Hiking Steep Rock Preserve in Connecticut

What an amazing adventure at Steep Rock Preserve. First I would like to thank whoever suggested this hike from Reddit. You all have been a great source for finding new adventures all around the country.

If you aren’t from Connecticut, you probably haven’t heard of this particular area. Even if you are from Connecticut, I’m not sure if you have either. We hadn’t heard of this area but we are sure glad we made the trip!

Deanna and I are always surprised how many state parks, preserves, and natural areas there are hidden throughout the countryside and sometimes within towns themselves. Those hidden gems are what drives us to explore more and more, there is always something new and fun to see.

SHEPAUG RIVER

As soon as you get to the main parking lot of this preserve, you are greeted by the Shepaug River. It was very gentle and sings to you as the shallow water passes over the many rocks at its bed.

Today we decided to take a yellow marked trail called the Steep Rock Loop. The trail is about 4 miles long and we started it by crossing back over the bridge and river away from the parking lot.

OUR ROUTE AT STEEP ROCK PRESERVE

The above picture/map shows the route we ended up taking (green highlighted trail). Deanna’s phone said the above route was more like 5.5 miles of hiking rather than the 4 miles in the yellow loop alone.

DOG FRIENDLY

We had no issues navigating at all in this preserve. The trails we took were very well marked and maintained. Had it been a cooler day, it would have been a perfect place to take our greyhound Blaze with us due to its very dog friendly trails.

BEAUTIFUL MOSSY TERRAIN

Once we started the hike it kind of felt a bit like the northwest with all the moss covered trees and rocks. The humidity and the hot temperatures that day did not remind us of the northwest however. 🙂

THICK VEGETATION SURROUNDING US

The further we hiked along in this section of the loop the thicker the vegetation became.  The pine needles formed a nice soft path to hike down that was almost like a thinly padded carpet.

Also FYI, there is a sign at the beginning of the preserve to be “Bear Aware” so please do pay attention to your surroundings. In all our hikes in Connecticut we have not seen a single bear, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t out there.

STEEP ROCK PRESERVE SUMMIT

The hike up Steep Rock Preserve Summit didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would. I definitely won’t complain as the view at the top is still rewarding even with the less than strenuous hike.  Don’t get me wrong, it still a workout to get to the top, but for a view like this I thought I would have to work harder. 🙂

AMAZING GREEN VISTAS

We are very excited to go on some of these hikes again in the fall time with the leaves changing to all sorts of colors. Views like these just kind of puts all worries and troubles on hold as you breathe it all in. Take your time at this viewpoint, you deserve it.

HIKING NEXT TO THE RIVER

Most of the hike thus far was parallel to the river, but we weren’t close enough to see it. So after thinking it over a bit we decided to take a detour off the yellow loop and head towards the river on the green trail. We are glad we did. The river cooled down the surrounding temperatures a few degrees and on that hot and humid day we certainly welcomed it.

SUSPENSION BRIDGE

After walking along the river for a little ways, we came across a very cool suspension pedestrian bridge. Go ahead, give it a little bounce as you walk across it…you know you want to. 🙂

This bridge offers more beautiful views of the Shepaug River and the surrounding area. There were a few people fishing and relaxing along the river banks as we headed through this area of Steep Rock Preserve.

SWEET DARK TUNNEL!

After researching the preserve a bit online, this tunnel is what really attracted me to the area. I read enough about the preserve to know it was an old train tunnel, but I had no clue how long it was or if I needed a headlamp.

Depending on your eyesight, you may not actually need a headlamp walking through this tunnel. However, considering horses do make their way through here as well, a little light might help you avoid some obstacles they leave behind. 😉

TRAINS USED TO GO THROUGH HERE

Inside the tunnel you do get some of the same characteristics as you would in a cave. The temperature drops a fair amount and it does feel a bit damp inside. One of my favorite parts about the tunnel is the echo chamber is creates.

It would be fun to take the guitar in there and play a few songs sometime just to see what it would sound like.

WILD FLOWERS

After making our way through the tunnel at Steep Rock Preserve, we started the long hike back to the parking lot. Luckily the “Tunnel Rd’/yellow loop goes along the river the entire way. Deanna captured a lot of the beauty in her photography. Although I might be a bit biased, her photography seems to keep getting better and better. 🙂

STACKING ROCKS

No, we cannot take credit for stacking those rocks (photo above), but it is always fun finding them in the most random places. I think whoever did this found a perfect place to practice their patience and balancing skills. If I was better prepared I would have loved to hop in that river and just soak for a while.

We hope you enjoyed learning a little more about Steep Rock Preserve in Connecticut. If you have any questions or comments feel free to share in the comments below!

OTHER NEARBY HIKES

Mine Hill Preserve

Lovers Leap State Park

Macedonia Brook State Park

Mt Tom State Park

Kent Falls State Park

White Memorial Conservation Center

NOTE FROM WRITER

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Also be sure to check out Deanna’s food blog when you get the chance! A lot of awesome and healthy recipes to use there!

Adventure On!