Lions Head Trail,
a Hike on the AT.
Hi there,
If you need a break from the winter blues, then I highly recommend that you head out for a hike along the Appalachian Trail. If you're not sure what I'm referring to, the Appalachian Trail is the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the eastern United States. It is about 2,200 miles long and runs from Georgia to Maine.
I am lucky that part of this trail is a short drive from where I am staying in CT. So, while the weather was brisk outside, the little sister and I headed towards the mountains for an after Christmas hike.
I say it often, and will again. Going to the mountains is like stepping into a new world. Fresh, crisp air always makes me feel like I’m walking on a cloud. I remember taking my first breath there and all the worries seemed to melt away. Even though it’s cold, the fresh mountain air lifts me up and gives me a new perspective on things.
As mentioned above, this story is about a hike along the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail (*abbreviated as AT) is long. This is only a short part of it. However, you can see beautiful parts of nature all around you on any part of this hike, so, I recommend that you take in the sights and experience when you can. You never know when you will be on these parts of the trail again.
Let's get to the photos and story.
The day started a bit late, perhaps around 1 pm, when we jumped into the car and drove about 30 min north to the trail head.
Location:
- Lions Head Trail (Section of the Appalachian Trail)
- Salisbury, CT 06068
- Google Map Link : https://goo.gl/maps/mTsdyPGgCdJvmm7n8
The whole area around this trail is filled with a lot of great hikes and the little sister and I are planning to do a few more of them.
However, on this trail, the parking spot is a bit hard to see, and if you did not know what you were looking for, you might drive right past it.
However, you do see an old sign letting you know that this is part of the trail. I bet many hikers walked past this sign on the 6-month truck down the AT.
If you have sharp eyes, you will also see the hiker parking sign that lets you know you are here.
At the base of the trail is a solid information board. It features a great map, and some helpful information about the hike ahead. As this is a rather popular hike, it has a nice board. Some places that are less traveled may not have boards as nice.
This hike has 3 uphill points. After each uphill, you have a bit of a flat part to catch your breath. Luckily, the first uphill is just after the parking lot and I would say the longest.
As part of the AT, the forest service also provides a biodegradable privy to use... this is the only one on the trail... I did not venture into it. o.O
The trail is well maintained. This large tree that fell over the trail has been cut, so you can walk through it. The photo does not do justice to the size of the fallen tree... she was massive.
Lots of life is growing on the fallen tree as well. I wonder if that is what killed it, or if after it had fallen, life grew on it. Either way, the mushroom like substance was cool to look at.
Nature has it all figured out. Somehow, every tree manages to find the perfect spot for its roots to take hold, supporting its leaves and branches that provide shade for all of us to enjoy. And yet, no matter how hard it tries, sometimes a branch falls. Along the way, leaves are lost to the wind, and gaps form to allow light to peek through. But these are all signs of life. No one could walk through the forest without seeing the beauty that nature provides us. And that's why I'm not even mad when I see the inevitable evidence to the contrary.
Approaching the top of the first uphill bit, you see the trees thin out, and the sky starts to open up a little.
If you climb over a small rock wall, you will see a large open field. I remember doing a picknick on that field a long time ago. Today it sits quiet till spring comes again.
Back into the woods, over the rocks and leaves, into the forest. The hike goes on.
Hiking is a fun and active way to spend time outside and enjoy nature. However, often we can get so caught up in the activity and forget to look up and enjoy the surrounding beauty. One aspect of hiking we often miss is the canopy of trees. They offer such beauty and such distinct colors, such as dark green, bright green, and bright red. One time during my trip, I looked up and saw the canopy of trees, It was breathtaking. I stopped and took a moment to take it all in.
The path through the woods was well-worn, many boots must have walked it before me, and will walk after me.
Along the hike, you also cross 4 small mountain streams like this one. Each one is easy to navigate with a little hop. If you go in the late winter, they will be frozen, and in the spring you will have larger streams to cross.. But for today, they were babbling and small.
The trail is very well maintained, In some steeper parts steps were made with rocks. I can only imagine the work and labor that went into making the steps here.
There are two ways you can reach the summit on this trail. One, is a short hike of about 10 min. You can park close to the top and do a little, hike. The other, the one my sister and I did, is more aggressive and will take about 2 hours. On the way down, this sign is the separation point of the trail. The arrow points to the longer way.
The final scramble to the top of the hike, you have about 25 yards of up to do. While it has a sharp angle to it, there are ample rocks and roots to grasp on for an easy assent to the summit.
Halfway up, you start to see the view that is just over the ridge.
So, I do have to say I am sorry to you, dear reader. My sister and I were happy to have reached the top, so I did not spend time taking too many pictures at the top... but the view was AMAZING.
After spending some time sitting on top of the mountain, we headed back down and into the woods again.
By now the sun had started to set a little. The hike down went much quicker, but it was elegant with the low hanging sun shinning through the trees.
That concludes the hike for today. We reached the parking lot and jumped into the truck to head home. Here is the official marker for the trail.
"Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow."
- Henry David Thoreau
This is a great quote to round off the blog post with because it is the main message I want to convey: Go hiking! It’s a fun, challenging experience that doesn’t have to be steeped in tradition and knowing everything there is to know about wilderness survival. It can be as simple as turning off your cellphone and getting out into nature, breathing fresh air and unpolluted oxygen.
Enjoy your hike!
Cheers
| Travel Photos: | @RoamingSparrow |
| Photo Repository: | Roamingsparrow.SmugMug.com |
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