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The Trees of West Woods LbNA #12121

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Sep 30, 2004
Location:
City:Killingworth
County:Middlesex
State:Connecticut
Boxes:6
Planted by:sadie&russ
Found by: Rock Island (6)
Last found:Jun 14, 2017
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Sep 30, 2004
The Trees of West Woods

**All boxes Alive and Well as of 10/2/05**
Background. These are the Trees of West Woods School in Hamden, CT.
Their website describes the school this way:
Nestled against trees, West Woods is beautifully situated to support our year-long program of nature studies. Plants, animals, and the weather are examined on our Nature Trail that winds through the woods. Our center courtyard is alive with birds and small animals visiting our student-made feeders. The theme of our school is reflected even in the names of our learning centers -- Aspen, Birch, Elm, Dogwood, Willow, Oak, Spruce, Maple, Hickory, and Hemlock.
(Older yearbooks show “Tulip” rather than Aspen)

Soon after the school was opened, students designed and created six wall panels. These panels were refurbished in 1994 and are located in the school’s center courtyard.
Last spring Nancy Strampach made line drawings of the panels for the cover of the school’s yearbook. She graciously granted Sadie permission to reproduce her drawings for a series of letterboxes. We had hoped to plant them right on the West Woods Nature Trail. Unfortunately, the area was not large enough to support six boxes, so we set off to find a trail for them. We settled on the Deep Woods and Pond Trails in the western section of Chatfield Hollow State Park. These trails have a preponderance of Oak, Beech and Birch trees, so we thought we would transplant the Trees of West Woods to add a little variety there.

The Park Trail Map can be found here:
http://www.dep.state.ct.us/stateparks/maps/chatfieldhollow.pdf

Note of Caution. While most of the trail is a moderate walk, the section between the first and second boxes involves climbing over a large ledge, with several short scrambles. This section will undoubtedly be slippery when wet. There are also several other points where you will be close to a cliff’s edge. Please keep children and dogs close to your side.

Directions: Chatfield Hollow State Park is located in Killingworth, CT on Route 80, between Routes 79 and 81. Parking fees apply in the summer. At other times of the year the gates are closed, but you may park in either of two lots at the entrance and walk in.
The trail portion of the hike is about 2.2 miles on a lollipop loop. Getting from the parking to the trail adds a bit more.

Make your way to the beginning of the Orange Deep Woods trail which starts from the western (exit) side of the loop road. (When the boardwalk through the middle of the park is finally finished it will make for an interesting shortcut.)
Start up the trail and stop at the first stone wall. Take 5 steps to your right along the North side of the wall and look behind a white door to find “Oak”.

Continue on for a while past ledges and then climb Up and Over the big, steep ledge. When you descend you will be close to Route 80 and the trail will turn north, skirting the bottom of the cliff. Shortly, the Orange trail will turn to the Left, but you will continue straight ahead for 20 steps through a stone wall. Turn left and stop at the large two-sister oak. Look under a flat stone on the North side of the wall and tree for “Willow”
(It appears that the cliff-face here may be used by climbers, so please be discreet).

Retrace your steps back to the Orange trail, turning right onto it and continue along to the junction with the Orange/White Dot Pond Trail. Turn Left onto the Pond trail, noticing the stone wall on your right. Three steps before the end of the wall look for a flat pointy rock in the wall. Behind and under this rock, “Hickory” is waiting for you.

Continue along, enjoying Chatfield Hollow’s numerous rocks and ledges. You will start to notice “No Trespassing” signs on the left. The trail turns to the right and descends along a wonderful ledge. The pond will appear on the left and the trail winds up to the right. After enjoying the view from the rocky promontory, stand next to the small double-blazed birch. Sight 40º to a three-fingered oak tree with a rock to its right, about 30 steps away. “Tulip” is in back of the rock, behind a flat door.

Now follow the trail easterly, noticing all the boulders shouldering their babies here. Pass through the corner of a wall and follow it to the end. One step back from the corner under the overhanging mossy rock you will find “Maple”.

The trail now zig-zags downhill past beautiful rocks and goes into woods and laurel. It gradually climbs and turns left at another rocky promontory overlooking beech, birch and oak. (Please hold children’s hands here!) The trail winds back downhill. Be watchful for the intersection with the Orange trail. It will be an upside-down Y and there will be a tiny birch on the right with a small wooden sign facing away from you. Make a sharp right-hand turn (SE) onto the Orange trail here.

At the first stone wall that meets the Orange trail on the left, Stop, then go 9 steps to a lichen-covered door on the north side of the wall. Here you will find (insert your favorite tree) “Tree with Grape Vine”.

Continue on the Orange trail, passing the intersection with Orange/White Dot Pond trail, now on your right. Then it is Up and Over the Big Climb and back to your car.