Cockaponset SF - Middlesex section

Date: 4/21/13
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: Cockaponset SF - Middlesex section
Town: Middlesex/Middletown
Trail Conditions: Great, dry, in good condition
Observations/Information: It was one of those days where it was hard to dress, i.e. confortably cold in the parking area so as to be warm on the trail. Good ride, trails in good shape.
Trail Ambassador Name: Ed Perten

Cockaponset SF - Middlesex section

Date: 11/4/12
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: Cockaponset SF - Middlesex section
Town: Middletown
Trail Conditions: Dry, leaf covered, some blown downs, trails in surprisingly good shape following Hurricane Sandy
Observations/Information: Met some friends to ride in Middlesex. We were expecting much blow downs, however, the trails were in surprisingly good shape. Leaves were a bit slippery, trails were dry and very rideable. Due to the terrain of the area, we were forced to do much hike-a-bike.
As the rule of thumb goes, be a little cool/cold in the parking lot before the ride and be comfortable during the ride.
Trail Ambassador Name: Ed Perten

TA Report: Middlesex

Date of Activity: 10/17/10
Location:Middlesex
Condition of Trails(s): Great
Observations:Well,  Steve and myself decided on another small trip for a ride. Not our best choice! Place is actually pretty nice if you stay on the right trails but we kept missing turns and intersections and ended up on the Light Blue marked trail more than once. It's a fairly nasty hiking trail and we did a LOT of hike-a-bike!. When we did get on the proper trails it was like sweet candy riding, nice little features some hefty hills and such... but good going in general.

Steve at the top of a pretty steep climb

If you ever go there, stay on the twin marked BLUE-YELLOW trail or the Dark Blue trail (though I smashed my knee and broke my shifter lever on the Dark Blue Trail   :- /  )
 If you find yourself on the light blue trail, turn around!!

TA Report: Cockaponset SF (Msex Section)

Location: Cockaponset State Forest (Middlesex Section)
Date of Activity: 8/24/10
Condition of Trails(s): Damp
Trail Ambassadors: Mark Lurie, Glenn Vernes, Al Tinti
Duration (Hours): 1

Observations: Nice little pre-board meeting rip through the forest on Single Speeds, except Al.  Everyone coming to the party had a 29er so it was Big Wheel Fest at Msex last night.  Trails were damp but there was no mud.  Exposed rock, in which the trails runs over in many places, was bone dry.  Awesome features to ride.  Trails is getting a little grown-in but the edges of the shrubbery that board the trail are like hedges.  Need to run through there with an electric hedge cutter or clipper.

More pix and commentary follows

TA Report River Highlands & Middlesex Trails

Date of Activity: May 11, 2010
Condition of Trail(s): Good, dry.

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador Email: glennvernes33athotmaildotcom
Town: Middletown
Location: River Highlands State Park & Middlesex Trails
Trail(s) Ridden: Green, yellow, blue, unmarked
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Bike
What was the time of day?: Morning & Late Afternoon
Duration (Hours): 2.5
Distance (Miles): 8 or 10

Observations: A quick morning hike at River Highlands revealed the trails to be as dry as ever. The DEP crew I met there last week told me they'd be shoring up the sagging bridges on the yellow trail, but it had not been done as of yet. I saw a lot of bike tracks- I'm apparently not the only one riding here anymore. I also saw the tracks of what appeared to be a small, kid-sized dirt bike on the yellow (Blow Hole) trail, and a chicken line around a large log across that trail (likely made by said dirt bike). I also saw some erosion on the steeper slopes.

In the afternoon I did the Pedal Power group ride at Middlesex. This is one of the few places where mountain bikes are allowed on blue trails, and it's also legal to ride at night. The trails get a lot of use from dirt bikes, ATVs, and whatever else will fit between the trees, and they're pretty beat up as a result. But there's also a new and well built slalom trail that winds down off the power line, and is fun to ride both up and down.

TA Report: Middlesex Trails

Date of Activity: June 2, 2009
Condition of Trail(s): Wet/muddy in places. The training loop gets a lot of dirt bike traffic, and some of the trails are so eroded they are barely rideable. One of our bridges has been destroyed by dirt bikes riding over it.

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador Email: glennvernes33atcotmaildotcom
Town: Middletown
Location: Middlesex Trails AKA Middlesex College Trails
Trail(s) Ridden: Training loop
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Bike
What was the time of day?: Late afternoon/evening
Duration (Hours): 1.75
Distance (Miles): 9
Observations: Helped one rider tighten a loose pivot bolt.

TA Report Middlesex Trails

Date of Activity: May 26, 2009

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador Email: glennvernes33atcotmaildotcom
Town: Middletown
Location: Middlesex Trails AKA Middlesex College Trails
Trail(s) Ridden: Powerline, Barking Dog, Jurassic Park, Excel
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Bike
What was the time of day?: Late afternoon
Duration (Hours): 1.5
Distance (Miles): 9

Condition of Trail(s): Wet/muddy in places. This has been a popular riding area for years and many of the trails are badly eroded, due in large part to a lot of jeep/ATV/dirt bike use.

Observations: Cleared one blowdown laying across the trail. Helped one rider with a broken derailleur hanger.

TA Report Middlesex Trails

Date of Activity: May 19, 2009

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador Email: glennvernes33atcotmaildotcom
Town: Middletown
Location: Middlesex Trails
Trail(s) Ridden: Various
How did you use the trail?: Mountain Bike
What was the time of day?: Afternoon
Duration (Hours): 1.75
Distance (Miles): 10

Condition of Trail(s): Good.

Observations: New trails are being built in the area, don't know if with proper approval, but well built and in good condition.

TA Report: Cockaponset State Forest - Middlesex Section

Date of Activity: Sunday, March  01, 2009

Trail Ambassador Name:  Keith Coughlin
Trail Ambassador Email:  KeithCough[at]aol[dot]com
Town: Middletown
Location: Cockaponset State Forest - Middlesex Section

Trail(s) Ridden: Not reported
How did you use the trail?:  Mountain Biking
What was the time of day?: Not reported
Duration (Hours): 2
Distance (Miles): Not reported
Condition of Trail(s): Helped clear several tree falls over trails.