Trail Building @ River Highlands State Park

Saturday 11/28: Trail building at River Highlands State Park Cromwell

Join us at 10AM to work on the new trail. We'll be building features- berms and skinnies (fun stuff). Wear sturdy shoes, bring water and a snack. Meet in the park lot at 109 Field Rd Cromwell.

Photos from 11/7/2015 trail day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmjoy/albums/72157660949722985 

TM Report: River Highlands State Park

Date: 9/12/15
Report Type: TM Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good, clear

Observations/Information: Been to River Highlands lately? If not go check it out again. There's been a lot of beneficial work done over the summer. A new trail has been built (check out the picture). It's in the southern part of the park and runs from the green trail just below the cul-de-sac to the top of the red trail (road) just before the steep drop to Nooks Hill Rd. It's a flow trail about 1 km long. It's not finished yet but it's rideable.

We've also sculpted the corners on Sidewinder and made other improvements to that section of trail. It's smoother and more fun to ride now.

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? Other
Trails Ridden: N/A
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): Many
Approximate Distance (Miles): N/A
Image 1: River Highlnds 083015 012.JPG
Image Description(s)/Instructions:

Trail Building at River Highlands

TRAIL BUILDING AT RIVER HIGHLANDS STATE PARK SATURDAY 7/11 10AM

Join us as we work on the new River Highlands trail. We'll be benching and raking. Wear sturdy shoes, bring water and a snack. We'll supply the tools. Meet in the park lot at 109 Field Rd Cromwell.

TM Report: River Highlands State Park

Date: 5/31/15
Report Type: TM Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: N/A

Observations/Information: We had our second TM session on the new River Highlands trail on Sunday 5/31. The weather was not favorable as it was hot, humid, and rainy. Also very buggy. The bugs meant that you had to keep moving, and that necessitated a change in plan from the stationary work benching to the roving work of scouting the route for the remainder of the first segment. We found a good route that takes advantage of the gently rolling topography of the area, and some cool natural features. It's going to be a fun trail. I'll schedule more build dates shortly so we can finish segment one and move on to segment two.

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes, Al Tinti, John Joy
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? Other
Trails Ridden: N'A
Time of day: Morning
Time/Duration (hours): 2/5
Approximate Distance (Miles): N/A
More Photos...

Trail Building: River Highlands State Park, 5/10 & 5/31

CCNEMBA has permission to build 2 miles of new trail at River Highlands State Park in Cromwell, CT and we need your help pruning, raking, and benching. Bring boots, gloves and water.

Work starts at 9 AM, Sunday, May 10 & May 31.

Location: River Highlands State Park, 115 Field Rd, Cromwell CT.

TM Report: River Highlands State Park

Date: 5/10/2015
Report Type: TM Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: N/A

Observations/Information: First build session for the new trails at River Highlands. We got a lot done, raking and pruning about 1/3 of the first segment. The trail is not ready for wheels yet, but it should be soon. Thanks to Jim, Matt, and Sam for coming out on Mother's Day morning (I didn't realize that when I scheduled 3 months ago). to help. The next build is scheduled for May 31.

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? Other
Trails Ridden: N/A
Time of day: Morning
Time/Duration (hours): 2.5
Approximate Distance (Miles): N/A
Image 1: Highlands TM 051015 002.JPG
Image Description(s)/Instructions: L-R Sam, Matt, Jim

River Highlands State Park

Date: 4/25/15
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good, dry, some stick litter

Observations/Information: Quick after work ride at River Highlands on Saturday. Trails are in good shape and dry, no evidence of recent rain, although I didn't ride green through the swamp. Even the top of yellow is bone dry. Two trees down on the double track section of red, both passable. Recent wind has brought down a lot of sticks, twigs, and limbs. I cleared what I could. Deep leaf layer on the windless trails while trails on the ridges are blown bare. Floods have receded from the blow hole, leaving a new batch of debris behind. As usual, watch out for "pollutantus caninus" (dog doo) in and around the parking lot.


Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Green, red, white, blue, yellow
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.0
Approximate Distance (Miles): 6.6
Image 1: Blow Hole 042515 019.JPG

River Highlands State Park

Date: 9/26/14
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good

Observations/Information: I took a spin at River Highlands Friday afternoon. I only rode the trails on the southern end of the park because I decided to ride up to up to Dividend Pond in Rocky Hill (about a 2 mile road ride). It's a pretty cool place with terrain a lot like River Highlands. The current inventory of trails is small and not outstanding from a mountain bike standpoint, although there is a fun double gravity cavity feature. The place does have a lot of potential, though, and I'm working on recruiting a local so we can investigate to possibility of improving the current trails and maybe building new ones.

There was a tree down on the red trail (dirt road section) at River Highlands, which I cleared (photo).

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Red, green (southern section)
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.5
Approximate Distance (Miles): 9 miles
Image 1: BlowHole 092714 001.JPG

River Highlands State Park

Date: 8/28/14
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Dry, stick litter
Observations/Information: Bro and I took a ride at River Highlands Thursday afternoon. We also did a loop through Dividend Pond, riding up there on Field Rd and back on the railroad tracks.

The trails at River Highlands were dry, but there was evidence of recent high winds, probably the night before. There was stick litter but no large trees or limbs blocking the trails. We picked up what we could, as well as a discarded PowerAde bottle. The green trail by the rr tracks is getting a little grown in with thorns.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Red, green, yellow, blue, unmarked.
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.5
Approximate Distance (Miles): 11
Image 1: Blow Hole 8-28-14 006.JPG
Image 2: Blow Hole 8-28-14 004.JPG

River Highlands State Park

Date: 2-Jul-14
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Dry then Wet (due to monsoon)
Observations/Information: Pre Meeting Ride (PMR): Good trail conditions - Some brushing needed on Ylw.
Trail Ambassador Name: Peter Finch
Trail Ambassador E-mail: FFinchPatSNETdotNet
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Ylw-Grn-Blu
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.217
Approximate Distance (Miles): 12Km

River Highlands State Park

Date: 7/18/14
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good, dry

Observations/Information: A quick spin at River Highlands Friday night found the trails to be in good shape with no evidence of the recent rain a and very little evidence of the recent wind (a few limbs and sticks to clear). It looked like the grass around the parking lot had ben mowed recently and, for once, there was no litter to pick up, suggesting a recent visit from the roving DEEP crew.

There were a lot of bike tracks on the trails, and people are starting to ride the chutes that lead into the blow hole again. Someone painted smiley faces on trees along the red trail in the southern part of the park (see photo), and I rode that trail all the way down to Nooks Hill Rd (a steep decent).

If your local trails are still wet you can come ride the dry at River Highlands.

Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Green, yellow, red, white, blue
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.0
Approximate Distance (Miles): 7.5
Image 1: Blow Hole 071814 003.JPG
Image 2: Hartmann 7-13-14 002.JPG

River Highlands State Park

Date: June 28, 2014
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Dry, some stick litter.
Observations/Information: Took a quick spin at River Highlands Saturday after work. It was hot, dank, and buggy. Definitely wear repellant if you ride here in bug season. It had not rained in a while and the trail surface was very dry, compromising traction in climbing and turning. I also cleaned up a fair amount of stick litter, suggesting high winds, although I'm at a loss to remember when. Trails were otherwise clear and well ridden.

There was a small log across the blue trail up in the northern section of the park. It had been down for a couple of years and, although no problem to ride over, it destroyed the flow of the trail. I cut and removed it, revealing a small rock, one of only a few in this park.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Green, yellow, red, white, blue
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.0
Approximate Distance (Miles): 6.7
Image 1: NEMBA Fest 2014 055.JPG

River Highlands State Park

Date: May 24, 2014
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good
Observations/Information: I took a quick after work ride at River Highlands on Saturday. The trails were in good shape and there was nothing for me to do. The puddle at the top of yellow is still there. Be conscientious and walk through this. It is also now bug season here. be sure to wear repellant.

While riding I began to think about what would be the ideal state of the trails here. I decided on what I will call "maintained minimalism"- narrow, flowy trails that follow the humps and rolls of the terrain and are free of blockages, well-defined, and easy to follow. That's the goal I'm aiming for.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Green, yellow, red, white, blue
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.0
Approximate Distance (Miles): 7.5
Image1: Blow Hole 5-24-14 007.JPG

River Highlands State Park

Date: May 13, 2014
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good, clear, buggy, one mud spot
Observations/Information: Took a spin at River Highlands Tuesday afternoon. It had not rained in 72 hours and the trails were dry with one exception- a mud spot at the top of yellow. It's right along the stream bank and looks like it could be easily drained. I'll bring it up with the park supervisor. Be responsible and walk this area for now. I cleared a small tree that had fallen across green over the winter. Although only about 4" diameter, a chicken line was forming around it, so I cleared it. The outhouse at the bottom of yellow was tipped over- it could have been caused by the seasonal flood (receded now), or by vandals.

There's a new, large tree down across the red road in the southern part of the park, otherwise the trails are clear and well-ridden.


Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Red, green, yellow, blue, unmarked.
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.15
Approximate Distance (Miles): 8

River Highlands State Park

Date: May 3, 2014
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good, almost all dry

Observations/Information: Took a spin at River Highlands Saturday afternoon. Even after all the rain the trails were dry with one exception- the top of yellow. There was a muddy spot right by the bridge and a little bit of running water on the dirt road. It takes a lot of rain to do this, but the rest of the place (beside the swamp), was more than dry enough to ride. This place just doesn't hold water.

Trails appeared to be well-used, free of leaves in many places. Tracks indicated recent riding. There's a small contingent of locals that rides here regularly. The small, recently ramped log on green near the parking lot is gone. There was a large limb across blue, just off green. I cleared it.


Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Green, yellow, red, white, blue
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.25
Approximate Distance (Miles): 7.5
Image1: 5-2014 Hunt, Wadsworth 011.JPG

River Highlands State Park

Date: April 12 2014
Report Type: TA Report
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Dry, a few blowdowns
Observations/Information: I took a quick spin at River Highlands Saturday afternoon. The trails were about as dry as I'd ever seen them, and well used. There was a tree across the green trail, south of yellow, and someone had newly ramped a small log laying across the green trail, near the parking lot. All the bridges on yellow survived the winter with no problems, the Blow Hole (bottom of yellow) was slightly flooded. Sidewinder is riding well but covered with leaves. I think I'll go in and tune up the benching when I get a chance.

I hiked back in on Monday with my hand saw to clear the tree across green north of yellow and cleared the corridor along the way.


Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes
Trail Ambassador E-mail: glennvernesatgmaildotcom
How did you use the trail? MT Biking
Trails Ridden: Green, yellow, red, white, blue
Time of day: Afternoon
Time/Duration (hours): 1.0
Approximate Distance (Miles): 6
Image1: Blow Hole 041214 002.JPG

River Highlands State Park

Date: February 25, 2014
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Hardpack bumpy snow
Observations/Information: Brother and I rode River Highlands Tuesday morning. The main roads had been packed by snowmobile. Unfortunately they also got a lot of hiker traffic over the warm weekend and were pockmarked with boot and paw prints, roughing them up. Also a lot of dog doo to avoid, although the brown-on-white contrast made it easy to see. Our chubby tire 29ers rolled right over the hard snow, although we would spin out on the steeper climbs.

We followed the packed trail all the way out to the RR tracks and then up to the sand pit north of the golf course. The trail was hard to follow in the sand pit because it was nothing but white in every direction. The red trail on the south side of the park had also been packed, and snow shoers had packed the yellow trail into the blow hole (the only packed singletrack). We were able to ride it down and back up with minimal dabbing.

It was nice to get out on the bike again, but conditions were pretty bleak though rideable. It was more of a "can I handle these conditions?" than a "how fast and far can I go?" type of ride. There are probably better places to ride in the state right now.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes

River Highlands State Park

Date: Sunday February 16, 2013
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: A little snowy
Observations/Information: I took a snowshoe hike at River Highlands Sunday AM. It had snowed recently before and I was the first human visitor. The lot had not been plowed so I parked at the cull de sac at the south end. Up on the ridge the wind had blown snow into some interestingly shaped drifts (see photo). There was way too much snow to ride even a fat bike on, and with more snow coming almost daily it's useless to report on conditions. The good news is there are no downed trees or a lot of stick litter that will need to be cleaned up come spring- at least not yet.

While hiking I started thinking about ways to improve the park and the journey became as much one of thought as of actual physical movement. I made a mental list of maintenance operations-logs to trim, go rounds to improve, that would make the trails more fun and interesting but not change their character. I plan to start working on the list as soon as the snow melts.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes

River Highlands State Park

Date: January 25, 2014
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good, 2" powder snow
Observations/Information: Brother and I rode River Highlands Saturday morning. There was about two inches of powder snow. There had been a few people in before us. Someone had ridden a fat bike on the singletrack trails, and there were snowmobile tracks on the dirt roads. here were also unfortunately footprints on some of the trails, roughing up the surface. It was cold, grey, and windy and really felt like winter. The river was mostly frozen and loud pops and bangs issued from the ice.

Powder snow on top of dry leaves makes for slippery going. Finding traction was tough both in climbing and turning. Some of the sharp, rooty, off camber, precipice-hugging corners on the green trail were tough. Once we got used to the conditions we did alright, and were able to ride the yellow trail down and up, bridges and all, without dabbing. Our chubby tire 29ers performed well but I was wishing I had a rear tire with bigger knobs.

Riding in light snow is fun and a great way to develop low-traction riding skills.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes

River Highlands State Park

Date: 12/3/2013
Report Type: TA Report:
Trail Name: River Highlands State Park
Town: Cromwell
Trail Conditions: Good
Observations/Information: I took a spin at River Highlands last Tuesday. I'm glad I did because the weather turned lousy shortly after thereafter and put a halt to my riding aspirations.

The trails were in good shape although there were a few new trees down. I was able to clear all but one-on the green trail where it runs along Field Rd near the parking lot. Its not a huge tree and is easy enough to ride over.

I noticed a lot of tracks- there had been someone or a group riding in there in the recent past.
Trail Ambassador Name: Glenn Vernes