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Details

Activity Type: Hiking, Local Walks, & Trail Running | Hiking
Difficulty: 2 - Relaxed
Trip Leader(s): Lee Thao
Registration Type: Registration
Please Click Here to RSVP: https://activities.outdoors.org/a5UVX000001J617
Audience: 20’s & 30’s

Description: Join us for a fantastic after-work Friday fall foliage trek at Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam! We’ll be exploring this iconic historic estate perched high above the Connecticut River, combining unique architecture, winding stone tunnels, and breathtaking panoramic views of the vibrant autumn leaves. 🌄🍁🌲 🐶 Dogs are welcome on this hike! (Must be well-behaved and kept on a standard leash at all times in accordance with park rules). Starting from the main grounds, we’ll make our way along the park trail network—including segments of William Gillette’s historic narrow-gauge railroad trail—traversing wooded ridges, stone-arch bridges, and tunnels blanketed in brilliant fall colors. This route is roughly 2 to 2.5 miles with gentle, rolling terrain — a rewarding, moderately paced outing to kick off the weekend with some of the best river views and seasonal foliage in the lower Connecticut River Valley. 🎒 What to Bring: 1 liters of water 💧 (plus extra for your pup!) Trail snacks to keep your energy up 🥨 Sturdy footwear / hiking boots 🥾 🅿️ Parking: Parking and entrance to Gillette Castle State Park ground is free. 🍕 Social Dinner & Dessert: After we finish the hike, if there is interest, we’ll head over to Otto Pizza Restaurant for a fantastic post-hike dinner! Afterward, there will be an optional choice to swing by Honeycone Craft Ice Cream to grab some local artisan ice cream to wrap up the evening. Otto Pizza Restaurant: https://www.ottochester.com/ Address: 69 Main St, Chester, CT 06412 Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MAUAEiRRciDjZGKZ7 Honeycone Craft Ice Cream: https://www.honeyconecreamco.com/ Address: 29 Main St, Chester, CT 06412 Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/NbWpL6asbJxnZFhc6 📧 Confirmed participants will receive: Weather updates A Google Sheet for optional carpooling Exact meeting location / pin via Google Maps 🔗 Helpful Links Friends Of Gillette Castle State Park: https://www.gillettecastlefriends.org/park-info Gillette Castle State Park Trail Map: https://ctparks.com/media/419/download?inline Connecticut Trail Finder: https://www.cttrailfinder.com/trails/trail/gillette-castle-state-park Connecticut's Official State Park Site: https://ctparks.com/parks/gillette-castle-state-park AllTrails Hike Route: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/connecticut/gillette-castle-trail

Reminder: Please click the RSVP link above to register!

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