Mountain Biking at Quinebaug Woods
Click on any pictures to enlarge!Quinebaug Woods Reservation is a 37 acre wooded park that was donated to the Trustees of Reservations by Benjamin and Margaret Haller back in the fall of 2001.
Senator Brewer and Representative Hillman attended a dedication on 13th October 2001.
The Haller family enjoyed the property for generations before they decided to make the generous donation.
The Reservation is open year round daily from sunrise to sunset.
It's ok to bring a picnic lunch and your mountain bike, but no motorized vehicles are allowed on the trails.
Entering the parking lot from Dug Hill Road near the dam, we choose the trail to the left which climbs up to the rocky ridge that runs along the center of Quinebaug Woods.
In the lowest gear it is possible to climb up the trail with a mountain bike.
The trail forms a loop and ends at the starting point.
The first halt was at the remainder of a cabin that was built back in 1932 and was destroyed by a fire. The chimney is the only remaining part of the cabin.
There is a vernal pool loaded with frogs, about 500 yards north and just off to the right from the main trail.
Further up the trail towards the back of the reservation is a dead old oak tree that must have been there when the area was deforested and pastures with farms shaped the landscapes of New England.
Several of the stone walls that surrounded the pastures from the eighteen hundreds are visible from the trail.
The trail in the back of the reservation is not well defined. We went down the steep bank towards the Quinebaug river. The decline is somewhat challenging and helmets are suggested, especially for kids as the trail is rocky.
The Quinebaug runs slow and forms pools towards the north end of the reservation. An artist could sit and paint some beautiful landscapes, but bring your bug spray if you plan to sit in one spot for any length of time.
Closer towards the dam at the south end of Hamilton Reservoir, the river moves faster and big boulders in the riverbed provide for a scenic trail along the river back towards the entrance of the reservation.
July 15, 2009, Peter Frei