Winter Hiking

Just because it’s really cold outside doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get out there and hike! With the right preparation, hiking in the winter can be very enjoyable. Snow cover lends a hush to the woods that completely changes the experience. I love the peace and serenity in the wilderness at this time of year. Sure, […]

Hiking at Night

If you’ve never tried night hiking, you should! Hiking after dark is completely different than hiking during the day time. The trail is completely new – everything familiar is suddenly gone, the forest sounds completely different, and it is exciting! There are a few things you should know before venturing out at night. Being prepared […]

Bigelow Hollow State Park

I set out on a nice autumn day to do some backpacking at Bigelow Hollow State Park. The park adjoins Nipmuck State Forest so most of the signage covers both. It is a nice property in northern Connecticut – 9,000 acres according to the official website. Most of the locals call it Bigelow Hollow even […]

Wells State Park

I recently took a quick drive over to Wells State Park to take a little walk in the wood. Wells is located in Sturbridge, Massachusetts and boasts a large number of camping, RV, and yurt sites. It also has a lake for recreational boating and fishing. You can read all about it on the mass.gov […]

Leadmine Mountain / Heins Farm

The combination of trail systems at Leadmine Mountain and Heins Farm are the trails I consider to be my home base. I have logged many miles in these woods and rarely need to consult a map any more. Located in Sturbridge, MA, these trails aren’t crazy in terms of elevation but offer great hiking and […]

Hiking in “Bad” Weather

A lot of folks shy away from hiking in bad weather. They find it generally less pleasant when its too cold, too hot, too rainy, too windy or whatever. While there are certainly extremes, I quite enjoy pushing the boundaries and getting out in all sorts of weather. It gives me an opportunity to test […]

Monument Mountain hike

Last weekend, the family headed out to do some hiking in western Massachusetts. We were originally headed for some waterfalls but as some weather was coming in, we cut the drive short when we saw a turn off for Monument Mountain.