The north parcel connector...

Today I cleaned up a bit of this ancient trail...

Where there's moguls on the trail curve, there's a foundation remnant

The cement block pile

Thursday's Adventure

This morning I explored the area east of Keeney. I was wondering if there were any trails connecting the water line trails to the old Nike Missile parcel. The hike was a bit chilly but sunny and pleasant.

Hiking in on the Water Line

Back in October 2021 I hiked the water line trail. Today it was still a soggy mess, especially near where it splits into two branches....

Super wide and not to exciting to ride....

Taking the southern Branch

I took the southern branch this time hoping to find a trail that veers south to connect to the trails just north of Howe but I didn't see anything

This picturesque stream parallels the southern branch

It's super wide here as well!

Bushwhacking North

The water line trails ends so I veered to the left and bushwhacked over the ridge. It was a steep climb.

Looking back from the ridge

Not a trace of a trail here!

Once I reconnected with the waterline northern branch, I took the barely discernible trail northward and noticed this might be a better spot to cross the stream.

 At the current stream crossing

It's a steep "swoop" thru the creek!

For quite a while I tried to follow the vestiges of a trail north. It is quite flat thru this section. The purple arrow indicates my northward bushwhacking.  On my return, I found remnants of an old ATV trail (orange arrow).

Not much of a trail here...

TV Graveyard

Neat looking tree...

Cement blocks from yesteryear!

water heater/softener?

I found the river crossing!

North of the Crossing...

The trail is well established here and there are a few offshoots I didn't explore. The footbridge is cool but I don't think its built strong enough to withstand heavy duty mountain bike use...

Turn around point

Not so sure this sign is applicable anymore as the Town of Manchester bought this parcel I believe last fall. News >

On the way back

I snapped a close up photo of the "trough ascent "

Yep there's a trail here :-)

In the News...

Glastonbury OKs land buy
- $8 million purchase of 542 acres from MDC for open space

Manchester PZC backs acquiring open space on Glastonbury line
-"Senior Planner Kyle Shiel said the topography of the site would allow for a north-south trail corridor connecting the Nike site north of the property to open space to the south in Glastonbury. Street frontage is available along Keeney Street if a trailhead or small parking area is considered in the future."

The Green Begins...

Entering from Buckingham Park, I walked down to the steam crossing, crossed it and took a walk along the stream. The emerging skunk cabbage was everywhere! ;-)

Further Along the Ridge

I was curious about this pseudo new trail that continued up the ridge (green dotted line), so I hiked in today in the mid afternoon to check it out...

Looking north

looking back south near where it ends...

It kinda connects to the main spur where it curves...

...but there is deadfall at that spot

Its too steep to make a new mountain bike trail so I hope it gets left alone for hikers..


Back at the start of the lower artery at Keeney Street....

the old signpost looks like it might have been an official trail at some point!

The Connector...

East of Keeney - the connector benching is finally finished. There's touch ups still to be done here and there on the lower trail and the climb up to the ridge but the bulk of the benching needed to connect the trail to the river crossing is finally finished.  I even met a local who graciously came back in later on Saturday afternoon and chain sawed the huge protruding deadfall - yeah!!!!

looking eastward

looking westward

The stream crossing is now navigable by both bike and foot - I will keep refining it later....

The stream is looking good!

April 5th

 I  returned and worked a bit more on:

1. the stream crossing - it's now "jumpable"; and 
2. the swampy south approach to the stream crossing: I created a small ditch for water flow and "turnpiked" a bit of the trail to raise it and keep it dry

Trail System South of Howe Street