If you want to check on the hikes that I completed so far as part of this challenge, go here.
Prologue: A hiking challenge is going on this year by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEEP) in the state of Connecticut where I live, “Sky’s The Limit”. We have to finish a hike in the chosen 20 Park and Forest locations before December 3rd this year Each location has some specific points of interest that the departments asks us to take pictures of and document them. Most of the Parks and Forests are located in an hours of driving distance, except a few. I decided to take this challenge and hopefully will be able to complete all of them. Here we go!
Next up is Southford Falls State Park. This is # 8 on the list provided by DEEP. I am not following the order they have listed. I am just going to any hike I can whenever I can from that list. 🙂
This 169 acres of forest land in the town of Oxford, Connecticut, was the site of Diamond Match Company which later became Southford Falls State Park in 1932. With scenic waterfalls on the Eight Mile River, the state park offers place for field sports; a popular girls scouts and boy scouts activity location; excellent trout fishing; beautiful picnic spots; and above all some really good hiking trails that are moderate in difficulty.
We began the hike by the wood bridge on the Papermill Pond, then followed the Red Trail by the Eight Mile Brook that took us a trail of rocky terrain and lots of fallen trees.
The lily pads on the Papermill Pond threw a beautiful texture in the early morning sun.
Seeing moon in the sky even at 9AM in the morning is one sure sign of weather moving from Summer to Fall.
Of course the iconic red covered bridge on the Eight Mile Brook.
I always wondered why are there boardwalks placed here and there across trails. On this particular hike, I came to know that these are placed at certain spots where the land might turn marshy and wet to hike; and also to protect the naturally growing flora and fauna from being trampled by hikers. Interesting.
As I mentioned in the beginning the trail wasn’t that easy filled with rocky path and several fallen trees along the way.
As always here are the beautiful fungi we saw along the hike.
A little detour along the trail took us to this Fire Tower. Not sure if it was being used or not, but it was fun to climb. And the view from top of the tower was pretty.
And finally the beautiful Southford Falls that are formed by the water from Papermill Pond when it falls and flows into the Eight Mile Brook. Here I am lounging with my friend who accompanied me and helped me finish the hike.
Galavant Reflections 