Voluntown, Connecticut
Voluntown is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,528 at the 2000 census. From 1726 to 1881 Voluntown had been part of Windham County.-Geography:...
and Plainfield
Plainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...
Landscape, geology, and natural environment
Landscape in the area is generally low-lying and flat with some rolling hills. The most prominent features are the Flat Rock (a closed extension of Flat Rock Road) and the Devil's Den rocks (accessible via an unmarked trail at the eastern end of the Flat Rock section).Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest is the largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, encompassing over 27,000 acres of land. It is located on the Rhode Island border in New London County, and parcels of the forest lie in the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, North Stonington, and...
features large extents of undeveloped land, consisting of mature growths of hardwood and evergreens, along with swampy areas having extensive coverage by Mountain Laurel and other shrubs and smaller trees.
History and folklore
The Blue-Blazed Quinebaug Trail 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...
as part of the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail system.
Origin and name
The original Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails were named after Native American people and place names, in recognition that many of the trails followed historic foot paths. Trails added since often follow this convention, so many of the BBHT's have Native American names.The Quinebaug were a tribe of Algonquian speaking people occupying the watershed of the current Quinebaug River
Quinebaug River
The Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
in Southern New England in the early colonial period of the region.
"Quinebaug" was also the name by which the area was known as well as the official name of the town when it was incorporated in 1699. The Town of Quinebaug was renamed Plainfield the following year (1700) and in 1703 the Town of Canterbury (the area of Plainfield west of the Quinebaug River) split off as a separate municipality. The name Plainfield refers to the extensive deforestation and subsequent numerous fields for farming which populated the area in the seventeenth, eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
The Quinebaug River
Quinebaug River
The Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
runs north to south from Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Sturbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to Old Sturbridge Village living history museum and other sites of historical interest such as Tantiusques.The population was 9,268 at the 2010 census...
through the western border of Plainfield joining the Shetucket River
Shetucket River
The Shetucket River is a tributary of the Thames River, long, in eastern Connecticut in the United States.It is formed at Willimantic by the junction of the Willimantic and Natchaug rivers. It flows southeast and south...
in Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
just north of the Shetucket joining Connecticut's Thames River (Connecticut)
Thames River (Connecticut)
The Thames River is a short river and tidal estuary in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It flows south for through eastern Connecticut from the junction of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers at Norwich, to New London and Groton, which flank its mouth at the Long Island Sound.Differing from its...
.
Historic sites
The foundations for stone cellars that can be found along the route indicate that much of the landscape was used for settlements and farms up until the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, after which much of the land was allowed to return to forests. In particular stone foundations and extensive stone walls can be found off of the trail in the Hell Hollow Road and Pond area.Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest is the largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, encompassing over 27,000 acres of land. It is located on the Rhode Island border in New London County, and parcels of the forest lie in the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, North Stonington, and...
was the first state forest in Connecticut and grew quickly in acreage primarily because many of the farmers and landholders in the area realized that their soil was poor for farming and sold their land to the state in the 1920s and 1930s.
Folklore
The town name of Voluntown is attributed to the fact that it was settled by Volunteers of the Narragansett War in 1700 who received land grants to settle there. The land was remote and difficult to farm and many of the original settlements were subsequently abandoned, so stone walls and foundations can be found throughout the forest today. The inhospitality of the land has been cited as the origin for the name "Hell Hollow" and there are theories regarding the naming of the Devil's Den rock formation near Flat Rock.There are several unsubstantiated legends and ghost stories which surround the Hell Hollow area including a false claim of witchcraft involving a young girl named Maud Reynolds who died before her second birthday in 1890. Officially she died of diphtheria. She was buried across in the family cemetery on one side of Hell Hollow Road. However because her gravesite was periodically disturbed it was supposedly moved deep into the woods and because the five foot concrete cross grave marker was periodically stolen it is now reportedly marked only with stones rather than a grave stone.
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...
. More information can be found on the CFPA website (http://ctwoodlands.org/blue-blazed-hiking-trails) including updates on trail conditions and closure or restrictions. Contact information is also available on the site for trail users to report adverse trail conditions or submit other feedback or questions.
Weather along the route is typical of 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...
. Conditions on exposed ridge tops and summits may be harsher during cold or stormy weather. Lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
is a hazard on exposed summits and ledges during thunderstorms. Snow is common in the winter and may necessitate the use of snowshoes. Ice can form on exposed ledges and summits, making hiking dangerous without special equipment.
Landscape is low-lying and trails cross wetland areas. Extensive rain and snow melt will lead to wet and muddy conditions, and in this case fairly high waterproof boots are recommended.
Biting insects can be bothersome during warm weather. Parasitic deer tick
Deer Tick
Deer Tick is an American indie folk band from Providence, Rhode Island led by guitarist and singer-songwriter John McCauley. Deer Tick's music has been described as a combination of folk, blues, and country.-History:...
s (which are known to carry Lyme disease
Lyme disease
Lyme disease, or Lyme borreliosis, is an emerging infectious disease caused by at least three species of bacteria belonging to the genus Borrelia. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto is the main cause of Lyme disease in the United States, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most...
) are a potential hazard. Encounter with small wildlife is always possible and hikers should be alert to signs of erratic behavior or other disease symptoms and take evasive action if warranted.
Seasonal hunting is permitted on state forest land, so wearing bright orange clothing during the hunting season (Fall through December) is advised.
State regulations govern use of state forest land. The land, plants and animals should generally be left undisturbed, especially endangered and protected species.
Conservation and maintenance of the trail corridor
Much of the trail is flooded or muddy. There are sections filled with stones and other evidence of erosion which has occurred when the trail has turned into a temporary stream.There is also evidence of use by all terrain vehicles (ATVs), dirt bikes and horses. Some sections of the Quinebaug trail are explicitly multi-use (paved roads, dirt/gravel forest roads, jeep trails and the Enduro
Enduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...
off-road motorcycle trail which winds through Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest is the largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, encompassing over 27,000 acres of land. It is located on the Rhode Island border in New London County, and parcels of the forest lie in the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, North Stonington, and...
), but in other sections there is clearly unauthorized vehicular and equestrian use.
The 58 mile Enduro
Enduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...
trail in Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest
Pachaug State Forest is the largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, encompassing over 27,000 acres of land. It is located on the Rhode Island border in New London County, and parcels of the forest lie in the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, North Stonington, and...
is marked (on turns and intersections on trees) with white labels containing a red arrow pointing in the trail's direction. The route follows a mix of forest trails and public roads (therefore requiring both a valid current motorcycle registration and motorcycle driver's license rather than ATV registration).
Image gallery
See also
- Blue-Blazed TrailsBlue-Blazed TrailsThe 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...
- Nehantic TrailNehantic TrailThe Nehantic Trail is a Connecticut hiking trail and is one of the Blue-Blazed hiking trails maintained by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association....
- Pachaug Trail
- Pachaug State ForestPachaug State ForestPachaug State Forest is the largest forest in the Connecticut state forest system, encompassing over 27,000 acres of land. It is located on the Rhode Island border in New London County, and parcels of the forest lie in the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, North Stonington, and...
External links
Trail Maps:Specific to this trail:
- CT Museum Quest Part 1 "Quinebaug Trail (in two parts)"
- CT Museum Quest Part 2 "Section 2: Hell (Hollow) and Back"
- The Story of the Yawgoog Trails - Hell Hollow
Nearby trails and the Pachaug State Forest:
Connecticut hikes and related information: