No Chernobyl

Here are two easy hikes with letterboxes, separated by a short drive
between, at the Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Power Station in Haddam,
CT. These spots are particularly good for birding: we regularly spot
bald eagles here in the winter and early spring.

Directions: From the scenic village of East Haddam near the Goodspeed
Opera House, follow CT Rte. 149 North for 3.2 miles. Turn left onto
Rte. 151 North for 4.3 miles, then left again onto Haddam Neck Rd.
Follow Haddam Neck and the signs for CT Yankee downhill to turn left
onto Indian Hollow Rd. At the power plant, park in the first lot on
your right overlooking the Connecticut River.

The Clean Up Letterbox: Walk down to the dock by the visitor's center
and enjoy the views of the river. There is a nice map of the trails
here as well. Walk north upstream through the parking lot and a
picnic ground and watch for a right turn onto the nature trail. This
quick loop will bring you back to the road: zig zag left-right to
cross the road beyond the fencing on either side and then head back
down south along the road, soon letting the path bear left. Find a
pleasant footbridge over a small pond under a weeping willow and
cross over.

Walk straight east across the gravel road on the other side and head
uphill on the Quarry Hill Trail (blue blazes). It climbs a short bit
then bends right along an old carriage road, with quarry tailings on
either side, to a forking. Bear right on the marked trail and enjoy
the steps and a little loop that turns around to the left with a
lowish wall on the right hand side. Pass #3 and just where that fork
rejoins from the left, turn right (east) and scramble up the sloping
wall to hop up the final 3 foot ledge. A step or two farther into the
rocks brings you to your first reward.

Complete the loop with a baby climb, a quarry road, some beautiful
mountain laurel, and a seasonal brook. At the trail's end, bear left
towards the big parking lot, regain the entrance road, and turn right
to your car.

A short drive between boxes: Now drive 2.4 miles back up the road to
Quarry Hill Road. Turn right, then left onto Cove Road. It gets
narrow a bit before you fork right around a power relay station. Pass
through a gate and drive downhill. Go left at the "T," and drive down
to the end along the cooling canal.

The Warm Waters Letterbox: Walk out south along the path 100 yards to
the end and views. Backtracking about 30 steps, cut right (east) 12
steps to the letterbox on the ground behind cedar. This is a great
place for a picnic or a glass of wine!