Hidden Valley Preserve
Young treasure hunters will love the historic quartz quarry!
Some notes from my family's experience:
The drive to Washington Depot, CT is worth it for this fun adventure! Just off the parking area, the hike starts with the Thoreau Bridge, an impressive and beautiful timber suspension bridge that spans the Shepaug River (if you are following the trail directions below to get to the Quartz Mine, you do not actually cross the bridge).
My children love hunting for treasure, so the promise of an entire quartz mine was a great motivator for this hike! There are many possible combinations of trails and we have not explored them all, but the route we took had flat parts and hills and was definitely not accessible for strollers or bikes.
You'll know when the quartz mine is getting close because white quartz pieces litter the ground like gravel, and it cracks and crunches as you walk on it.
How long is the walk?
It depends on where you park and what trails you take! The shortest way from the main parking area: follow the Orange Square Trail along the old railroad bed, then turn left onto the Yellow Circle Trail and continue to the quartz mine. The crunch of quartz pebbles snapping with each step announces the approach to the mine. (1.34 miles one-way).
From the Steep Rock Association website:
The Quartz Mine once helped support a small mining industry in the 19th Century. This surface mine was active from the 1800s until it was abandoned in 1915. The quartz, used as a filler in paint and as an abrasive, was initially transported from here to the Hudson River by wagon and, later, by train. The hike is a 40-minute stroll along the banks of perhaps the wildest section of the Shepaug River. The shimmering summer waters are belied by tractor-sized boulders that dot the riverbed. The final section of trail is a series of cool switchbacks carved deep into the hills, which loom above the narrow path.
The full trail map is HERE.
More Information:
The Steep Rock Association manages several preserves and open spaces, each with their own unique attractions! This hike is in Hidden Valley Preserve. More info on the preserve is HERE.
Parking area: 198 Bee Brook Road, Washington Depot, CT 06794
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Email: rholcombe@commongroundct.org
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