Trail Tour

West Branch: Connecticut
Section W-2: Quinnipiac River to West Rock Ridge  

This section utilizes urban and suburban greenspaces and parks. It loosely follows a group of traprock outcrops and ponds from the Quinnipiac River  to  West Rock Ridge.  

No contiguous established trail currently exists in this section. The proposed route can be followed by piecing together smaller trails, parkland, and residential streets. For detailed information on how to follow this route, and for information on the New England Trail proposal for linking the parkland in this section together, see HERE. 

W-2.0: Quinnipiac River estuary

The Quinnipiac River runs 38 miles from central Connecticut to New Haven Harbor at Long Island Sound. Much of the salt-marsh at the mouth of the river has been protected as the Quinnipiac Meadow-Eugene Fargeorge Preserve and  Hemingway Creek preserve. The New England Trail Proposal envisions a combination trail and boardwalk through the marsh edge from Hemmingway Creek north to Middletown Avenue (passing under the I-91 overpass on the concrete  bridge buttress along the edge of the river).  A dead end nature trail currently traverses about two-thirds of the area, and a bird blind was installed. There is no trail through the remaining wetlands; to complete the route, a trail extension and boardwalks would have to be constructed.   

W-2.1: East Rock

East Rock is a prominent mountain ledge that rises 300 feet above New Haven. The ridge is contained within East Rock Park and features trails, scenic views, a historic war memorial, rose gardens, picnic facilities, an interpretive center, and a automobile road. 
 

W-2.2: The Eli Whitney Museum, Mill River, Lake Whitney Water Treatment Plant ponds, and Edgerton Park

The Eli Whitney Museum, at the foot of East Rock, celebrates the life and accomplishments of the famous inventor. The museum property features a covered bridge designed by Whitney, his historic workshop, and a high dam and falls of the Mill River and Lake Whitney, also designed by the inventor. The nearby Lake Whitney Water Treatment Plant property features ornamental pondlets, gardens, and walking paths. Also nearby, Edgerton Park is known for its horticultural gardens and workshops, and for its summer concerts.  

W-2.3:There are two possibilities for this section. 

Route possibility A
Mill Rock is a mostly wooded traprock ridge extending west from East Rock. Part of the lower west ledges are in the public domain. Parkland located below it--Mill Rock Park  and the adjacent Rochford Field, are  part of a Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection restoration project. No marked trails currently cross these areas; Part of Rochford Field and the old school property it stands near are currently closed while restoration takes place. 

Route possibility B
This option would follow the west side of Lake Whitney north to Davis Street, then follow the east side along a narrow buffer between the lake and the New Haven Country Club to Bassett Park. From the park, the proposed route would shift back to the west side of Lake Whitney, behind North Lake Drive and Mather Street on South Central Connecticut Water Authority land, reaching the Farmington Canal Heritage Greenway at its junction with Mather Street. Currently, the Lake Whitney shore from Davis Street north is not open to the general public, although much of the lake can be seen from adjacent streets. 

W-2.4: Farmington Canal Heritage Greenway/East Coast Greenway

The Farmington Canal Heritage Greenway, under development, follows an old railroad grade and extinct canal through New Haven County. the portion of the greenway that the proposed New England Trail would use has not yet been constructed as of 2007). The greenway is slated to become part of the East Coast Greenway, a scenic recreational path that will extend from Key West to the Maine/ New Brunswick border. 

W-2.5 Beaver Ponds Park and Southern Connecticut University

Beaver Ponds Park is a series of scenic ponds and green space in west New Haven. The park abuts the picturesque Southern Connecticut University Campus. The proposed New England Trail route would pass through both Beaver Ponds Park and the campus. 

W-3.0: West Rock Ridge

West Rock Ridge, an eight mile long traprock cliff, is part of the 100 mile long Metacomet Ridge which extends from Long Island Sound to nearly the Vermont border. The ridge, most of it within West Rock Ridge State Park,  features scenic vistas, woodland, lakes, historic sites, rare plants, and a summit automobile road. 

Resource list

City of New Haven map
City of New Haven Green Map  front ~ back
List & descriptions of parks in New Haven
New Haven Land Trust
Quinnipiac River Watershed Association
City of New Haven map of East Rock Park

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