Shelton Trails

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Shelton Trails
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All levels of difficulty

• From very easy

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to challenging
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Happy Trails
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Multi-Use Paths

• Pedestrians
• Street Bikes
• Baby Carriages
• Wheelchairs
• Paved or crushed stone

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Shelton Riverwalk 0.3 miles
0.3 miles long (0.6 mi. loop)
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Shelton Lakes Recreation Path4.5 miles under
construction
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Downtown Shelton to Huntington Center4.5 miles
in various stages of completion
Rec Path
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Walking TrailsEasy to Moderate

• Hiking
• Mountain Biking
• Footing often uneven, but not too steep

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Shelton Lakes Greenway

• 10 miles of trails
• Oak Valley Trail
• Dominick Trail
• Rec Path
• Turkey Trot Trail
• Nells Rock Trail

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Riverview Park Trail(0.6 mi. one way)
Sheltons Oldest Park
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Downtown Shelton
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• History
• Scenic Views
• Playground

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Bluff Walk behind what is now the large
baseball field,
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Fort Hill Pootatucks build a fort here in 1673
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Constitution Oak is a descendent of the Charter
Oak
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Gristmill Trail (0.3 miles)

• Fishing
• Picnic Bench
• Historic Mill Dam

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Gristmill Trail
Gristmill Trail
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BoehmPond Trails (loop and spur 1 mi.)
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Boehm Pond Trail
West Shelton FAR Mill Street (not Mill Street)
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Huckleberries
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Huckleberries
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Nicholdale Farm(Loops totaling about 2 miles)

• Shelton Land Conservation Trust
• Fields Forest
• Youth camp.
• Maintained for wildlife
• Cattle Underpass

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NicholdaleFarm
White Hills, Route 110
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Challenging Hiking Trails

• Not for everyone!
• Harder to find the trail
• Terrain steeper
• Possible scrambling over rock
• Better wildlife viewing

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Birchbank Trail

• Red
• Trillium
• Dutchmans
• Breeches

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Past Indian Well S.P., where the road crosses the
RR tracks
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Tahmore Loop (0.9 mi.)

• Easy access to Paugussett Trail overlook
• Ups and downs
• Shelton Land Trust
• Inner loops 0.5 mile

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Paugussett Trail (8.7 mi.)

• Blue Dot Trail
• Historic 1930s CCC project.
• East Village, Monroe to Indian Well State Park,
  Shelton
• Historically went to Roosevelt Forest in
  Stratford.
• CFPA 800mile system

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Paugussett Trail parking
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CFPA
Connecticut Forest and Parks Association Maps
Connecticut Walk Book No bikes
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Finding Your Way

• Bring a map!!!
• Pay attention to trail blazes.
• Waymarkers at Shelton Lakes

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Trail Maps

• Online
• sheltonconservation.org
• sheltontrails.org
• Community Center
• City Hall

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Trail Blazes

• Rectangles of color-coded paint on trees, rocks,
  or pavement.
• Blue Paugussett Blue Dot Trail
• Blue with yellow dot Paugussett access trail or
  loop
• Yellow Shelton Lakes Recreation Path
• Orange Dominick Trail
• White all other trails

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Crackingthe Code

• Watch out for TURNS.
• The trail may turn unexpectedly off of the
  pathway, especially around old woods roads or ATV
  trails.

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• One pathway, two trails

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If you get lost

• Relax. Youre not really lost. Youre in a
  suburb.
• If you lost the blazes, go back the way you came
  until you find them.
• Ask another hiker.
• If you feel panic, then sit down before you start
  going in circles.
• Know how to walk a straight line for a distance.

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Trail Safety

• Be prepared. Be self-reliant.
• Dont expect signs to direct you bring a map
  and pay attention.
• Check the weather, dress appropriately.

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What to Bring

• MAP
• WATER
• Cell phone
• Bug Spray, hat for deer flies/may flies
• Snacks
• Benadryl

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What to Wear

• LAYERS. Many beginners overdress and get
  overheated.
• Sneakers usually OK. All-terrain treads helpful.
• Waterproof hiking boots may be helpful for
  challenging trails.

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Ten Safety IssuesTeresas personal ranking

• Falling Twisting an ankle.
• Pay attention to your feet!
• Watch out for slick leaves and rocks.

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Trail Hazards

• 2. WaspStings.
• Late summer Early Fall risk if you step off the
  trail.
• Bring Benadryl if you might react.
• If you start to get stung RUN!!

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Trail Hazards

• 3. Dehydration
• Always bring lots of water in the summer.
• Easy to misjudge water requirements.

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Trail Hazards

• 4. Thunderstorms
• Lightning
• Wind
• Hail
• Check the radar before going out.
• Greater risk in pm

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Trail Hazards

• 5. Lyme Disease
• Most trails are pretty clear and carry little
  risk. Watch out for overgrown grassy areas.
• Tick checks DAILY.
• VIGILANCE.

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Trail Hazards

• 6. Poison Ivy
• Leaves of 3, Let it be.
• Hairy vines
• Caution in spring!
• Clean exposed skin with rubbing alcohol asap.

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Trail Hazards

• 7. Getting Lost
• Bring a map
• Pay attention to blazes.
• GPS receiver handy for large parks.
• Learn how to use a compass use the sun to
  determine direction.

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Trail Hazards

• 8. Random Falling Branches.
• Wind increases risk
• But branches still fall when there is no wind.
• Cross your fingers!

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Trail Hazards

• 9. Creepy People
• Be alert in places people loiter parking lots,
  reservoirs, urban environments.
• Act confident.
• Talk on your cell or carry a potential weapon
  (like a rock)
• Actual risk is extremely low.

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Trail Safety

• 10. Wild Animals
• Coyotes may attack dogs off-leash.
• Poisonous snakes. Risk for letterboxers and
  geocachers. Not instantly deadly in CT.
• Rabid animals beware animals that act
  strangely.

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Trail EtiquetteMulti-Use Trail

• KEEP TO THE RIGHT
• Pass on the left
• Includes pets and children
• Bikers alert pedestrians

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Trail EtiquetteHiking Trails

• Leave no trace
• Take only pictures
• Leave only footprints

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Trail Etiquette Hiking Trails

• Dont be obnoxious
• Cell phones
• Loud voices
• Dogs under control
• Respect fishermen

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Trail EtiquettesBlue Dot Trails (Paugussett)

• Trails pass thru private lands
• No bikes
• Stay on the trail
• Respect private property

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Trail Games Letterboxing

• Search for hidden boxes containing rubber stamps.
  

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Trail Games Letterboxing

• Clues are listed at www.atlasquest.com and
  www.letterboxing.org
• Easy to Impossible
• English game more than 150 yrs old

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Letterboxing Basics

• Contents of a letterbox.
• Logbook
• Rubber Stamp
• Bring your own ink pads, pen, logbook and rubber
  signature stamp

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How to Letterbox

• Find the letterbox.
• Stamp the letterbox logbook with your signature
  stamp.
• Stamp your personal logbook with the letterbox
  stamp.

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Letterboxing Etiquette

• STEALTH be secretive
• Repack the box carefully
• Rehide carefully (watch children!)
• Leave no trace
• Help boxes that are in trouble (wet, ripped
  baggies)
• Contact box owner

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Letterboxing Lingo

• Three Sister Tree tree with 3 trunks
• 1 pace 2 steps
• Woodpecker feast rotting tree
• Noxer a person who does not letterbox

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Geocaching

• Search for hidden caches using a gps receiver.
• Some caches have trinkets for trade
• All caches have a log to sign

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Geocaching

• Find listings at www.geocaching.com
• Recreational gps receivers best
• But car or phone gps receivers can work OK

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How to Geocache

• Download or enter coordinates onto gps
• Go to the coordinates
• Search the area, using any hints provided
• Trading trinkets found in the cache is optional.

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Geocaching Etiquette

• Stealth
• Leave no trace
• Dont dismantle stone walls
• Never trade down
• Log your find.

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Happy Trails!