Peoples State Forest Trails

Hiking trail network in Connecticut, United States

Peoples State Forest Trails

Three erratic boulders on the Jesse Gerard Trail in Peoples State Forest.

Length| 11.22 miles (18.06 km) [1]
Location| Barkhamsted, Connecticut, USA
Designation| CFPA Blue-Blazed Trail
Use| hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, fishing, geocaching, other
Hazards| hunters, deer ticks, poison ivy

The Peoples State Forest Trails is a system of blue-blazed hiking trails in the Pleasant Valley section of Barkhamsted, Connecticut, United States. The trails, which collectively total 11.22 miles (18.06 km) in length, are entirely within Peoples State Forest.[1]

The Peoples State Forest Trails consist of seven official "Blue-Blazed" hiking trails:

* Elliot Bronson Trail (2.02 miles, Blue & Red Blazed)
* Walt Landgraf Trail (0.5 miles, Red Blazed)
* Jessie Gerard Trail (1.8 miles, Blue & Yellow Blazed)
* Falls Cut-off Trail (0.2 miles, Blue & Red Blazed)
* Charles Pack Trail (1.9 miles, Blue & Yellow Blazed)
* Robert Ross Trail (2.2 miles, True Blue Blazed)
* Agnes Bowen Trail (2.6 miles, Blue & Orange Blazed)

[1]

## Trail description

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The Peoples State Forest Trails are primarily used for hiking, backpacking, picnicking, and in the winter, snowshoeing.

Portions of the trails are suitable for, and are used for, cross-country skiing and geocaching. Site-specific activities enjoyed along the route include bird watching, hunting (very limited), fishing, horseback riding, bouldering and rock climbing (limited).

### Trail communities

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The official, Blue-Blazed Peoples State Forest Trails pass through land completely located within Barkhamsted in the Paradise Valley area near the Riverton area.

## History and folklore

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The Blue-Blazed Peoples State Forest Trails were created by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association.

## Hiking the trail

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The two trails are 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 Association

The trails are regularly maintained, and are considered easy hiking, with very few sections of rugged and moderately difficult hiking.

Much of the trail is close to public roads. There are no camping facilities in Peoples State Forest. There are camping facilities in the neighboring American Legion State Forest but camping is controlled and must be arranged.

Weather along the route is typical of Connecticut. Conditions on exposed ridge tops and summits may be harsher during cold or stormy weather.[2] 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.

Biting insects can be bothersome during warm weather. Parasitic deer ticks (which are known to carry Lyme disease) are a potential hazard.

The trail is adjacent to, or is on lands where hunting and the use of firearms are permitted. Wearing bright orange clothing during the hunting season (Fall through December) is recommended.

When there is sufficient snow in the winter, the Whittmore Grove Cross Country Ski Area in Peoples State Forest provides a 0.75 mile "loop" cross country ski trail as well as a quarter mile "spur" cross country ski trail (which is a dirt forest road when there is no snow). [3]

## See also

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* Blue-Blazed Trails
* Barkhamsted

## References

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1. ^ a b c Colson, Ann T. (2006). Connecticut Walk Book West (19th ed.). Connecticut Forest and Park Association. ISBN 0-9619052-6-3.
2. ^ NOAA
3. ^ Whittemore Grove Cross Country Ski Area

## Further reading

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Books – Connecticut hiking [edit]

* Colson, Ann T. (2005). Connecticut Walk Book East (19 ed.). Rockfall, Connecticut: Connecticut Forest and Park Association. pp. 1–261. ISBN 0961905255.
* Colson, Ann T. (2006). Connecticut Walk Book West (19 ed.). Rockfall, Connecticut: Connecticut Forest and Park Association. pp. 1–353. ISBN 0961905263.
* Emblidge, David (1998). Hikes in southern New England: Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont (1 ed.). Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania: Stackpole Books. pp. 1–304. ISBN 0-8117-2669-X.
* Keyarts, Eugene (2002). Pietrzyk, Cindi Dale (ed.). Short Nature Walks: Connecticut Guide Book (7 ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Falcon Publishing. pp. 1–192. ISBN 0-7627-2310-6.
* Laubach, Rene; Smith, Charles W. G. (2007). AMC's Best Day Hikes in Connecticut (1 ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Appalachian Mountain Club Books. pp. 1–320. ISBN 1-934028-10-X.
* Ostertag, Rhonda; Ostertag, George (2002). Hiking Southern New England (2 ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Falcon Publishing. pp. 1–336. ISBN 0-7627-2246-0.

Books – Connecticut history and geography [edit]

* De Forest, John (1853). History of the Indians of Connecticut from the earliest known period to 1850. Hartford, Connecticut: Wm. Jas. Hamersley. pp. 1–509.
* Hayward, John (1857). New England Gazetteer: Containing Descriptions of the States, Counties, Cities and Towns of New England (2 ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Otis Clapp. pp. 1–704.
* Trumbull, Benjamin (1797). A Complete History of Connecticut - Civil and Ecclesiastical. Vol. I (1818 printing ed.). New Haven, Connecticut: Maltby, Goldsmith & Co. and Samuel Wadsworth. pp. 1–1166.
* Trumbull, Benjamin (1797). A Complete History of Connecticut - Civil and Ecclesiastical. Vol. II (1818 printing ed.). New Haven, Connecticut: Maltby, Goldsmith & Co. and Samuel Wadsworth. pp. 1–1166.

## External links

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Specific to this trail:

* CT Museum Quest Article on the Peoples State Forest Trails
* History of Peoples State Forest

Government links:

* State of Connecticut American Legion and Peoples State Forest website
* State of Connecticut American Legion and Peoples State Forest Letterbox website
* State of Connecticut American Legion and Peoples State Forest Hiking Map
* State of Connecticut American Legion State Forest Camping Map
* State of Connecticut American Legion State Forest Cross Country Skiing Map

* v
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Hiking trails in Connecticut

* Airline
* Alain and May White
* American Legion
* Appalachian
* Arthur A. Harris
* Aspetuck Valley
* Bigelow Hollow
* Case Mountain
* Charter Oak Greenway
* Chatfield
* Cockaponset
* East Coast Greenway
* Falls Brook
* Farmington Canal Heritage
* Gay City
* Hancock Brook
* Hop River
* Housatonic Range
* Iron
* Jericho
* Kettletown
* Lillinonah
* Lone Pine
* Macedonia Brook
* Mattabesett
* Mattatuck
* McLean Game Refuge
* Menunkatuck
* Metacomet
* Mohawk
* Moosup Valley
* Muir
* Narragansett
* Natchaug
* Naugatuck
* Nayantaquit
* Nehantic
* New England
* Nipmuck
* Old Furnace
* Pachaug
* Paugussett
* Peoples
* Pequot
* Pine Knob
* Pomperaug
* Quinebaug
* Quinnipiac
* Ragged Mountain
* Regicides
* Salmon River
* Saugatuck
* Shenipsit
* Sleeping Giant
* Still River Greenway
* Stony Creek Quarry
* Sunny Valley Preserve
* Tunxis
* Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route
* Westwoods
* Whitestone Cliffs
* Williams
* Wolcott
* Zoar

* v
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Protected areas of Connecticut

National Park Service|

* Weir Farm National Historical Park

National Wildlife Refuges|

* Silvio O. Conte
* Stewart B. McKinney

National Trails|

* Appalachian Trail
* New England National Scenic Trail
* Washington–Rochambeau Revolutionary Route

Wild and Scenic Rivers|

* Ashaway River
* Eightmile River
* Farmington River
* Green Fall River
* Housatonic River
* Pawcatuck River
* Salmon Brook
* Shunock River
* Wood River

State Parks|

* Above All
* Air Line
* Beaver Brook
* Becket Hill State Park Reserve
* Beckley Furnace Industrial Monument
* Bennett's Pond
* Bigelow Hollow
* Black Rock
* Bluff Point
* Bolton Notch
* Brainard Homestead
* Burr Pond
* Camp Columbia
* Campbell Falls
* Chatfield Hollow
* Collis P. Huntington
* Connecticut Valley Railroad
* Dart Island State Park
* Day Pond
* Dennis Hill
* Devil's Hopyard
* Dinosaur
* Eagle Landing
* Farm River
* Farmington Canal
* Fort Griswold Battlefield
* Fort Trumbull
* Gardner Lake
* Gay City
* George Dudley Seymour
* George Waldo
* Gillette Castle
* Haddam Island
* Haddam Meadows
* Haley Farm
* Hammonasset Beach
* Harkness Memorial
* Haystack Mountain
* Higganum Reservoir
* Hop River State Park Trail
* Hopemead
* Hopeville Pond
* Horse Guard
* Housatonic Meadows
* Humaston Brook
* Hurd
* Indian Well
* John A. Minetto
* Kent Falls
* Kettletown
* Killingly Pond
* Lake Waramaug
* Lamentation Mountain
* Larkin State Park Trail
* Lovers Leap
* Macedonia Brook
* Machimoodus
* Mansfield Hollow
* Mashamoquet Brook
* Mianus River
* Millers Pond
* Minnie Island
* Mohawk Mountain
* Mono Pond
* Moosup Valley State Park Trail
* Mooween
* Mount Bushnell
* Mount Riga
* Mount Tom
* Old Furnace
* Osbornedale
* Penwood
* Platt Hill
* Pomeroy
* Putnam Memorial
* Quaddick
* Quinebaug Lake
* Quinnipiac River
* River Highlands
* Rocky Glen
* Rocky Neck
* Ross Pond
* Salt Rock State Campground
* Satan's Kingdom State Recreation Area
* Scantic River
* Selden Neck
* Seth Low Pierrepont
* Sherwood Island
* Silver Sands
* Sleeping Giant
* Southford Falls
* Squantz Pond
* Stillwater Pond
* Stoddard Hill
* Stratton Brook
* Sunnybrook
* Sunrise
* Talcott Mountain
* Tri-Mountain
* Trout Brook Valley
* Wadsworth Falls
* West Rock Ridge
* Wharton Brook
* Whittemore Glen
* Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail
* Windsor Meadows
* Wooster Mountain

State Forests|

* Algonquin
* American Legion
* Centennial Watershed
* Cockaponset
* Enders
* James L. Goodwin
* Housatonic
* Massacoe
* Mattatuck
* Meshomasic
* Mohawk
* Mohegan
* Nassahegon
* Natchaug
* Nathan Hale
* Naugatuck
* Nehantic
* Nepaug
* Nipmuck
* Nye-Holman
* Pachaug
* Paugnut
* Paugussett
* People's
* Pootatuck
* Quaddick
* Salmon River
* Shenipsit
* Topsmead
* Tunxis
* Wyantenock

Wildlife Management Areas|

* Aldo Leopold WMA
* Assekonk WMA
* Babcock Pond WMA
* Barber Pond WMA
* Barn Island WMA
* Bartlett Brook WMA
* Bear Hill WMA
* Belding WMA
* Bishops Swamp WMA
* Black Pond WMA
* Candlewood Hill WMA
* Cedar Swamp WMA
* Charles E. Wheeler WMA
* Cromwell Meadows WMA
* Durham Meadows WMA
* East River Marsh WMA
* East Swamp WMA
* Eightmile River WMA
* Franklin Swamp WMA
* Goshen WMA
* Great Harbor WMA
* Higganum Meadows WMA
* Housatonic River WMA
* King's Island Coop WMA
* Kollar WMA
* Larson Lot WMA
* Little River Fish and Wildlife Area
* Lord's Cove WMA
* Maromas Coop WMA
* Meadow Brook WMA
* Menunketesuck WMA
* Messerschmidt WMA
* Newgate WMA
* Nod Brook WMA
* Nott Island WMA
* Pease Brook WMA
* Plum Bank WMA
* Quinebaug River WMA
* Quinnipiac River Marsh WMA
* Ragged Rock WMA
* Raymond Brook Marsh WMA
* Robbins Swamp WMA
* Roger Tory Peterson Wildlife Area
* Roraback WMA
* Rose Hill WMA
* Ross Marsh WMA
* Salmon River Cove and Haddam Neck WMA
* Sessions Woods WMA
* Simsbury WMA
* Skiff Mountain Coop WMA
* James V. Spignesi WMA
* Stanley Works WMA
* Suffield WMA
* Talbot WMA
* Tankerhoosen WMA
* Wangunk Meadows WMA
* Wopowog WMA
* Zemko Pond WMA

Reservoirs|

* Aspetuck Reservoir
* Barkhamsted Reservoir
* Beaver Dam Lake
* Candlewood Lake
* Easton Reservoir
* Far Mill Reservoir
* Hemlock Reservoir
* Hop Brook Lake
* Lake Lillinonah
* Mansfield Hollow Lake
* Means Brook
* Saugatuck Reservoir
* Trap Falls Reservoir
* West Hartford Reservoir
* West Pequonnock Reservoir
* Lake Zoar

Private|

* Aspetuck Land Trust
* Aton Forest
* Audubon Center at Bent of the River
* Bartlett Arboretum and Gardens
* Bear Mountain
* Beckley Bog
* Branford Land Trust
* Case Mountain
* Cathedral Pines
* Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Fairfield
* Connecticut College Arboretum
* Devil's Den Preserve
* Earthplace
* Great Mountain Forest
* Higby Mountain
* Highstead Arboretum
* Joshua's Tract Conservation and Historic Trust
* McLean Game Refuge
* New Canaan Nature Center
* Peter's Rock
* Pine Mountain Reserve
* Saltonstall Mountain
* Stamford Museum & Nature Center
* Steep Rock Association
* Weantinoge Heritage Land Trust
* White Memorial Foundation
* Woodcock Nature Center
* Yale-Myers Forest

Trails|

* American Legion State Forest Trails
* Aspetuck Valley Trail
* Blue-Blazed Trails
* Chatfield Trail
* Hancock Brook Trail
* Housatonic Range Trail
* Lillinonah Trail
* Mattabesett Trail
* Menunkatuck Trail
* Metacomet Trail
* Narragansett Trail
* Natchaug Trail
* Naugatuck Trail
* Nehantic Trail
* Nipmuck Trail
* Paugussett Trail
* Pequot Trail
* Quinnipiac Trail
* Regicides Trail
* Salmon River Trail
* Shenipsit Trail
* Tunxis Trail
* Westwoods Trails
* Whitestone Cliffs Trail
* Zoar Trail

Nature centers|

* List of nature centers in Connecticut

Local Government
Forest/Parks|

* Bear Mountain Reservation
* Beardsley Park
* Burr Farm Protected Open Space
* East Rock Park
* Gurski Farm Protected Open Space
* Happy Landings Protected Open Space
* Lighthouse Point Park
* Lillinonah Woods
* Mill River Park
* Old Bridge Sanctuary
* Pleasure Beach
* Roosevelt Forest
* Salt Meadow Park
* Seaside Park
* Webb Mountain Discovery Zone
* Webb Mountain Park

* Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

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