Winterfest 2017

Join us for a day of play in the cold on Saturday, February 11, 2017.

Led rides (weather permitting) leave at 10 AM from Millers Pond and Wadsworth Falls State Parks.

And unless it's a blizzard, potluck (bring something to share) and movie to follow at CFPA in Rockfall from 1-4 PM.

More information...

Where:

Rides (10 AM):

Millers Pond State Park
350 Foot Hills Rd
Durham, CT

Wadsworth Falls State Park
721 Wadsworth Street
Middletown, CT

Potluck and Movie (1-4 PM):

Connecticut Forest & Park Association
16 Meriden Rd
Rockfall, CT

Millers Pond State Park

Date: November 15, 2014
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: Millers Pond State Park
Town: Durham
Trail Conditions: Good, clear, leafy

Observations/Information: I tagged along with a group ride at Millers Pond Saturday morning. We had 10 riders and did a figure-eight on the practice and XC loop (the trails north of the pond). The whole trip took about 2 1/2 hours with a few short breaks and one stop to repair a flat tire.

This ride was part of an effort to take some pressure off Rockland, where the trails are fine but the parking lots are starting to overflow on weekends. The trails at "Millaz" are still there, still fun, and in great shape. There are leaves down of course, but the trails are not blocked and the surface is in good shape. The trails were dry on Saturday morning. New log rides are popping up as well.

we rode down to the stream from the parking lot, back up the bailout to the gate, then we went in by the dam and rode the XC loop clockwise back to the stream. Finally we rode out on the bailout to the gate again. The trails are a little more challenging and less flowy than Rockland, and the skinnies tend to be higher and narrower, with more abrupt transitions up on to them. Having some suspension makes the ride more comfortable and fun.

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glenn
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Practice and XC loops
Time of day: Morning
Time/Duration (hours): 2.25
Approximate Distance (Miles): 6 miles
Image 1: Millaz 11-15-14 007.JPG
Image 2: Millaz 11-15-14 008.JPG
Image 3: Millaz 11-15-14 012.JPG

Millers Pond State Park

Date: December 26, 2012
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: Millers Pond State Park
Town: Durham
Trail Conditions: Good, with a few muddy spots.
Observations/Information: I hiked the XC loop at Millers Pond Wednesday. The trail was in good shape with no blockages and covered with a little bit of melted an re-frozen snow, kind of a crystallized ice. It made the trail a little slippery in spots and also covered the stunts. Riding ice-covered skinies takes courage and skill, and noone had tried it yet. There are a few small muddy spots. The return lever on the big teeter Irene is broken and it now teeters very slowly. Some chicken lines are beginning to appear. I expect they'll be closed off quickly.

I passed two riders on my hike, and cleared brush as I went.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes

Millers Pond State Park

Date: July 2, 2012
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: Millers Pond State Park
Town: Durham
Trail Conditions: Good, with one new blockage
Observations/Information: I rode Millers Pond Monday afternoon. I was tired from a busy weekend and was reminded of what I've said before- Millers is not a great place to ride when you're tired. You need to bring all the arrows in your quiver here. I rode the XC loop from the parking lot to the dam. The trail was in good condition, with the soil moist for traction and dust control. There is one new blockage- the fourth stream crossing, where you could cross on the woods road or the high skinny bridge. The woods road has been blocked and the skinny bridge is now the only option.

Forecast rains might render Millers Pond too wet to ride. Check the Millers Pond Mountain Bikers Facebook page for up to date info.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes

Millers Pond State Park

Date: 6/10/12
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: Millers Pond State Park
Town: Durham
Trail Conditions: excellent, some minor mud
Observations/Information: Seven of us met, 26" still ruled, 4 26ers, 3 29ers. Went out on the red and then I just followed the group. Rolling, technical, basicallly dry, trails in good shape.
Trail Ambassador Name: Ed Perten

Millers Pond State Park

Date: March 12, 2012
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: Millers Pond State Park
Town: Durham
Trail Conditions: Awesome!
Observations/Information: Rode Millers Pond on Monday. It was a perfect day for riding, with temps hovering around seventy degrees and bright sunshine. I had packed only a cotton long sleeve jersey and that turned out to be a little too hot for the conditions (it's tough deciding what to wear this time of year). I rode the cross country loop, the practice loop, and the freeride loop out to the slickrock. Conditions were, to borrow a phrase, "insanely great".

Only one small wet spot and no blockages. The trails are holding up very well considering the use they get, and they remain a narow ribbon of singletrack thanks to resolute efforts to block chicken lines as soon as they appear. The trails are continuously evolving and improving- many of the trees brought down by recent storms have been turned into stunts and skinny bridges. Part of the XC loop, near the half-pipe, has been temporarily closed for logging.

Overall a great ride despite the sartorial miscalculation. Millers Pond should be in primo shape for this weekend, provided we don't get too much rain before then. If you're wondering about that, check the "Millers Pond Mountain Bikers" Facebook page.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes

TA Report: Millers Pond State Park

Date: 6/21/2011
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: Millers Pond State Park
Town: Haddam, CT
Trail Conditions: Some mud, mostly OK

Al & Jack

Observations/Information: Jon Peterson recommends that you stay off the XC loop due to really muddy conditions so that is what we did. We rode the practise loop which was great and then did south loop counter clockwise (mistake) and found the conditions a little less than desirable as I am sure this section gets a lot of traffic and there were quite a few chewed up soft spots.

Glenn found his visor that he lost last November

TA Report: Millers Pond

Date: 5-10-2011
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: Millers Pond Loop
Town: Durham
Trail Conditions: 99.85% Bone Dry
Observations/Information: A few weird tacky spots where the ground is retaining water, otherwise it's dry and fast.
Removed lots of sticks.
Managed to clip my pedal on the sharp root of a turned up tree stump. Fought for control and was just barely able to stay upright. Removed the exposed roots with anger.
Noticed a rotted tree fell on the armored earthen spine knocking a half-dozen stones out of place. This will need two people to remove/repair.
Also noticed the rock gardens are slowly becoming more exposed and there was one uphill that started eroding.
Talked with a few hikers back in the parking lot... trying to make nice.
Trail Ambassador Name: Bryan McFarland

TA Report - Millers Pond 11/27/10

Date of Activity: 11/27/10
Location: Millers Pond
Condition of Trails(s): great
Observations: trail was blown free of leaves. Some one spent some time clearing the trail....thanks!
Trail Ambassador Name: Troy Turner

TA Report: Millers Pond

Date of Activity: 11/24/10
Location: Millers Pond
Condition of Trails(s): great
Observations: trail was blown free of leaves. Some one spent some time clearing the trail....thanks!
Trail Ambassador Name: Troy Turner

TA Report: Millers Pond State Park

Date of Activity: 11/21/10
Location: Durham
Condition of Trails(s): good, a lot of leaf cover
Observations: beautiful trails and weather
Trail Ambassador Name: Troy William Turner

TA Report: Miller's Pond

Date of Activity:  11/14/10
Location:  Miller's Pond

Condition of Trails(s):  great!  Beautiful day. 
Observations:  none
Trail Ambassador Name:  Troy William Turner

TA Report: Millers Pond

Date of Activity: 10/31/10
Condition of Trails(s): Dry
Trail Ambassador Name: David Francefort
Observations: Got a great tour of Millers from Jon Peterson (Pukemaster), who took a small group of around to see all the goodies. We did have to stop and repair one log ride. Apparently a hiker has been destroying all the stuntery and Jon is in the process to catch him in the act.

TA Report: Millers Pond State Park

Call the DEP Fashion Police!

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Date: October 17, 2010
Location: Millers Pond State Park
Condition of Trails: Good
Observations: I rode the XC loop with my brother Sunday late afternoon. The entire trail was dry, but a lot of leaves and acorns were down, making traction sketchy in both climbing and cornering. Leaves also obscured the smaller bumps and holes. It definitely adds a new dimension of difficulty

TA Report - Millers Pond

Date of Activity: 10/ 9 /10
Trail Ambassador Name: Troy William Turner

Condition of Trails(s): good. Lots of leaves across the trail but dry. Getting harder to follow the trail.
Observations: some hikers along the way
Trail Maintenance hours: 2
Work accomplished: picked up trash near Old Testament from a fellow biker who left their gel packs behind!

TA Report - Millers Pond

Date of Activity: 10/3/10
Trail Ambassador Name: Troy William Turner

Condition of Trails(s): fair - some wet parts but able to avoid. A few fallen trees across the trails due to the recent high winds.
Observations: fallen trees
Trail Maintenance hours: 2
Work accomplished: picked up some trash but not much. Moved fallen trees off of the trails.

TA Report: Millers Pond State Park

Date of activity:  September 7, 2010 

Condition of trail(s):  Dry and fast

Encounters and Observations:  Continued my goal of a new ride location every couple of weeks and Millers Pond was on the agenda for today; arrived with only one other car in the lot; set off on the red trail off the lot in a westerly direction and soon found out I was in for some good, challenging riding; I ran across several features that I was not comfortable with at my skill level which is exactly what I wanted in order to progress as a rider; the rest of the trail put me to good use and tested my mettle allowing me to practice new skills; noticed an almost complete lack of trail braiding and a sign near a jump (see photo) explained why.  

I really like this straight forward approach; at about three miles in I noticed my GPS missing from my wrist band which led me to backtrack in search of it.  I found it a half mile back near a small tree I bounced off of earlier; headed back in my original direction with acorns dropping from the oaks all around due to the fairly strong wind; I continued across the blue to the lower section of the red which in hindsight was a mistake.  

This was no longer XC territory but rather a playground for those with full suspension and lots of travel; my ratio of on bike/off bike dropped dramatically (but the hiking was nice); my hat is off to those who play out there and utilize all the features; grabbed the red/white north to the blue/white and enjoyed great views of the pond and ran across one guy taking a walk on my way out; overall the trails were in great shape and clean, with incredible variety using natural structures; I reached my car drenched in sweat and with a whole new outlook on what bike skills I have yet to master.

TA Report: Millers Pond

Date of Activity: 9/6/10
Trail Ambassador Name: Troy William Turner

Condition of Trails(s): great!
Observations: clean
Trail Maintenance hours: 1.25
Work accomplished: Picked up some trash. Not much. Some other bikers, a few hikers and a couple of people canoeing.

TA Report: Millers Pond

Date of Activity: 9/5/10
Trail Ambassador Name: Troy William Turner
Town: Durham
Condition of Trails(s): awesome
Observations: lots of riders...
Trail Maintenance hours: 1.5
Work accomplished: picking up some trash here and there but not much. Spoke with Roy Sullivan who manages Millers for the DEP. He noted some activity earlier in the week with State Troopers catching some unregistered cars in the lot. Apparently some people were using the park and not treating it with respect for others. The Troopers took care of some of that. Thanks Guys...keep up the good work.

TA Report: Millers Pond

Date of Activity: 9/4/10
Trail Ambassador Name: Troy William Turner
Condition of Trails(s): great!
Observations: clean
Trail Maintenance hours: 1.5
Work accomplished: picking up some trash here and there but not much.