Welcome to the West Mountain trails, a study in natural-world contrasts. My exploration began in the northern portion of West Mountain at a cul-de-sac. I was quickly swallowed up into nature with a trail marked with white blazes that passed a waterfall flowing down a rock face and a difficult ascent to the top of the mountain.
Located atop the ridge west of Simsbury Farms Recreation Area,” the Simsbury Land Trust notes in its Walkbook, “this land is unique in that it consists of the east slope, ridge top, west slope, a portion of the clearly defined geological fault line and 10 acres of slope on the much older Western Highland. The Simsbury Land Trust and town properties have preserved the integrity of 500 acres of continuous traprock ridge from McLean Game Refuge to the Tulmeadow Farm Triangle.”
Before reaching the campus of The Master’s School, an independent, college-preparatory Christian day school, hikers can find the remains of a ski-rope tow. The miniature-looking house contained a machine that towed skiers up and down a steep hill to the east. The slope can still be seen, and it must have been pretty challenging as the hill drops off quickly.. Click here to read the entire article.