I discovered the Pawling Nature Reserve (PNR) last spring online. When I made the stop, I said woah. I visited twice at two different starting points. The park only provides two parking lots, one on Duell Hollow Road and one on Quaker Lake Road. Three trailheads don't offer parking: one at Quaker Lake Road, Hurd's Corners Road, and Sprague Road. Since the park is 1,060 acres, I still need to complete all of it. I spent over 3 hours taking my time.
There are eight trails: Ridge Trail (Red), 3.3 miles; Blue Loop, 2.0 miles; Green Trail, 0.4 miles; Orange Loop, 1.3 miles; Yellow Loop, 2.0 miles; Purple Trail, 0.8 miles; Hurd's Corner Entrance Connector (Pink), 0.3 miles; and the Appalachian Trail, 2.8 miles; which it covers the majority of the park. Most of it is marked decently, with minor improvements.
The hike was quite enjoyable, specifically on the AT and Red Trail, which has a view east towards Connecticut. The Orange Trail has a beautiful view at the summit, looking west towards Poughquag, two of the highlights.
The other trails I took besides the blue need severe maintenance and challenges. Trees have fallen over and covered part or all of the path. Going off trail, I took a little detour, which added to the obstacle. There are a lot of rocks and stomps along the way; proceed with caution. The purple trail is steep and has no railing at the cliff. Small steps are highly recommended; if you are struggling, turn around. Be prepared to experience some uphill on the orange and purple trails.
Overall, I enjoyed the walk, but the PNR definitely needs improvement. With my tips, you'll have a memorable and peaceful time. read more