This trail is located in northern Newtown in a bend in the Housatonic River that forms Lake Lilinonah. The trail is about 5.9 miles long and has lots of views of the lake.
We parked at the trailhead on Hanover road just north of Newtown center. It was a cool clear day. Cool enough to keep the bugs away, but warm in the sun. We decided to walk the talk in a clockwise direction as recommended in the CT Walks East book.
The trail initially stays down by the water and is very pretty. We ran into a Boy Scout troop almost immediately after beginning. After proceding a mile or so the trail leaves the water and climbs to a height of land. At the highest point is a large old Oak tree with a register box and register on it.
From there the trail follows the ridge for a while and then drops back down towards the lake. There are a number of cool rock formations that you climb through and by on your way down. Once back down at the lake the trail follows the shore, but up the hillside a way. There are a number of curious detours that wander around a bit for no obvious reason.
Down near the lake we saw a pair of turkey vultures up in a tree. We had been hoping to see eagles, but you take what you can get.
Eventually the trail hits an old woods road that wanders over to Echo Valley Road and the parking area that is at the end of it.
From here the path climbs back up onto the ridge. There is a lot of up and down, some for no obvious reason (avoiding property boundaries?). Eventually the trail enters a cool narrow valley with lots of overhanging rocks. It then climbs up one side of the valley to another height of land and then works its way back down to Hanover Road for a short road walk back to the car.
The walk took us about 3 hours and was a very pleasent way to spend an afternoon. Late winter/early spring is a good time to for the hike because its easier to see the lake without leaves on the trees.
