Limestone Spring Lean-to

[Denniswatson]

I think that the Limestone Spring Lean-to was my favorite on our June section hike
of Connecticut this year. It's 0.5 miles off the trail, all downhill, some steeply.
But it's a great place, and if you bother to hike the 0.5 miles, chances are you'll
have it to yourself. Shelter is the standard Connecticut design (bear bar
in front, sleeps 6-8). Privy to left of shelter (uphill). Water supply is a gushing spring
coming out of the hillside. Plenty of tenting space around. We experienced a hailstorm
on the tin roof of the shelter. Were also entertained by a baby phoebe in a nest under the rafters.

It is a great place to visit and spend some quality time

[Off Belay]

Hi all,

I'm planning a fall section hike; unfortunately due to time constraints we will be hitting this shelter after dark. Does anyone know if it has been re marked or are the blazes still questionable?

[Traveler]

Hi all,

I'm planning a fall section hike; unfortunately due to time constraints we will be hitting this shelter after dark. Does anyone know if it has been re marked or are the blazes still questionable?

Earlier this season the blazes were good from the AT to the "drop", once you reach the cliff portion of the trail, its pretty evident (even in the dark) where it goes, but blazes may be sparse with the fallen leaves about. The shelter is at the bottom of that rock structure.

[Off Belay]

Earlier this season the blazes were good from the AT to the "drop", once you reach the cliff portion of the trail, its pretty evident (even in the dark) where it goes, but blazes may be sparse with the fallen leaves about. The shelter is at the bottom of that rock structure.

Thanks! Great info.

[gsingjane]

Be super-careful going down the dropoff, especially on the fallen leaves and if there's been any rain. Also, the shelter isn't "right" after the dropoff, you have to hike a couple hundred yards more to find it.

Jane

[Traveler]

Worst footing on the trail, second only to ice without traction on your feet, layers of wet leaves over acorns.....

[linus72]

Was just there last weekend. We were treated to songs and flyby of a Barred Owl and Coyotes in the distance. The spring was running enough but the Wetauwanchu 'cascade' along the access trail was completely dry. With the rain overnight, the climb back out was a bit sketchier, but manageable if taking ones time. And, worst case the blue trail continues down to sugar hill road if truly bad weather makes the climb back out just plain dangerous. Enjoyed our stay there, and reading the registry entries. Worth the trip in and out I think.

[pnyberg]

who's idea was it to put the shelter in a dark, damp, skeeter filled ravine 400 feet below and .6 miles off the AT? If I hike CT again I will skip this shelter.

The trail that is now the blue-blazed side trail to the shelter (and 0.7 miles on to Sugar Hill Rd) used to be the AT. There was more road walking when traveling NOBO from Falls Village back in the day. Yes, I'm old enough to remember that, although the memory is somewhat vague.

--Peter

[pnyberg]

I stayed here the night of May 7/8, the last night of a NOBO section hike from Kent. Everything seemed in good repair. I had no problem following the blue-blazed trail down from the AT. The shelter has a bear box and 3 tent platforms (the first I'd seen of either on this trip). One of the platforms is set between two trees perfectly spaced to hang a hammock and tarp. I don't know if the AMC did this on purpose, but it was appreciated.

I filmed a video of the area:



--Peter

[Just Tom]

Just finished an overnight with the scouts and when coming down to the parking area on Rte 7 just North of Belters, and there was a posting that Limestone Spring shelter and campsite was closed until further notice?! I stayed there a month ago and everything was fine. Anyone know what is up?

[liptackj]

NOTICE! Limestone Springs shelter and camping area have been closed since June 4th due to hazard trees in both areas. With the death earlier this year at the Ed Garvey shelter due to a falling tree, the CT-AMC has been conducting a series of inspections at all of our camping and lean-to sites. With nine trees identified as hazards, the situation at Limestone was declared by the ATC/NPS/AMC as requiring immediate closure and the hiring of a professional arborist to make the area safe for visitors. A notice of the re-opening of the site will be posted here on Whiteblaze.net as well as other outlets.
Jim Liptack
CT-AMC Overseer of Trails

[Namaste]

I just finished my CT section hike and actually spent the night at Limestone on June 3rd. We tented on a platform close to the brook and didn't hear of any problems. The ridgerunner at Sages Ravine where we spent the previous night didn't mention anything either. We did have a raccoon visit as well as a bear huffing close to our tent.

[Just Tom]

NOTICE! Limestone Springs shelter and camping area have been closed since June 4th due to hazard trees in both areas. With the death earlier this year at the Ed Garvey shelter due to a falling tree, the CT-AMC has been conducting a series of inspections at all of our camping and lean-to sites. With nine trees identified as hazards, the situation at Limestone was declared by the ATC/NPS/AMC as requiring immediate closure and the hiring of a professional arborist to make the area safe for visitors. A notice of the re-opening of the site will be posted here on Whiteblaze.net as well as other outlets.
Jim Liptack
CT-AMC Overseer of Trails

Just wondering if there was a rough ETA on this? Not looking for anything exact, but for planning purposes an estimate of what month (July, August, September, etc) it might re-open would be super helpful!

[Traveler]

NOTICE! Limestone Springs shelter and camping area have been closed since June 4th due to hazard trees in both areas. With the death earlier this year at the Ed Garvey shelter due to a falling tree, the CT-AMC has been conducting a series of inspections at all of our camping and lean-to sites. With nine trees identified as hazards, the situation at Limestone was declared by the ATC/NPS/AMC as requiring immediate closure and the hiring of a professional arborist to make the area safe for visitors. A notice of the re-opening of the site will be posted here on Whiteblaze.net as well as other outlets.
Jim Liptack
CT-AMC Overseer of Trails

ATC lists the Limesprings shelter as temporarily closed, scheduled to be reopened on or about July 8th.

[Just Tom]

Thanks for that!

[nuknees]

No ghosts a few weeks ago, but who's idea was it to put the shelter in a dark, damp, skeeter filled ravine 400 feet below and .6 miles off the AT? If I hike CT again I will skip this shelter. The giants thumb was neat though. About 1/2 mile north of the shelter access trail.

I agree. When your heading for a shelter at the end of a day, especially if it's been a long day for you, you certainly don't feel like scaling down the side of mountain. I know I didn't! Once I got the steeps I looked down and said you've got to be kidding me! I looked across the ravine and couldn't see a shelter in eyesight and said forget this...I stealthed it off trail...I was just too beat!
I also didn't care for the no campfire rule in CT. Not being able to have a camp fire just doesn't make a hike complete to me...call me old school.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I agree. When your heading for a shelter at the end of a day, especially if it's been a long day for you, you certainly don't feel like scaling down the side of mountain. I know I didn't! Once I got the steeps I looked down and said you've got to be kidding me! I looked across the ravine and couldn't see a shelter in eyesight and said forget this...I stealthed it off trail...I was just too beat!
I also didn't care for the no campfire rule in CT. Not being able to have a camp fire just doesn't make a hike complete to me...call me old school.

The shelter is there because that's where they got permission to put it. CT is mostly private land and they did the best they could. I don't think anyone is really happy that they haven't been able to put in a better option.

The more I've learned about the Connecticut section of the A.T., the more I have begun to support the fireban. The ridge that the A.T. Follows in Northern Connecticut is very prone to forest fires and slowburning duff fires in particular, which are tricky to fight. The fireban is in place because the towns got sick of paying to fight the repeated forest fires in the area, many of which were started by campers (both A.T. and non-A.T. Campers). Despite the ban there have still been several forest fires on the ridge that the trail follows in northern CT in recent years which were caused by unattended campfires.

[pnyberg]

The shelter is there because that's where they got permission to put it.

As I've mentioned before, at the time the location for the shelter was chosen, that blue blazed side trail was the AT. The trail was relocated to reduce the amount of road-walk in the Falls Village area. So, a shelter that used to be 100 feet from the AT is now half a mile from the AT. But it's not the shelter that moved. Personally, I much prefer a shelter half a mile off the trail with a reliable year-round water source to a shelter right on the trail with a seasonal water source.

--Peter

[liptackj]

Limestone Spring Shelter has been reopened for all users. The hazard trees, including the 100+ft ash behind the shelter, have been removed.
Jim Liptack
CT-AMC Overseer of Trails

[Just Tom]

Thank you for the update, it is appreciated.