Tunxis Mainline Trail has an option for everyone

Now that the first signs of summer weather have been showing up amidst the days of rain and thunder, it is worthwhile to explore a local trail that offers multiple recreation options as well as a very customizable hike.

The Tunxis Mainline Trail stretches from Satan’s Kingdom in New Hartford on Route 44 to Route 202, and passes through Nepaug State Forest, providing access to a number of side trails. Extend your hike by exploring the Tipping Rock Loop, Valley Outlook or Shelter Four trails, stay on the Mainline Trail for the entirety, or simply explore the scenic areas along the trail before turning back.

Parking on the Route 44 side can be found in the Satan’s Kingdom State Recreation Area lot. Once you have parked, just walk beneath the bridge to find the trailhead. If you decide to approach the trail from the opposite side, look for the Nepaug State Forest entrance on Route 202 before the Nepaug River Crossing.

Starting at the Satan’s Kingdom side of the trail will offer immediate scenic reward as you pass beneath the Route 44 bridge and walk alongside the river to the trailhead. A good breeze comes off the river and the pulsating sound of road traffic from the bridge intertwines with the roar of the river and the songs of birds nested nearby.

The area surrounding the bridge provides a number of spots for fishing but is also worthy of a trip for a brief walk along the river. The trail near the Satan’s Kingdom entrance is flat and easy to traverse, making it appropriate for a trip with children or taking the dog for a brisk walk.

The Mainline Trail stretches along with the river on one side and large rock and boulder formations leading up to Satan’s Kingdom Road on the other. A little over half a mile into the hike you will cross the Tipping Rock Loop Trail marked with blue/yellow blazes. If you decide to diverge from the Mainline Trail to travel on the Tipping Rock Loop, you will be given the opportunity to explore the Valley Outlook Trail as well.

The Shelter Loop Trail marked with blue/green blazes provides another opportunity to extend your hike or to take another path altogether. Both the Tipping Rock Loop and Shelter Loop Trail bring you back to the mainline trail before reaching the Nepaug State Forest trailhead.

All of the trails offer a gorgeous hike, but those who do not feel up to tackling the entirety of the Mainline Trail can take advantage of the scenery surrounding the Route 44 bridge and Satan Kingdom’s trailhead entrance. Those who are looking for a decent place to spend a day but are not up to the 3-mile Mainline Trail trek or the 4.5 additional miles of combined loop trails can still find plenty of enjoyment in the area surrounding Satan’s Kingdom.

Latest News

Join us for


 

  

Keep ReadingShow less
Summer Nights of Canaan

Wednesday, July 16

Cobbler n’ Cream
5 to 7 p.m.
Freund’s Farm Market & Bakery | 324 Norfolk Rd.

Canaan Carnival
6 to 10 p.m.
Bunny McGuire Park

Keep ReadingShow less
When the guide gets it wrong

Rosa setigera is a native climbing rose whose simple flowers allow bees to easily collect pollen.

Dee Salomon

After moving to West Cornwall in 2012, we were given a thoughtful housewarming gift: the 1997 edition of “Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs.” We were told the encyclopedic volume was the definitive gardener’s reference guide — a fact I already knew, having purchased one several months earlier at the recommendation of a gardener I admire.

At the time, we were in the thick of winter invasive removal, and I enjoyed reading and dreaming about the trees and shrubs I could plant to fill in the bare spots where the bittersweet, barberry, multiflora rose and other invasive plants had been.Years later, I purchased the 2011 edition, updated and inclusive of plants for warm climates.

Keep ReadingShow less
A few highlights from Upstate Art Weekend 2025

Foxtrot Farm & Flowers’ historic barn space during UAW’s 2024 exhibition entitled “Unruly Edges.”

Brian Gersten

Art lovers, mark your calendars. The sixth edition of Upstate Art Weekend (UAW) returns July 17 to 21, with an exciting lineup of exhibitions and events celebrating the cultural vibrancy of the region. Spanning eight counties and over 130 venues, UAW invites residents and visitors alike to explore the Hudson Valley’s thriving creative communities.

Here’s a preview of four must-see exhibitions in the area:

Keep ReadingShow less