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North Pattaconk Trail
Location Information
Sponsored by:
Connecticut Forest & Park Association
Location Entrance:
Old County Road
Haddam, CT 06438
Location Phone:
Type: A single trail
Alternate trailhead or entry point:
Filley Road
Difficulty: Moderate (Gently rising terrain with the likeliness to encounter occasional obstacles)
Primary Walking Surface:
Earth
Hours open:
Dawn to dusk
Suitable for ages: • Children • Teenagers • Adults • Seniors
Number of walking trails: 1
Total walking route length: 2 miles
Admission fees:
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) charges for parking on weekends and holidays during the summer season.
Location Details
The 1.2-mile North Pattaconk Trail is in the Cockaponset State Forest and blazed with a 2-by-6-inch painted blaze. The top 2/3rds are light (CFPA) blue and the bottom third is red. This trail provides an alternate hike along the Cockaponset Trail. From the trailhead parking on Old County Road, walk along Old County Road heading east (following the blue blazes). Turn right off the road and follow the blue-blazed Cockaponset Trail south. Along the way on the Cockaponset Trail you'll see an interpretive sign on charcoal mounds, further on you'll see a yellow-blazed trail on the left. The yellow-blazed trail goes a short distance to the remains of a charcoal mound and colliers hut, one of many in the forest.
At approximately 8/10s of a mile, you'll cross a brook and see the intersection with the North Pattaconk Trail. Turn left on to the North Pattaconk Trail. About 3/10s of a mile along you'll intersect with a blue/yellow trail. The blue/yellow trail is a multi-use trail (mountain bikes, horses and hikers) so the North Pattaconk Trail is multi-use for this section only. Follow the trail over a bridge across Pattaconk Brook, where the trail briefly intersects with the Cockaponset Trail. After the bridge, the blue/red blazed North Pattaconk Trail is once again a footpath only trail.
The trail continues south along the west bank of Pattaconk Reservoir; beaver activity can be seen in along this section. The trail continues south and crosses behind a swimming beach at the Pattaconk Reservoir Recreation Area. A great place to jump in for a refreshing swim. The North Pattaconk Trail heads south to a final intersection with the Cockaponset Trail (blue blazed) and ends. Follow along the blue-blazed Cockaponset Trail to the parking lots at the Reservoir Recreation Area.
Location Features
| Landscape settings: | • Rural • Stream/river • Pond/lake • Beach • Woodland • Wetland • Gentle hill • Steep hill • Historical site |
| Amenities: | • Interpretative/educational signage • Picnic • Geocaches • Letterboxes • Leashed pets permitted |
| Activities: |         |
| Neighboring towns: | Chester |
| Access restrictions: | This is a CFPA-maintained state hiking trail and is open to foot traffic only (hiking, running, snow shoeing, cross-country skiing). Dogs must be leashed. Hunting is permitted in the state forest, so wear blaze orange during hunting season. |
 Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail: |
The Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail System, was established in 1929 by the Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA), a private, non-profit conservation organization. Since that time, the system has grown to include roughly 825 miles of footpaths across Connecticut. The Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails are maintained by dedicated CFPA volunteers for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public. To learn more about their use, visit the Trail Use Policy page. The Connecticut Walk Book East and West, comprehensive guides to the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trails, are also available at our online store. |
How to get there
| Driving Directions: | Take Route 9 to Exit 9/Route 81. Head south on Route 81. Turn left onto Old County Road (a sharp somewhat hidden turn across from New Image Automotive). Follow the road past two intersections. When the road turns sharply to the right, it becomes Parker Hill Road; where it goes straight and turns to gravel it's Old County Road. Go straight and stay on Old County (gravel road). Park either at Hackney Pond (2 cars) or at the trailhead (2 to 3 cars) approximately 3/10 mile further down the road.
To reach the Cedar Lake Road entry point, take Route 9 to Exit 6/Route 148. Head west on Route 148. Take the first right after Cedar Lake onto Cedar Lake Road. Follow the road for approximately 1 mile and look for the "Pattaconk Reservoir Recreation Area" sign. Turn left at sign and proceed up Filley Road to the end at the large parking lots. Park in the lot to your right. The blue-blazed Cockaponset Trail runs along the south edge of the parking lot. Get on the Cockaponset Trail and follow it the west and then north to the second intersection with a blue/red trail, which is the North Pattaconk Trail. |
| Parking: | |
| Public transportation: |
Other Items of Interest
| Flora and fauna: | Gray squirrel, chipmunks, white-tailed deer, beaver, red-tailed hawks, and occasional osprey. Forest is a mixture of maple, beech, and occasional birch. |
| Affiliate Groups: | Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection |