March 5, 2022 – Middletown, Connecticut
Issue: Average
Size: Roughly 3.2 miles
Max elevation: 596 ft.– whole elevation achieve roughly 700 ft.
Route kind: Lollipop Loop
Map: Spiderweed Protect Path Map
Trailhead parking: 1-147 Dripps Rd, Middletown, CT 06457
No loos on website – No entrance or parking charges
Parking for roughly 5 autos alongside highway on the trailhead.
Overview:
Spiderweed Protect provides a three-mile hike via dry oak woods, alongside large rock outcrops to a rock bluff with a view towards the south of the Connecticut River Valley. Alongside the best way the stone ruins of Helen Lohman’s rustic nation retreat are there for hikers to discover.
Spiderweed ruins
This 157-acre property is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy and the Middlesex Land Belief.
Historical past:
Spiderweed Protect was created by a donation from Helen Lohman of Middletown in 1975; she named the world after the unhappy state by which she discovered her gardens each spring.
Situated in Maromas (the unique Indian identify Regowset), a district within the City of Middletown. Maromas is located within the southeastern part of Middletown on the western financial institution of the Connecticut River. Maromas is an space of hills, valleys and ridges. The best level is Bear Hill (650 ft.), which is usually spelled “Naked” due to its steep slopes and quite a few areas of uncovered bedrock.
Spiderweed, traditionally often called the “Soloman Hubbard Farm,” was initially constructed because the homestead of Soloman Hubbard within the mid 18th century. His father, additionally named Soloman Hubbard had additionally farmed within the “Nice tier of Lotts,” and his home stood close by. The youthful Soloman Hubbard, builder of this home, gathered land from his father’s property and from his neighbors. In 1817 Soloman Hubbard deeded the home and land to the City of Middletown for the cost of money owed, reserving life tenancy for himself and his spouse. Hubbard is alleged to have been prevented from working the farm resulting from an damage suffered within the Revolutionary Conflict.
After Hubbard’s loss of life, the City of Middletown offered the 2-1/2 story, 27 ft. x 31 ft. Heart-Chimney Colonial to the Bailey household. It was then offered to the Dripps household in 1866. The home primarily remained within the arms of the Dripps and Meader households (associated by marriage) till bought by Miss Helen Lohman in 1936. Miss Lohman saved intact the acreage which had been acquired via the years of the house’s use as a farm. Renaming it Spiderweed, Miss Lohman used the property as a country nation retreat. The house by no means had trendy warmth or plumbing.
Helen Lohman demonstrated her concern for the home and land by deeding it to the Connecticut Chapter of The Nature Conservancy in 1975. Immediately the property displays the continued use of the land for over 200 years, each as farm and as a rustic retreat. It’s now largely closely wooded with overgrown fields. The Nature Conservancy maintains the 157-acre property as a nature protect.
The Nature Conservancy
Trails Overview:
Spiderweed Protect has one official path that’s blazed white and runs via the property utilizing a mix of previous farm roads and footpaths. There are three quick spur trails, one resulting in the stone ruins of Helen Lohman’s rustic retreat, and the opposite two resulting in viewpoints over the Connecticut River Valley.
An unmarked path (not proven on map), leaves the protect and heads in direction of the summit of Bear Hill and the Mattabesett Path (New England Nationwide Scenic Path) which permits hikers to type longer loop hikes.
Spiderweed Path Map
Hike Overview:
This hike is fully within the Spiderweed Protect using the White Path and the quick spurs that department off of it. We arrived on the trailhead on a Saturday morning shortly earlier than 9am. The temperature was within the low to mid 20’s and there have been no different autos after we arrived. We solely noticed two different hikers the complete time we had been there, as we had been nearing the top of the hike. It was a quiet and peaceable day within the woods, not even the birds had been chirping.
This can be a reasonable hike with a number of quick, steep ascents. Though it’s technically a “Lollipop Loop,” the loop is small and the “stick” is lengthy, making it extra of an out and again.
Spiderweed Protect
elevation profile – Spiderweed Protect
There have been loads of maps within the kiosk on the trailhead, however it’s a good suggestion to print one beforehand simply in case.
kiosk – Spiderweed Protect
The Hike:
This hike begins on the trailhead on Dripps Highway. Proceed previous the gate onto the woods highway because it leads uphill on a reasonable grade. That is the White Path, which you’ll be following for the complete hike. The White Path follows what was as soon as the doorway highway or driveway to the Helen Lohman home.
Trailhead – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
In about 0.5 mile from the beginning, there’s a quick spur path (a large woods highway) on the left that results in the Spiderweed Ruins. It’s possible you’ll wish to take a while to discover this fascinating historic characteristic. Please use warning because the partitions might be unstable.
Spiderweed stone ruins
Spiderweed stone ruins
The entrance wall has collapsed and now lays on the bottom of what as soon as was a 2-1/2 story, 27 ft. x 31 ft. Heart-Chimney Colonial farmhouse.
Spiderweed stone ruins
Spiderweed stone ruins
When you find yourself able to proceed, return to the White Path and switch left. A brief distance later, you will notice three white blazes on a tree. Flip proper on this spur path (additionally blazed white) and stroll about 200 ft to a rock outcrop with southeast-facing views over the Connecticut River Valley.
flip proper on spur path to viewpoint
The view isn’t the best, however it’s higher throughout leaf-off season.
first viewpoint – Spiderweed Protect
When you find yourself carried out admiring the view, retrace your steps, rejoining the principle artery of the White Path and switch proper. Now heading northeast, the White Path snakes via the woods with some magnificent rock formations that loom excessive overhead to the left of the path.
flip proper on White Path
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
About 0.8 mile from the beginning, the White Path turns proper. The unmarked path that’s straight forward, results in Bear Hill and the Mattabesett Path, leaving the Spiderweed Protect. Flip proper to stay on the White Path which quickly descends steeply.
flip proper to stay on White Path
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
Close to the bottom of the descent, the path ranges off briefly, travels via a moist space and shortly continues to descend, now extra step by step. The White Path then crosses a small stream.
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
A brief distance after crossing the stream, the White Path turns left and follows an previous farm lane bordered by a Colonial period stone wall.
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
In about 1.5 miles from the beginning of the hike, the White Path involves the loop part. Getting in both route will deliver you again to this spot. We opted to go left and shortly the path begins to climb. The ascent is considerably steep, however it’s quick lived. On the prime of the rise, the path turns proper and reaches a rock bluff that overlooks the countryside.
begin of loop part – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
2nd viewpoint – Spiderweed Protect
The path then descends steeply alongside that very same rock formation. As you descend you possibly can see the mammoth proportions of the rock formation that you simply had been simply standing on.
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
large rock formation – Spiderweed Protect
large rock formation – Spiderweed Protect
large rock formation – Spiderweed Protect
On the base of the rock formation there’s an overhang that qualifies as a rock shelter.
large rock formation – Spiderweed Protect
large rock formation – Spiderweed Protect
The path continues to descend, however now extra gently. To the proper of the path, up on the hillside is one other rock shelter that’s value testing. Throughout the hotter months, it might be obscured by foliage to a point and thus more durable to see.
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
rock shelter – Spiderweed Protect
rock shelter – Spiderweed Protect
rock shelter – Spiderweed Protect
The White Path continues its descent, quickly skirting personal property. Because the path ranges off, it crosses a small stream, passes via an space with some boulders scattered about then closes the loop.
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
After closing the loop, you are actually retracing your steps alongside the stone wall, crossing one other stream and turning left on the junction with the unmarked path.
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
flip left to stay on White Path
It’s possible you’ll wish to pay a return go to to the primary viewpoint and if the leaves are down, you possibly can enterprise barely off path for a special angle of the Spiderweed Ruins.
first viewpoint – Spiderweed Protect
Spiderweed ruins
Spiderweed stone ruins
Persevering with on the White Path in a westerly style, it descends on the woods highway quickly returning to the trailhead the place the hike started.
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
White Path – Spiderweed Protect
Overview:
An incredible hike via a really scenic space. The views are nothing to talk of, however the stone ruins, large rock formations, together with the rock shelters, make this a worthwhile hike. This can be a hike higher carried out when the leaves are down. The views are extra expansive and the rock formations that border the path are extra clearly seen. A number of the extra slender sections of the path can develop into overgrown in the course of the hotter months. On colder days, you might be much less prone to see many individuals. The paths are nicely marked, however there are some soggy sections. Applicable footwear is advisable. I extremely advocate the Spiderweed Protect to anybody that’s on the lookout for an fascinating reasonable hike.
Professionals:
Spiderweed Ruins, large rock formations, rock shelters, nicely marked path, not a lot foot visitors.
Cons:
Views are uninspiring.
Take a hike!
