The Regicides Trail Letterbox
Placed April 22, 2001, by Aili & Bruce.
Located in West Ridge State Park, New Haven, CT (New Haven County)
Easy; takes about one hour; historic site.
Trekkers could also enjoy the 6-mile Blue Trail which is touted in the Connecticut Walk Book as being "one of
CT's most spectacular cliff walks." The Walk Book also states that the paved road running the length of the
ridge is open in summer, but they no longer allow motor vehicles up there, to reduce impact on the local fauna
(we saw many deer). Bikes are allowed. The Nature Center is a great side attraction for the kids, open
weekdays until 5 and Sat. 11-3.
Directions: From the center of Southern CT State University, take Wintergreen Avenue and follow signs to West
Ridge State Park, or West Rock Nature Center. If the parking at the Park is chained off, park at the Nature
Center, just down and across from the Park entrance.
Enter the Park and walk up the road heading south. Watch for and follow the Green Trail on the right (first
blaze on the ground). The Green Trail ends where the Blue Trail comes to the drive near the Judges Cave. If
you climb up on the "cave" and look due south, you will see a pile of rocks near the edge of the clearing. Go
to it. The box is stashed under a "trapdoor" style rock to the right (330) of the rock pile.
The Cave was struck by lightning in the mid-1800s and so does not have much of a chamber anymore. When it was
used by the two judges, it was high enough inside to them to stand and have two beds.
Regicides Trail, New Haven, CT
3 messages in this thread |
Started on 2001-04-22
Regicides Trail, New Haven, CT
From: (defygravity@snet.net) |
Date: 2001-04-22 21:27:35 UTC-04:00
RE: [LbNA] Regicides Trail, New Haven, CT
From: A. Keith Eaton III (keith@ksdmsystems.com) |
Date: 2001-06-03 18:30:10 UTC-04:00
Just came back from visiting the Regicides Trail letterbox. The box is
alive and well. It is great to have day out in a park like that and learn
something too. Thanks Aili & Bruce for the history and a very appropriate
stamp. If someone is not familiar with Southern Connecticut State
University you can get there by taking the Route 10 exit off of I95, stay on
Route 10 until you reach Fitch, turn right on Fitch and Wintergreen is a
left when you reach S.C.S.U. The park and the history lesson are worth the
trip. I would also recommend you consider taking the blue trail along the
ridge either on the way out or the way back, the views are spectacular.
One note on the clues: The vegetation has grown up so much that the rock
pile referenced in the final clue is no longer visible from the top of the
"cave", I just sighted some trees from the top due south, walked to them and
found the rock pile when I reached the trees I had sighted.
Keith
alive and well. It is great to have day out in a park like that and learn
something too. Thanks Aili & Bruce for the history and a very appropriate
stamp. If someone is not familiar with Southern Connecticut State
University you can get there by taking the Route 10 exit off of I95, stay on
Route 10 until you reach Fitch, turn right on Fitch and Wintergreen is a
left when you reach S.C.S.U. The park and the history lesson are worth the
trip. I would also recommend you consider taking the blue trail along the
ridge either on the way out or the way back, the views are spectacular.
One note on the clues: The vegetation has grown up so much that the rock
pile referenced in the final clue is no longer visible from the top of the
"cave", I just sighted some trees from the top due south, walked to them and
found the rock pile when I reached the trees I had sighted.
Keith
Re: Regicides Trail, New Haven, CT
From: (defygravity@snet.net) |
Date: 2001-06-04 01:12:03 UTC
Glad you liked our stamp, etc. The story of the Three Judges has
been, to me, an example of what we "Yanks" will go through to gain
and keep our liberties. Few may know that the town of Old Saybrook
was begun as a refuge for Oliver Cromwell and his supporters, though
the "Lord Protector" never made it here. Long before the seeds of
Revolution were sown, we held our freedom and independence very dear.
There are many ways to reach the park, it just seemed finding one's
best way to the college was easiest. From the Merritt Parkway, Exit
60-Dixwell Ave, you will see signs on the right just a bit south of
the off-ramps, which lead you though a prettier neighborhood, though
the way is probably longer. Oh, and the Merritt cuts under,
not through, the park.
Here is a map for any interested, the entrance to the park being near
Tierney Rd.
http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?BFCat=&Pyt=Tmap&addr=Wintergreen+Ave
&city=Hamden&state=CT&slt=41.357200&sln=-72.962900&zip=06514&country=
us&mag=8&cs=9&BFClient=&poi=&poititle=&map.x=170&map.y=318
Thanks!
Aili
been, to me, an example of what we "Yanks" will go through to gain
and keep our liberties. Few may know that the town of Old Saybrook
was begun as a refuge for Oliver Cromwell and his supporters, though
the "Lord Protector" never made it here. Long before the seeds of
Revolution were sown, we held our freedom and independence very dear.
There are many ways to reach the park, it just seemed finding one's
best way to the college was easiest. From the Merritt Parkway, Exit
60-Dixwell Ave, you will see signs on the right just a bit south of
the off-ramps, which lead you though a prettier neighborhood, though
the way is probably longer. Oh, and the Merritt cuts under,
not through, the park.
Here is a map for any interested, the entrance to the park being near
Tierney Rd.
http://maps.yahoo.com/py/maps.py?BFCat=&Pyt=Tmap&addr=Wintergreen+Ave
&city=Hamden&state=CT&slt=41.357200&sln=-72.962900&zip=06514&country=
us&mag=8&cs=9&BFClient=&poi=&poititle=&map.x=170&map.y=318
Thanks!
Aili