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  1. #1

    Default Connecticut Camp Sites

    My brother and I hiked most of the Connecticut section in early October and used two of the numerous camp sites along the Trail. Silver Hill camp site was great. It had a pump, covered "dining pavillion" with three picnic tables, benches and a composting privy. Lots of flat ground and a view to the east catches the sunrise. Belter's camp site, on the other hand, was not as "improved." A few flat spots, a tiny spring (that was very low, but usable) and a phantom privy. The map at the entrance to the camp site indicated a privy, but we never found it. Plus, it was noisy -- trains, cars and, in the distance, Lime Rock race track.

    We also spent the night at the Mt. Algo lean-to site, just not in the lean-to itself. Plenty of tent space around the site. The brook was very low, but we were able to dip enough water for our needs. Lots of trash around, which was disappointing and unusual since the Trail in Connecticut was almost completely free of garbage.

    Stopped for lunch at the Pine Swamp Brook lean-to, which also has a brook as a water source. Water was plentiful, but someone had dumped their dinner leftovers right in the stream! Didn't seem to be much room for tents around the shelter. I have read accounts of how buggy this site is in the summer.

    All the shelters were in good repair and all the shelters have metal roofs that amplify the noise of mouse activity and made falling acorns sound like gunshots!

    We also saw the Plateau camp site just north of Salisbury, which was small, un-level and the spring was dry.

  2. #2
    Section Hiker 350 miles DebW's Avatar
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    In June the pump at Silver Hill was broken. Good to hear that it's been fixed. We also stayed at the Schaghticoke Mountain Campsite. It's fairly primitive - the outhouse is just a box with a toilet seat on top (good views from the throne ).

    At Pine Swamp Brook lean-to, the tent-sites are off on side trails. There were 3 parties camped there while we stayed in the shelter.

  3. #3
    texashiker
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    Default Caesar Brook

    Anyone have any good info on Caesar Brook campsite? Is it a good place to stay?

  4. #4

    Default Silver Hill campsite rocks...

    ...for winter camping. We had to pack in water but it was worth it. Nice level tent sites under thin forest cover (with leaves and pine needles underfoot), openness (with views of the Housatonic River) ensured longer daylight on an early January night, plenty of tables and "counter space" in the pavilion. Highly recommended!

  5. #5
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    Caesar Brook is fine but nothing special in my book. Plus, if you are in that area, you would probably much prefer staying at Silver Hill which is not too far south of Caesar Brook. C.B. campsite is very near Caesar Brook itself, which has some cool frogs and when it's high is sort of pretty and nice, although the site itself is a bit buggy also in the summer. Pine Knob is near there which is nice.

    I guess over our section hike of CT last summer, I concluded that I liked the northern end the best, the southern end the second best, and found the middle section (where C.B. is located) the least interesting. But that's just me, YMMV of course!

    Jane in CT

  6. #6
    Registered User 2XL's Avatar
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    Default Is Silver Hill water pump working?

    Does anybody know if this pump has been fixed?
    I have not been up that way since last year and I am just wondering.

  7. #7
    Registered User troglobil's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fisher View Post
    Silver Hill camp site was great. It had a pump,
    Quote Originally Posted by DebW View Post
    In June the pump at Silver Hill was broken. Good to hear that it's been fixed. .
    Quote Originally Posted by 2XL View Post
    Does anybody know if this pump has been fixed?
    I have not been up that way since last year and I am just wondering.
    Does this answer your question?

  8. #8
    Registered User 2XL's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by troglobil View Post
    Does this answer your question?
    I will answer my question myself, yes the pump has been fixed and with only five or six pumps you get water.
    I decided to go for an overnight there last night. Beautiful full moon.

  9. #9
    Registered User Undershaft's Avatar
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    Silver Hill campsite is pretty cool. I had some great entertainment watching the inner city kids that were staying there. The pump was not working in July, glad to hear it's been fixed. If you walk past the privy a little way and then up the hill, you will find several mysterious metal tanks and pipes. They don't seem to serve any purpose and the pipes don't lead anywhere. I've always wondered what they were for or what they were left over from. Belters campsite does not have a true privy. Its just a box with a toilet seat mounted on the top, no walls. If you go all the way to the end of the clearing at Belters and turn left, there is an old (50 years?) car abandoned in the woods. I always enjoy finding old relics like that in the woods. Pine Swamp Brook is a lousy water source to begin with. Probably the worst in all of CT. If you approach the shelter and turn right down the small herd paths you will come to a big level camping area about a hundred feet from the shelter. I never saw a reason for the Plateau campsite. It's right near the road, and Riga lean-to is only a short distance away.
    Mobilis in Mobili

  10. #10
    Registered User CT5150's Avatar
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    7/10/08 - hiked from West Cornwall, North, to Salisbury.

    Pine Swamp Brook water is orange/brown - skip it. (Get water from stream at Sharon Mtn Campsite, 2.4 mi North) Lot's of mosquitoes around this shelter.

    Sharon Mtn Campsite is just that, but with decent water.

    Belter's Bump Campsite has a spring, but the flow was getting low.

    Limestone Spring Shelter. Sorry, I blew right by it.

    Hydroelectric Plant - gotta love that shower!

    Plateau Campsite stinks and it's so close to the trailhead.

    Riga Shelter has great view of sunrise. Spent a night here. I can't wait until they upgrade the privy. I slept in and the trail maintainer arrived to tidy up. He said that they're going to helecopter in all of the materials for the privy and upgrading the shelter. I can't wait.

    The Ball Brook Campsite was just that, with a small stream.

    The Bond Shelter at Brassie Brook was nice. The brook was flowing strong.

  11. #11

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by CT5150 View Post
    Riga Shelter has great view of sunrise. Spent a night here. I can't wait until they upgrade the privy. I slept in and the trail maintainer arrived to tidy up. He said that they're going to helecopter in all of the materials for the privy and upgrading the shelter. I can't wait.

    Saturday, April 11th my girlfriend & I hiked up to Riga from the Rte 41 parking lot, Undermountain trail side. The privy has been redone, also new steps up to the shelter itself. We set up our tent on one of the new platforms. The maintainers did a gr8 job.

    We hiked north on the AT over Bear Mountain and down to Paradise Lane, ending up at Rte 41. It was a good overnight stay, cold on Sat night, nice sunrise Easter morning.

    Still some downed trees on the north side of Bear Mt, but the maintainers did a gr8 job clearing much of the trail on the other side. My hat's off to all you who take time keeping the trail lookin' good!

    Steve.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by CT5150 View Post
    7/10/08 - hiked from West Cornwall, North, to Salisbury.

    Pine Swamp Brook water is orange/brown - skip it. (Get water from stream at Sharon Mtn Campsite, 2.4 mi North) Lot's of mosquitoes around this shelter.

    Sharon Mtn Campsite is just that, but with decent water.

    Belter's Bump Campsite has a spring, but the flow was getting low.

    Limestone Spring Shelter. Sorry, I blew right by it.

    Hydroelectric Plant - gotta love that shower!

    Plateau Campsite stinks and it's so close to the trailhead.

    Riga Shelter has great view of sunrise. Spent a night here. I can't wait until they upgrade the privy. I slept in and the trail maintainer arrived to tidy up. He said that they're going to helecopter in all of the materials for the privy and upgrading the shelter. I can't wait.

    The Ball Brook Campsite was just that, with a small stream.

    The Bond Shelter at Brassie Brook was nice. The brook was flowing strong.
    Is there water at the Riga Shelter and the next couple of shelters to the north?

  13. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Snowleopard View Post
    Is there water at the Riga Shelter and the next couple of shelters to the north?
    if you are talking now, you don't need treking poles, you need oars

  14. #14

    Default

    what do you mean of this Connecticut Camp Sites i can not get it??


  15. #15

    Default

    stopped in at silver hill on 3/21 out on a day hike - everything looked good and no trash. We didn't investigate the pump becasue we had just started out and had plenty of water.....now I wish I did for reporting purposes!
    ~Christy

  16. #16
    Registered User Captain K-man's Avatar
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    Default Silver Hill CS

    I was told that there was once a very neat shelter there. The guy said it burned down, and thats all he knew. Does anyone know the history or have photos of the shelter?

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by wystiria View Post
    stopped in at silver hill on 3/21 out on a day hike - everything looked good and no trash. We didn't investigate the pump becasue we had just started out and had plenty of water.....now I wish I did for reporting purposes!
    the CT ridgerunners and maintainers do a great job picking up after dumbass folks

  18. #18

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Tin Man View Post
    the CT ridgerunners and maintainers do a great job picking up after dumbass folks
    NY too, from what i've seen

  19. #19

    Default

    if there had been trash we woul dhave hiked it out - being on a day hike means we weren't concerned with weight but there were no good samaratin opportunities for us that day!

    ***BTW Tinman I tried to PM you did you get it?
    ~Christy

  20. #20
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    I'm not sure if it was Silver Hill, but one campsite in CT was an old house. It burned down almost 20 years ago.

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