Burr Pond LbNA #789

Burr Pond was created in the 1800's when Milo Burr dammed a stream of the Still River creating a permanent source of waterpower. This water powered America's first condensed milk factory owned by Gail Borden. The pond measures three quarters of a mile long and is part of an 1800 acre recreational park. The area surrounding the park is strewn with stones and boulders left from the mile high ice sheet that passed through this area long ago.

From Route 8 take Exit 46 Pinewoods road. Turn west at end of exit and continue ¼ mile to stop light. Turn left at light and travel south on Winsted Road for approximately 1 mile. Turn right at blinking light onto Burr Mountain Road. Approximately 2/10th of a mile, watch for a sign on the left marking the site of America's first condensed milk factory. Continue following Burr Mountain Road past the main entrance to Burr Pond State Park. Continue on to the boat launch parking area on left, approximately 7/10th of a mile from the light.

Big Rock Cave Lookout Letterbox
From parking area find where the blue blazed trail picks up on the western side of the parking lot. Follow the path over a small bridge that crosses a rocky stream. Next, a house on the right will come into view and a private canoe/kayak launch. Continue down the path over three more wooden bridges. On the right you will pass a gigantic boulder with a memorial plaque for Phil Buttrick. Cross two more wooden bridges, then an open area on the left where you can view the beach across the pond. Continue down the path past the power lines and up a gentle slope that slowly veers away from the water's edge. Cross a wooden boardwalk continuing to the top of the slope. Keep an eye out for a trail junction on the left with a triple blazed tree marking it. Going straight at this junction along the blue and white blazed trail leads to Starks Hill Road. Turn left and continue on the blue blazed trail down a rocky slope. There is a birch snag with woodpecker holes on the right as the path curves away to the left. Just ahead is a large 15 foot high pointed boulder. This is the area where the Big Rock Cave Lookout Letterbox is located. Look for the blue and yellow square blazed trail leading off toward the rock from left side of trail. Walk straight down the blue and yellow side trail towards the rock. To the right of the “Big Rock” is a smaller rock with a carved beech behind it. Stand to the right of this rock and look down the bank, approximately 50 degrees, to a jumble of even more rocks. There is tree broken off at about 5 feet high with a fairly large rock further down hill. The Big Rock Cave Lookout Letterbox is nestled between two rocks on the northern side of this boulder.


Burr Pond Point Letterbox
Go back to main blue blazed trail and continue southeast down a rocky slope. You will come to another clearing where the power lines cut through the woodlands. Stop and enjoy the beautiful view of the shoreline before continuing down the trail. Mountain laurel will begin to appear on both sides of the trail. As you proceed down a small hill there will be a waist high rock partially blocking the path on the left. Next to this rock there is a black birch tree with a blue and yellow blaze on it. This is the trail leading to the Burr Pond Point Letterbox. Turn left onto the seldom used blue and yellow trail following it to the end. You will be standing on a large rock that slopes down to the water's edge and forms a point at the end. Looking across the water you will see the picnic and beach area. Find the iron pipe at the top of the rock. Stand on the left side of the pipe with your back to the picnic area. Follow the path in front of you approximately 11 steps where it will curve to the left towards the water's edge. Follow the path down around the curve and stand facing the water. Looking to your left there will be a two foot high rock approximately 7 steps away. Climb over this rock to the other side then turn around facing the way you came. On the right side of the rock there is some mountain laurel. The Burr Pond Point Letterbox is located at the base of this mountain laurel covered with bark and leaves. Please be careful not to damage the surrounding plant growth. Head back to the main blue blazed trail and continue southeast. You will soon come back to the water's edge as you continue down the main trail. Watch for a triple blazed birch on the left. This is the intersection of the blue and white blazed John Muir Trail which leads to the summit of Walnut Mountain and then on to Sunnybrook State Park. It is approximately five miles out to the summit and back to this spot and it is where you will find the Walnut Mountain Letterbox. If you do not wish to make the trek skip the Walnut Mountain Letterbox section and continue on to the beach and parking area as described in the last paragraph.


Walnut Mountain Letterbox
Turn right on the blue and white blazed trail up the hill until you get to a dirt road. Turn right or west on this road following it uphill past the power lines. You will soon come to a pine tree with a double blue blaze and a sign saying "Muir Trail". This is the trail to Walnut Mountain. You will follow the blue blazed Muir Trail crossing a dirt road, going through a bog, crossing a woods road, then a gravel road. There are some places where the trail is hard to pick up due to fallen branches and poorly placed blazes. The trail will eventually get wide and level. Continue following keeping an eye out for where the trail goes off to the right. Turn right, continuing on the blue blazed trail until you come to another trail that crosses the blue trail. This trail should be blazed white and leads up to Walnut Mountain. If you continue straight at this trail intersection on the blue blazed trail you will come to Sunny Brook State Park in another 2 miles. Turn right going up the white blazed trail to find the Walnut Mountain Letterbox. As you get near the top of the hill you will see an orange arrow painted on a rock on the right side of the trail. From this arrow walk into the woods, along the path, approximately 27 steps at 44 degrees. Then cut over to your right, about 144 degrees, walking 25 steps towards a standing dead tree. Step down off the rock and stand with your back to the tree. There is a gap in between two boulders in front of you. The Walnut Mountain Letterbox is tucked in the left side of the gap covered with a long rock. Return to the blue blazed Muir Trail and return the way you came...or if your feeling ambitious follow the trail to Sunny Brook for several more letterboxing finds.

When you get back to the main blue blazed trail around Burr Pond continue southeast along the trail. Follow the main trail as it winds its way along the waters edge. A dam built in the 1930's will come into view on the left as the path turns into a wide dirt path which then intersects with a dirt road. Turn left down the road and across the metal and wooden bridge. Turn right after the bridge following another dirt road up a hill and past the same dam but on the other side. You will soon come to an iron gate where you can continue straight ahead to the beach area. If you do decide to stop at the beach you can pick up the trail back to the boat launch behind a small first aid shed located on the eastern side of the beach area. If you choose to avoid the beach area take a sharp left before the gate through a picnic area. Watch for where the path veers off to the left before the parking area. There is a water faucet on the right side of path if you need some refreshment. The trail cuts across two paved roads at an angle. Pick up the blue blazed trail after the second road through a small mowed area. Follow this trail down towards the waters edge where it intersects with the main trail once again. Turn right on the trail and follow it around to the parking area

Eastern Newts:
The eastern newt lays their eggs in water in the spring. The larvae remain aquatic until late summer, then they lose their gills and transform into red land-dwelling creatures known as efts. After one to three years, the efts become drab-looking adults and return to the water to mate. The adults never go back to the land.
The summer of 2002 we counted 180 efts on our hike up to Walnut Mountain. It was slow going as we had to look at every step we took so we wouldn't step on any. If you are hiking in this area in the summer watch the trail carefully for these cute little guys.