They say opposites attract. The Simsbury Land Trust trails along West Mountain in the northwestern part of town are a great example of that.
A trail marked with red blazes travels along the rugged eastern slope of West Mountain with several overlooks showcasing tremendous views between cedar trees stunted by the shallow soil and wind. A trail marked with blue blazes dives into the Hop Brook valley, showcasing a deep forest and massive trees growing in the fertile soils.
Welcome to the West Mountain trails, a study in natural-world contrasts. My exploration began in the northern portion of West Mountain at a cul-de-sac. I was quickly swallowed up into nature with a trail marked with white blazes that passed a waterfall flowing down a rock face and a difficult ascent to the top of the mountain.
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“Located atop the ridge west of Simsbury Farms Recreation Area,” the Simsbury Land Trust notes in its Walkbook, “this land is unique in that it consists of the east slope, ridge top, west slope, a portion of the clearly defined geological fault line and 10 acres of slope on the much older Western Highland. The Simsbury Land Trust and town properties have preserved the integrity of 500 acres of continuous traprock ridge from McLean Game Refuge to the Tulmeadow Farm Triangle.”
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Hikers reach a bridge and can decide to hike north or south along the red trail. A hike of a half-mile north will take visitors to an overlook. But the best views are found by taking the trail to the south, where an opening in the forest showcases a stunning view of the hills and mountains of northern and eastern Connecticut into Massachusetts. The view is enhanced by the fact that few signs of civilization can be seen.
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“It is common to see red-tailed hawks floating on the thermals, and in the fall to see large flocks of cedar waxwings feeding on juniper berries along the cliffs,” the Walkbook notes.
The trail travels up and down along the ridge. Most of the trees are deciduous, so the view along the ridge opens up when the leaves have fallen. The trail splits off and hikers can take either the green trail or stay on the red, with both paths leading down to the blue trail. A transmission powerline right-of-way also opens up the view.
Before reaching the campus of The Master’s School, an independent, college-preparatory Christian day school, hikers can find the remains of a ski-rope tow. The miniature-looking house contained a machine that towed skiers up and down a steep hill to the east. The slope can still be seen, and it must have been pretty challenging as the hill drops off quickly.
According to the New England Lost Ski Areas Project, the Westledge School ski area was built in the late 1960s and opened the rope tow around 1969. Several trails and slopes were used until 1974. “The ski area was originally built for Westledge School,” Abbott de Rham notes on the project’s website. “The school was 100 percent electric so the tow motor was a brand-new electric rope tow motor … For most of us who grew up with gasoline-powered rope tows it was a novelty. The benefit was it was quiet. The problem — it was slow and the rope twisted a lot as it ran through the sheaves.”
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After passing through the outskirts of The Master’s School, look for the blue trail as it drops down into the valley and passes east of the Simsbury Reservoir. The trail is home to huge white pine and oak trees as well as white birch. The trail eventually passes by a swath of small and large boulders known as a talus field. “The blue trail follows a fault-line where the rock you see to the west is 500 million-year-old metamorphic schist and to the east 200 million-year-old igneous basalt. The sharp fracturing of this basalt produces the talus along the base of the slope,” the Walkbook notes.
The blue trail eventually connects back to the red trail and a journey back to the car along the white trail. Visitors will leave with quite a journey through the peaks and valleys of West Mountain.
West Mountain trails, Simsbury
The bottom line: A hike through geological history with fantastic views of the hills and mountains of northern Connecticut into Massachusetts. Trails pass a waterfall, a talus field, an old ski slope, a reservoir and deep forests and valleys with huge trees.
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Length: More than 5 miles of trails. The loop will take about two to three hours to complete.
Difficulty: The trails are mostly rugged with lots of rocks, so sturdy footwear is highly recommended.
Directions: There is a southern parking area along the north side of Westledge Road (Route 309) across from Pasture Lane or the northern end at the cul-de-sac of North Saddle Ridge Drive. Go to simsburylandtrust.org/slt/west-mountain-trails for a color map.
Pet friendly? Leashed dogs are allowed and must be cleaned up after with the plastic bags disposed of properly.
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Nearby attractions
At Simsbury’s Phelps Tavern Museum and Homestead, visitors can explore the interaction between European colonists and Native Americans, and learn about the Farmington Canal which operated from 1828 to 1847. Check out an 1840 one-room schoolhouse, a Victorian carriage house, a replica of a 1683 meetinghouse and an 18th-century house with period furniture and costumes. simsburyhistory.org
Talcott Mountain Collective in Weatogue offers fun, food and mountain views. For fun, there’s disc golf, cornhole and soccer in the shadow of scenic Talcott Mountain. As for grub, food trucks are at the ready, and the Collective Kitchen serves pub fare, including pizza, lobster rolls, bratwurst, kielbasa and wild game sausages. There’s also beer, wine, whiskey and bourbon. talcottcollective.com
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For breakfast and lunch, Simsbury’s Popover Bistro and Bakery serves up fresh-baked popovers loaded with scrambled eggs and farm-fresh ingredients, a French toast BLT, the Bodybuilder sandwich with eggs, bacon, turkey and cheddar, a variety of breakfast plates, plus more sandwich options and salads once lunch rolls around. The menu includes many gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan items. popoversimsbury.com