Osbornedale State Park - Derby CT - A Hiking Excursion on the Red Trail from the Kellogg Center
Osbornedale State Park - Derby CT - A Hiking Excursion on the Red Trail from the Kellogg Center
Posted by Brian Krilivsky - EXCURSIONS Journey To Health
on
Location: Osbornedale
State Park – Derby CT. Red trail with
entry from the Kellogg Center (500 Hawthorne
Avenue, Derby CT 06418)
Date of Hike: February 27,
2016
Time of Hike: 2pm
Weather: Sunny 39 degrees F
Distance: 3.22 miles
Duration: 1 hr 46 min
(Avg. speed 1.8mph – a leisurely pace, taking lots of stops for pictures and
breaks )
Highest Elevation: 572 ft (elevation gain: 757 ft)
Total ascent: 0.99 miles Total
descent:
1.2 miles
Gear List: (for 2 people) 2
hydration packs(filled with 1.5 liters water each), hiking-trekking poles,
first aid kit, 2 five in one survivor kits(whistle, compass, fire starter
flint, signal mirror, waterproof match box), compass, pocket knife, trail map.
(Our basic gear for a short day hike.)
Description: Osbornedale State Park is a unique excursion
designation because of its location.
Located in Derby CT, you wouldn’t imagine this lovely nature reserve in
this industrial Naugatuck valley location.
We
start our hike in the Kellogg Nature Center parking lot. We walk directly across the street toward the
2 ponds. We chose this starting location
because it adds a little extra distance to reaching the red trail and the scenic
ponds and open fields are some of the highlights of this park.
We
follow the open fields straight ahead and enter the Red trail. We take a right on the trail and start an
initial incline. The Red trail is filled
with inclines and declines but with a maximum elevation of only 572 feet, it’s
enough to get the heart pumping but ok for beginners and moderate hikers.
The
park is a great place for any geology enthusiast with numerous rock types,
geologic folds, quarries and more.
For more geological info click here
The
trail heads toward Pickett’s Pond which is another highlight of the hike. During the winter months the pond may be used
for ice-skating and has a warm-up hut with fireplace. The trail meanders around the pond and starts
a gradual ascent. Highlights of the next
section of trail include the upper pavilion, a pass close to the Derby community
gardens, and St. Michael’s Cemetery. The
trail starts circling around through a segment of mountain laurel and starts a
gradual descent toward our starting point.
This
time of year, after a recent rain storm, some of the trail was sloshy and water
filled and required a little improvising to get across some of these
areas. Waterproof shoes would be
recommended. Overall, this a great hike
for beginners and intermediates and anyone looking for a nice day excursion. (And at the end or beginning of your hike,
take a stroll through the Kellogg Center another great nature destination).
Fun Facts:
-The
park lands were once the lushly forested hunting grounds of the Paugussett
Indians.
-Permanent
settlers began arriving in the late 1650’s.
The land was gradually purchased from the Paugussetts for items such as
clothing and cooking utensils.
-The
new settlers cleared the land for farming and took advantage of their location
on the Housatonic and Naugatuck Rivers by developing the area into a trading
port, which at one time rivaled New Haven harbor.
-The
name of the settlement called “Paugusett” was changed to “Derby” in 1675 after
Derbyshire, England, the former home of many colonists.
-Lands
now within the park off Silver Hill Road were mined for silver for a short
period after the Revolutionary War.
-Two
very successful farms were located on the property known as Osbornedale
Farms. One farm was a breeding farm for
the prize winning Osbornedale Holstein Cows, and the other was an excellent
milk producing dairy farm of Jersey cows.
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