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Palms & Pines LbNA #8597 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jun 6, 2004
Location:
City:Winchester Center
County:Litchfield
State:Connecticut
Boxes:1
Found by: The Bird Stamper
Last found:Oct 2, 2009
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Jun 6, 2004
The sign is gone but the park still exists. This is one recreation area that Connecticut shut down two years ago in order to save money. Even though you can no longer drive through the cul-de-sac, it is an easy and relaxing stroll on a paved trail. You can enjoy beautiful scenery with mountain vistas to your north and exquisite mountain laurel displays. This was also a good blueberry picking spot in the past. When you arrive here, park near the gate and continue walking in.

DIRECTIONS: From Torrington
Enter Newfield Road, in the north end of Torrington by the Evangelical Baptist Church and follow all the way into Winchester Center; a distance of 5.7 miles. As you enter the village, you’ll see the large white grange building on your left; the road on the right across from the grange is unmarked but is South Road. Drive down South Road, passing the cemetery that spans both sides of the road. The “Green Lady” aka “Screaming Mimi” is reported to still haunt the cemetery. Continue driving to the stop sign. Take a left here, which is Platt Hill Road, driving past an old one-room school house on the right. Shortly after a very sharp curve, you’ll notice an A.T.&T. tower on the left side of the road. Continue to the park entrance which will be on your right. Total driving distance on Platt Hill Road is 1.1 miles. Park near gate and walk in.

DIRECTIONS; From Winsted
Drive west on Route 44 through center of Winsted. Notice the large green walkway bridge that spans over the Mad River on your left. Shortly after this bridge, you’ll notice a sign at the next traffic light for Route 263 (also called Lake Street). Follow Route 263 all the way into Winchester Center, passing two reservoirs and Camp Delaware on your right for a distance of 3.9 miles. In the village, Route 263 curves sharply to the right by the Congregational Church. Go straight here for a smidgeon till unmarked South Road appears on your left; notice the “Winchester Old Society” historical sign. Continue driving down South Road using the same directions as given in the Torrington directions.

FOR A MORE RUSTIC VARIATION: At the sharp corner of Route 263 by the church, you’ll see Chapel Road on your left before South Road starts. Chapel Road will take you straight across from Platt Hill Park. The road is paved for 0.4 miles, turns to gravel for 0.3 miles, and even though a sign says the road is closed to through traffic, it is very driveable if the weather has been relatively dry but do watch out for washed out shoulders. The road then turns black top again for 0.4 miles and brings you out on Platt Hill Road with the park right opposite you. If you have 4WD or feel comfortable driving narrow gravel roads, then this is a nice off the beaten path way to reach the park.

CLUES:
Now, with the directions to the park out of the way, let the journey begin. Walk into the park and in a short while, a fork in the road will appear. This is a loop but you will bear to the right passing under the power lines. Keep walking and notice the 15 foot high woodpecker delight on your right directly at the edge of the road. Stand facing the woodpecker tree, look to your right and approach a large maple tree in a small clearing. Once at the tree you notice it is really a double trunked maple. With the double trunk maple on your right, look straight ahead and notice two more large maples to your right (almost in line with the maple you are standing next to). A stone wall runs behind these trees. Between these two maples and in the stone wall will be your prize.