West Rock Ridge SP

Date: May 4, 2013
Report Type: TM Report:
Trail Name: West Rock Ridge SP
Town: Hamden/New Haven
Trail Conditions: Dry and good for riding
Observations/Information: I reblazed the entire Green Trail, which stretches from the Red Trail near the main entrance off Wintergreen Avenue to Judges Cave. This trail is not officially open to bicycling, but I am working on this. I submitted a plan to the state in 2011, asking this to be added to biking trails. Lori Lindquist, the then park supervisor, endorsed the plan, which still has to be approved by the DEEP's Trail Committee. This is very suitable for biking because it's a carriage road. It is also the only way to go by bike from the road to Judges Cave across the ridge to Baldwin Drive without descending all the way to the main entrance and street level. While out there, I found a bootleg trail that crossed the Green Trail. I blocked off what I could, but am sure if someone took the time to rake off the trail, they will return to clear it. The bootleg trail violates everything I learned about trail building from NEMBA. It's a sheer fall line trail that descends off the ridge and will erode in no time. Illegal trail builders need to recognize that the state considers such actions to be vandalism, as these efforts are not approved by the state. In my role as the volunteer trails manager at West Rock, I have approval for everything I have done.
Trail Ambassador Name: Tom Ebersold

Trail Ambassador E-mail: bikehikekayak123 [at] sbcglobal [dot] net
How did you use the trail? Hiking/Walking
Trails Ridden: Green
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 3 hours
Approximate Distance (Miles): 2 miles roundtrip
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