Quinnipiac Trail

ken · Sep 24, 2005

hi - my daughter is going to the college there, so i will have someone to pick me up at the other end - what i need to find out is where it starts and ends - is it a real trail or a bunch of 22 mile "road walks"? - i have looked on maps and other places and can only find info on a book - do i have to buy the book to find out anything? or is there another place to find out?

ken · Sep 24, 2005

i have seen those websites but they give no info on anything except the section in the park - there is 27 more miles someplace and it seems the only place to get more info is from the trail book - i can't find any info on where to find the start and finish... i guess i'll have to bring a digital camera into a bookstore (if i could just figure out where the ends are it would be enough since in between i just have to follow the blazes).

John S · Sep 24, 2005

The Connecticut Walk Book (1990) shows the start at .1 mile south of the end of Banton Street in North Haven. Banton Street is off the east side of State Street about .3 mile north of the Rt. 5/Rt.22 intersection. The trail heads north then westerly through Sleeping Giant State Park and York Mountain before turning north, passing over Sanford Mountain and ending on Chatfield Road at Rt. 68 in Prospect. The book describes the trail as about 21 miles, mostly wooded, which follows a series of trap rock ridges. The section before Sleeping Giant is about 3.5 miles and is not passable at times of high water in the Quinnipiac River.

There’s also about 30 miles of trails in within Sleeping Giant. You can download a map from the CT State Park website.

ken · Sep 25, 2005

John S said:
The Connecticut Walk Book (1990) shows the start at .1 mile south of the end of Banton Street in North Haven. Banton Street is off the east side of State Street about .3 mile north of the Rt. 5/Rt.22 intersection. The trail heads north then westerly through Sleeping Giant State Park and York Mountain before turning north, passing over Sanford Mountain and ending on Chatfield Road at Rt. 68 in Prospect. The book describes the trail as about 21 miles, mostly wooded, which follows a series of trap rock ridges. The section before Sleeping Giant is about 3.5 miles and is not passable at times of high water in the Quinnipiac River.

There’s also about 30 miles of trails in within Sleeping Giant. You can download a map from the CT State Park website.

thanks for the info - i read 22 miles someplace so that sounds about right - i dont know why any of the websites that showed the patch don't at least tell where the ends are - since it is blazed, a map isn't really needed but you have to know where it starts and ends - they probably dont tell you because they want to sell books (but i don't plan on walking all over connecticut) - if the river is a problem, is there a road crossing nearby???

John S · Sep 25, 2005

ken said:
- if the river is a problem, is there a road crossing nearby???

Ken, the book says the trail follows the west bank of the river and makes no mention of a crossing. This area is just north of the marshes you see along I-91 coming out of New Haven so it could be that the trail is on flood plain, with the warning relating to areas flooding at times of monthly high tides or heavy rains rather at a crossing(s).

ken · Sep 25, 2005

John S said:
Ken, the book says the trail follows the west bank of the river and makes no mention of a crossing. This area is just north of the marshes you see along I-91 coming out of New Haven so it could be that the trail is on flood plain, with the warning relating to areas flooding at times of monthly high tides or heavy rains rather at a crossing(s).

thanks again

MadRiver · Sep 26, 2005

Ken, have your daughter go to the main library (Arnold Bernhard) and ask for Richard in the Periodicals Department. I have the Connecticut Walk Book at my desk. Although I haven’t done the Quinnipiac Trail, I am familiar with a number of local hikes as well as the area.

After reading the trail description, it looks like only 2.2 miles of the trail is a road walk.

Puck · Sep 26, 2005

http://www.ctwoodlands.org/blue trails/bthistory.html#quinn

Here is some info although they are trying to sell the book. When you come out of the West End of Sleeping Giant you will follow Mt Carmel to the busy intersection of rt 10. Cross the street go right for five yards then left up West woods. This is a dangerous section due to the traffic and no side walk. there are faint blazes untill you take a left down a street that ends on the blue trail. this trail cuts over the ridge past some old cellar holes and ends on Rocky Top. You may see the new Hockey Arena the University is building. Quinnipiac is joining the ECAC and UVM is moving over to Hockey East....sorry my mind wanders. There are more residential streets until you are up on another ridge this trail then goes on until Cheshire.

ken · Sep 26, 2005

MadRiver said:
Ken, have your daughter go to the main library (Arnold Bernhard) and ask for Richard in the Periodicals Department. I have the Connecticut Walk Book at my desk. Although I haven’t done the Quinnipiac Trail, I am familiar with a number of local hikes as well as the area.

too bad you didn't answer sooner - i was in the library saturday checking my e-mail - i could have asked for you... i'll tell her - - - i went up sleeping giant saturday afternoon - thanks

Puck said:
Here is some info although they are trying to sell the book. When you come out of the West End of Sleeping Giant you will follow Mt Carmel to the busy intersection of rt 10. Cross the street go right for five yards then left up West woods. This is a dangerous section due to the traffic and no side walk. there are faint blazes untill you take a left down a street that ends on the blue trail. this trail cuts over the ridge past some old cellar holes and ends on Rocky Top. There are more residential streets until you are up on another ridge this trail then goes on until Cheshire.

ok - thanks for the info - i was wondering how many busy roads were involved (maybe i should bring an orange vest) - i'm sure it will be a pertty easy 22 miles (not like the S.B.M., 22 miles with about 6000' elevation gain) i will probanly do it one day when i can make sure i will have a chauffer to drop me at one end and pick me up at the other end (she does have a job) unless i can find someone else with a car to do it with me one day.

dudley · Sep 26, 2005

My buddy is on the board of Ct. Forest and Park. He's excited about the newest edition of the Walk Book. He claims that they took the best ideas from other trail guides and put them together for a superior book.
The new Walk Book should be out sometime this week.

MadRiver · Sep 27, 2005

ken said:
too bad you didn't answer sooner - i was in the library saturday checking my e-mail - i could have asked for you... i'll tell her - - - i went up sleeping giant saturday afternoon -

I did a nice hike in the Giant on Sunday and only saw one other group. I will make a copy of the trail description and map. The local New Haven county map also outlines the Qtrail.

ken · Sep 27, 2005

MadRiver said:
I did a nice hike in the Giant on Sunday and only saw one other group. I will make a copy of the trail description and map. The local New Haven county map also outlines the Qtrail.

ok - thanks - - - only one other group? (was it raining?) - - i went to giant's tower on saturday and the trail was "mobbed" with "tourists" - i then went to the catskills sunday and did a bushwack (don't know why i still do that, i don't need any peaks, just a glutton for punishment i guess).

MadRiver · Sep 27, 2005

Having grown up in Hamden, I have learned how to hike the Giant without running into too many people. I usually park on Tuttle Ave and hike the violet trail, which circles the park. I then switch to the yellow and white trail as it approaches the main entrance. I then pick up the blue trail as it traverses the head of the giant, and which eventually leads me back to my car. I never, ever, ever go near the tower!! There are also several areas that allow a great bushwhack up the cliffs of the “hip”. If done correctly, one can spend three to four hours in the park and not run into a soul.

darren · Sep 28, 2005

FYI, I received this via email:

the first few miles of the trail from the Banton St. starting point which is at the Mobil Station off the parkway in North Haven run along the Quinnipiac River can be wet and swampy and at times of flooding or heavy rains are impassable , Last time out was overgrown in areas and in need of trail work both brush clearing and trail marking. Then a short road walk ( about 1/2 mile) and back on the trail that takes you over and through sleeping giant state park which is nice hiking and all of those trails have recently been cleared and reblazed ; crew was out finishing up this past weekend when I was there.
Many trails through sleeping giant to choose from , blue probably has the most to offer ( past castle and over the head has best views), you can download a trail map from the sleeping giant web sight. Hope this helps.

- darren

Puck · Sep 29, 2005

Ken
When are you planning this trip? I have been in the area that Darren described, it follows the Quinnipiac River into Wallingford then cuts up, crosses Hartford Turnpike then goes into Sleeping Giant state Park. I hung some nesting boxes for screetch owls in that area years back.

This thread has me thinking about doing this trail up into Cheshire soon.

ken · Sep 29, 2005

Puck said:
Ken
This thread has me thinking about doing this trail up into Cheshire soon.

not sure yet - probably when it gets a little cooler - if you are a quick pace it would be good to have another car (that way my kid can sleep late) - i did the SBM trail in the 70 degree temperature range and it took a lot of water (5 quarts, plus some iced tea from a gas station when we moved the cars after the first 1/2) -although the SBM has 6000' in 22 miles (i'm sure quinnipiac is nothing like that)

MadRiver · Sep 29, 2005

Ken, your daughter dropped by and I made a copy of the map and trail description in the CT Walk Book. I also included several page of the New Haven County area map that traces the QTrail. I might do this trail myself next time I remain in CT for the weekend. Have fun.

ken · Sep 29, 2005

MadRiver said:
Ken, your daughter dropped by and I made a copy of the map and trail description in the CT Walk Book. I also included several page of the New Haven County area map that traces the QTrail. I might do this trail myself next time I remain in CT for the weekend. Have fun.

ok - thanks - if you are around when i do it we can go together if you want (if you are a pretty quick hiker... 22 miles ia a long day if you can't do 3 mph).

MadRiver · Sep 29, 2005

I’m more of a deliberate hiker than a speed hiker, so I would probably do the hike solo. I will hike fast depending on the situation, e.g. darkness is falling, I have a schedule to keep, or bad weather is approaching. My wife and friend think that I hike too fast, while others might think that I hike too slowly. I guess it is a matter of perspective.

Puck · Sep 30, 2005

ken said:
not sure yet - probably when it gets a little cooler - if you are a quick pace it would be good to have another car (that way my kid can sleep late) - i did the SBM trail in the 70 degree temperature range and it took a lot of water (5 quarts, plus some iced tea from a gas station when we moved the cars after the first 1/2) -although the SBM has 6000' in 22 miles (i'm sure quinnipiac is nothing like that)

Well I can beat book time in the Whites with a full pack. Send a PM if you are interested. Either way I think I am going to do this one.

Elevation gain over the 22-23 mi might be 1500' . For example the lot at sleeping giant is about 200' the summits are 720'. Once on the ridge there will be a few more ups and downs. So it adds up somewhat.

Quinnipiac Trail

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