Weekend Musings, by E. Mulligan (May 17, 2020)
If you are looking to get out and get moving, all while still social distancing, have I got the road trip for you! Connecticut has some exciting destinations that you may view from inside your car, or a short hike from the parking area is required.
The first place that I would like to highlight is Roaring Brook Park in Cheshire. Did you know that the second tallest waterfall in Connecticut, is located right here in beautiful Cheshire? (The first is Kent State Park waterfall.) The hike to the falls is steep but well worth the time and effort.
Next, head down to Shelton, CT, where you will drive down to Sawmill City Road, the eeriest road in Connecticut. What makes it so spooky? I’m glad you asked. Rumor has it that mysterious people lurk in the woods. The route runs along a reservoir. It is very narrow, allowing little light to illuminate its many twists and turns, making it feel even more secluded and spooky.
After Shelton, head back up to East Hampton, where you will find the Comstock Covered Bridge, one of only three historic covered bridges in our state. The bridge spans the Salmon River and is open to foot traffic only.
Then take a 12-minute drive to Johnsonville Village on Johnsonville Road, Moodus. Johnsonville Village was an interactive historic Victorian village way back in the 1970s. It has since fallen into disrepair and was on the market in 2017 but did not sell.
Next up, travel to the Frog Bridge in Willimantic, adorned by giant frogs sitting atop spools of thread. Willimantic was a mill town known for manufacturing thread. The frogs represent the Great Frog War of 1754, where frogs battled each other in a great fury. When the citizens awoke in the morning, there were hundreds of dead frogs left as a reminder of the great war. No, I do not know of any scientific backing of such behaviors of frogs, but perhaps they had once been down Sawmill City Road.
If you are looking for another waterfall to enjoy, stop off at the Big Falls in Middletown on your way back home. The waterfall is breathtaking because it is wider than it is tall, and you can feel the mist as you stand nearby it.
I hope you enjoy these ideas for a road trip.
