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Details

Activity Type: Hiking, Local Walks, & Trail Running | Hiking
Difficulty: 4 - Moderate
Trip Leader(s): Lee Thao
Registration Type: Registration
Please Click Here to RSVP: https://activities.outdoors.org/a5UVX00000182C9
Audience: 20’s & 30’s

Description: Join us for an epic, deep-woods adventure through Pachaug State Forest, Connecticut’s largest state forest! We will venture through the heart of the forest to take on the Mount Misery Loop . 🌄🌲 This is a true "grand tour" of the Pachaug State Forest, starting from the historic Old CCC Campsite. We’ll be traversing a massive loop that stitches together portions of the Pachaug, Nehantic, Quinebaug, and Phillips Pond Trails. Along the way, you’ll experience a little bit of everything: mossy woodlands, open fields, historic old dams, and even some hidden mini waterfalls. Keep an eye out for the remains of an abandoned farmhouse as we navigate the rugged terrain. The highlight of the trek is the ascent to the summit of Mount Misery , where we’ll be treated to panoramic views of the vast, unbroken forest canopy stretching into Rhode Island. This route is roughly 9.5 miles with ~859 ft of gain — a long, rewarding day in the woods with rolling terrain and plenty of historic and natural variety.
🎒 What to Bring: 3+ liters of water 💧 Trail snacks to keep your energy up 🥨 Waterproof hiking boots (Essential! Portions of the Quinebaug and Nehantic trails can be especially wet and muddy) 🥾 Hiking poles (highly recommended for the distance and mud-hopping) 🦯
🅿️ Parking: FREE for all visitors. We will meet at the Old CCC Campsite off DEP Trail Road. There are no parking fees for in-state or out-of-state vehicles at this trailhead.
🍽️ Social Dinner: After we finish the loop, we’ll drive 2 miles down the road to Town Grill & Pizzeria for dinner. It’s a great spot to relax and refuel after a 9-mile day with some fantastic local food. Another 2 miles down the road we can also get ice cream from Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream .
📧 Confirmed participants will receive: Weather updates A Google Sheet for optional carpooling Exact meeting location (pinned via Google Maps)
Connecticut's Official State Forest Site: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/State-Parks/Forests/Pachaug-State-Forest-Chapman-Area Explore Connecticut: https://explorect.org/mount-misery/ AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/connecticut/mount-misery-loop Town Grill & Pizzeria: https://towngrillpizza.com/ Buttonwood Farm Ice Cream: https://www.buttonwoodfarmicecream.com/

Reminder: Please click the RSVP link above to register!

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