20200815 Anthony’s Nose
More hikes
Emery Park – Collier’s Climb Trail, Leonard Mountain, Club Gateway
- 2.29 mi
- 722 ft gain
- 01:36:44
I helped lead a group of Club Getaway guests up the Collier's Climb Trail in Emery Park, near Kent, CT. The route to the summit of Leonard Mountain is a steady incline — not incredibly steep, but consistently at an angle and rarely leveling off. At the top there's a view of the surrounding mountains and valleys, partially obstructed by summer foliage. We went on an exceptionally hot, humid day and stopped a few times for water. We had hoped to descend a different trail, but a recent storm had left it blocked by downed trees, so we retraced our steps for a 2.29-mile out-and-back.
Taxter Ridge Park Preserve – Yellow Trail, Danny Gold Blue Trail, Woody Crest, Orange Trail
- 5.6 mi
- 840 ft gain
- 02:01:13
Taxter Ridge Park Preserve was the site of my first COVID-era hike, and returning six years later reminded me why I fell in love with it. Despite heat and humidity in the low 80s, the trail delivered — open meadows, dense woods, old carriage trails, a marsh, a water tower, the ruins of a 19th-century sanctuary, and glimpses of stunning multi-million dollar homes along the way. I had the entire 200-acre park almost entirely to myself. Not a single person, not a single car in any of the three parking lots. Just the trail, a lingering deer, and a 2.5L hydration pack I was glad I brought.
The Irvington Woods – Hermit’s Grave, Macy’s Monument, Irvington Reservoir
- 5.75 mi
- 846 ft gain
- 02:29:41
After a long break, I returned to one of my favorite hikes: The Irvington Woods. The park packs in reservoirs, ponds, wetlands, Hermit’s Grave, rock outcrops, overlooks, monuments, carriage trails, and plenty of elevation change. My route linked the blue, red, yellow, and purple loops, passing Hermit’s Wetland, Macy’s Monument and Terrace, Sunset Rock, Irvington Reservoir, Marshall’s Pond, and Ice Pond. It was a beautiful, varied 5.8-mile hike through grasses, pines, open trails, water views, steady climbs, and sunny mid-70s spring weather overall.