Devil's Den Preserve, CT

ABOUT THE PARK:
NO DOGS ALLOWED
Lucius Pond Ordway/Devil's Den Preserve - The Nature Conservancy

There was nothing about this on the web site, only that hunting is not allowed.

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.236761, -73.395469

View Larger Map

There is more space to park.  This is at 9 AM.  At the end there will be a picture of the lot at 3 PM.  This place gets PACKED so it's a good idea to get there early.  Most people stay close to the lot so chances are you won't run into many people the the trails, especially the foot paths that are for hiking only.

TRAIL MAP:
Lucius Pond Ordway/Devil's Den Preserve Trail Map - The Nature Conservancy
Trails are not identified by colored blazes rather the color denotes the type of trail:
 - Yellow (thin line on map) is hiking trail only, mostly rugged, more scenic footpaths
 - Red (thick line on map) is hiking and cross country ski trail, mostly wide woods roads
 - White (thin line on map) Saugatuck Valley trails
Intersections are numbered, corresponding to the map but look carefully because the older numbers are on tree stumps and are sometimes easy to miss since they blend in.

Devil's Den Preserve, CT at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE: 9.9 miles

THE HIKE:
I tried to incorporate all of the views indicated on the map using as many hiking only trails as possible since those trails seems to be more scenic and unused than the wider ski trails.

Starting on the Katharine Hill Trail, about half way around the parking lot loop.

At the top of the Katharine Hill Trail.

A red-blazed hiking/skiing trail between the Katharine Hill Trail the Saugatuck Trail.

Post #17 where the Saugatuck Trail (yellow hiking only) starts.  Posts also show the direction back to the parking lot on the side.

Saugatuck Trail

There are several boardwalk over wet spots.

One of the few wet spots - it was pretty dry during this hike.

West Branch Saugatuck River to the north

West Branch Saugatuck River to the south

Farther along, small cascades.

The way I did this hike, signs were always at the end as I was turning on to another trail.

Post #12, turning on to the Ambler trail.

Coming up on the views

Not too much of a view but the trail is scenic.

Heading up to the second view.

Not much to see here either - there would be nothing to see in the summer!

Ambler Gorge

I believe this should have raging water and waterfalls but almost bone dry right now.

Again, the sign at the end.

Some of the posts have been replaced with newer posts.  Intersection #44 turning on to the Den Trail (red).

The Den Trail - I used the red-blazed ski trails to connect to other yellow-blazed foot trails since I found the yellow trails to be more interesting.

The rugged Moller Trail where you might have to hurdle a few blow downs but nothing you can't get under/over.

Towards the end of the Moller Trail, blazes disappear and it gets a little confusing.  Head left towards the cairn, turn left at the cairn, go a short distance then veer right and you will see intersection #52 straight ahead.

A short stretch of the Bedford Trail (red) to ...

... #78 at the Cedar Cliff Trail.  The trail has hard to see with the blow downs so you have to look for it but it is there.

Lots of old stone walls on the Cedar Cliff Trail.

A huge cairn.

Some snow that survived from the dusting two nights before.

This reminded me of a Chia Head.  (a Chia Boulder?)

Finally, coming off of the Cedar Crest Trail at #80, at sign at the beginning of where I was turning on to a trail.  The Bruzelius Trail is a white-blazed trail.

And, of course, when I turn around the sign saying I had been on the Cedar Cliff Trail.  If you want to see the signs at the beginning of the trails you would have to reverse this hike and do it in a counter-clockwise direction.  It shouldn't make a difference but to see the signs it does.

Heading towards Great Ledge (and this sign is in the right place for this hike).

A scramble up ...

... to views of the Saugetuck Reservoir.

Continuing along the ledge.

Not much to see at the second vista shown on the map.

And the big sign at the end.

How it would look if you were approaching the Great Ledge in a counter-clockwise version of the hike.

Dayton Trail (yellow)

Godfrey Trail (red)

Godfrey Trail (red)

Hiltebeitel Trail (yellow)

The Hiltebeitel Trail goes over a rocky ridge.

Partial seasonal view from the Hiltebeitel Trail

Heading towards Godfrey Pond on yellow.

On the way a pre-historic Indian hunting shelter.

Godfrey Pond with a trail around the entire pond.  Here you will find tons of screaming, crying children with exceptionally loud speaking parents so yes, I do believe this hike in reverse starting out at the pond early in the morning would have been a much better idea.

Godfrey Pond Sawmill Site

At the end of the hike at 3 PM - crowded parking lot with cars parked everywhere.

Back at the home front, the jig was up. I was totally busted.

"You were out hiking without me, weren't you?"

She is doing so well, I would say 85% back to normal at this point, that we will start hiking retraining more seriously now.  We are already up to a 6-block neighborhood walk that is not wearing her out like the 5-minute walks used to a week ago.  She is just a little wobbly in the rear end sometimes but hopefully her monthly Adequan fix for arthritis that is due this coming week will straighten that out.

HIKE SUMMARY:
(Note - it is confusing to reference all of the intersection numbers and trails.  Hope I got it right but use this more as a guideline for approximate distances between intersections and be sure to take a map!)
[  0.00]  Sign in at trail register in center at kiosk; start on Katherine Hill Trail (yellow)
[  0.40]  Turn right and cross bridge towards #5; turn left at #19 (red); turn left at #16 (red)
[  0.50]  Turn left at #17 on Saugatuck Trail (yellow)
[  1.25]  Turn left at #12 on Ambler Trail (yellow)
[  1.70]  Keep right at #46
[  2.00]  Left at #45 (not on map) to vista; retrace
[  2.05]  Second vista on right; continue through Ambler Gorge
[  2.20]  Left at #44 on Den Trail (red)
[  2.70]  Left at #49 on Donahue Trail (yellow)
[  2.80]  Right at #48 on Moller Trail (yellow)
[  3.70]  When blazes fade out, head towards cairn then veer left then right towards post #52; turn left at #52 on Bedford Trail (red)
[  3.90]  Turn left at #78 on Cedar Cliff Trail (yellow)
[  4.60]  Turn right at #80 on Bruzelius Trail (white)
[  4.85]  Left at #55 (yellow)
[  5.00]  Left at #58 and #56
[  5.35]  Keep right on yellow when a white trail goes left (white is loaded with blow downs and fizzles out)
[  5.45]  Straight at #61, left at Great Ledge sign, right at #62
[  5.80]  Giant Ledge Vista
[  6.00]  Left at #60 (white) then left at #59 on Great Ledge Trail (yellow)
[  6.25]  Left at #56 then left at #58 on Dayton Trail (yellow)
[  6.50]  Right at #63 on Godfrey Trail (red)
[  6.80]  Veer left then right at #64 staying on Godfrey Trail (red) when Aspetuck Trail (red) crosses over
[  7.40]  Right at #39 on Sap Brook Trail (yellow)
[  7.75]  Left at #38 on Hiltebreitel Trail (yellow)
[  8.40]  Seasonal partial view
[  8.60]  Left at #20 on Cub Scout Trail (yellow)
[  9.00]  Left at #28 (yellow)
[  9.10]  Left at Godfrey Pond (yellow) - did not see #27
[  9.20]  Cross bridge and straight at #30
[  9.40]  Keep right on Laurel Trail (red)
[  9.50]  Turn right at end of pond, sawmill site on left; left at #24 (not on map) across bridge
[  9.60]  Right at #22 on Laurel Trail (red)
[  9.90]  Back at parking

Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, NJ - Blue Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (be sure to check web site for hunting closures)
NO DOGS ALLOWED

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.727386, -74.494745

View Larger Map

TRAIL MAP:
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Map - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (more detailed map)
Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge - Blue Trail at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE: 5.6 miles

THE HIKE:

The blue trail starts to the right of the kiosk.

Fall foliage is finished here.

Dry canal on the blue trail.

Beige Trail

Swamps

Great Brook

Bridge over Great Brook

The Red Trail

Little cascades in Great Brook

The end of the blue trail at the Woodland Road parking lot.

Heading back on blue.

A female hooded merganser.

Half of a downy woodpecker.

TheYellow Trail

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take the blue trail to the right of the kiosk
[  0.30]  Right on beige
[  1.20]  Right on blue
[  1.80]  Right on red
[  2.30]  Right on blue
[  2.70]  Woodland Road parking lot; retrace on blue
[  3.00]  Right on blue when red goes left
[  3.40]  Straight on blue when red goes left
[  4.00]  Right on yellow just after crossing bridge
[  4.90]  Right on blue
[  5.20]  Right on blue when beige goes left
[  5.60]  Back at parking

SHAWNEE UPDATE:
I had no idea Shawnee has so many fans - thank you all so much for caring about her!  It has now been two weeks since she was stricken with Vestibular Disease.  She is making great progress.  To give you an idea, the first video is the second day after she suddenly became ill and there had already been some improvement.
This second video is from two days ago, a 10-minute "hike" on the river trail nearby.  She was a happy girl!