2024 Connecticut Woodlands Conservation Corps: Trail Work

Connecticut Forest and Park Association

October 9, 2024

Four members of the Connecticut Woodlands Conservation Corps kneel in a forest with dappled light as they hammer nails into boards.

The Connecticut Woodlands Conservation Corps (CWCC) Trail Crews spent the summer and fall building and repairing trails across Connecticut. Each 5-member crew camped and worked at remote project sites improving sections of the Blue-Blazed Hiking Trail System. From trail building to carpentry to rock moving, the CWCC crews learned new skills and lived and worked as a team.

Click on each project in the side bar or on the map to learn more about the work that was accomplished and to view more photos!

Peoples Rock Staircase

This 10-step rock staircase in Peoples Sate Forest prevents erosion and makes the beginning of the Jessie Gerard Trail much nicer to hike.

Mohawk Relocation

Over 1 mile of new trail was built by the fall CWCC crew to reroute the Mohawk Trail off of a roadwalk.

Black Rock Bridge

A new 58- foot bridge in Black Rock State Park replaces an undersized bridge that washed out multiple times and was in disrepair.

South Tunxis Reroute

This 1- mile reroute of the Tunxis Trail visits two amazing overlooks and moves the trail off of a muddy ATV track!

Kettletown Bridge

A new bridge in Kettletown State Park was built to last... and last it did! While other trail and road bridges were seriously damaged during the August flooding, this bridge stood solid despite water reaching the highest bridge step.

Elevated Walkway

Over 300 feet of elevated walkway now takes hikers on the New England Trail around a low-lying wet area.

Scovill Bridge and Trail Relocation

The fall crew built a bridge and more than a quarter mile trail relocation to move the Northern Scovill Loop off of the railroad track.

Shenipsit Stones and Bridges

The CWCC summer crews completed a 16-foot bridge, 16 feet of bog bridging, and installed 6 stepping stones on the Shenipsit Trail to keep hikers high and dry.

Stepping Stones and Trail Refinement

The crew visited Gay City State Park and installed 12 solid stepping stones. They also cleared and constructed a new section of the red-blazed Gay City Trail.

Bigelow Bog Bridging & Relo

The Ridge Trail in Bigelow Hollow State Park was moved off of a muddy ATV track. This bog bridging project was part of a larger 0.3 mile trail relocation to greatly enhance the trail.

Pachaug Bridge

The Pachaug Trail needed a new bridge. The existing bridge had washed downstream multiple times. The CWCC were undaunted!

Five CWCC crew members smile for a on the stone stairs at the end of their work.

The 10 stone steps are set into a dirt hill within the forest. Slightly smaller rounded rocks are piles on each side of the steps.

A rock that is at least 3ft by 3ft by 1.5 ft hangs by woven straps on a wire cable. A crew member with a hand on the rock points in the direction it must go, while anouther pulls a strap attached to the rock in that direction.

Peoples Rock Staircase

This 10-step rock staircase in Peoples Sate Forest prevents erosion and makes the beginning of the Jessie Gerard Trail much nicer to hike.

The large rocks in the staircase came from hundreds of feet away and were moved to the site via a high-line cable system (see 3rd photo).

6 CWCC and DEEP crew members build the trail tread using tools like rakes, hoes, and pick-madocks to pull back leaves and create a hiking tread.

A CFPA volunteer in a blue volunteer shirt uses a McLeod (rake like tool) to pull back soil and leaves.

Three volunteers work in a line to side-hill a steep section of trail. They use hoes to reduce the slope perpendicular to the trail, while one clips exposed roots with loppers.

7 volunteers and a Trails intern pose for a photo in the a mixed forest with their backpacks and tools.

Mohawk Relocation

Over 1 mile of new trail was built by the fall CWCC crew to reroute the Mohawk Trail off of a roadwalk.

This new section of trail passes through a gorgeous forest and over multiple streams as it climbs Red Mountain. The crew was joined by the DEEP Waterbury Work Crew and three amazing volunteer work parties.

Three crew members work to lower a telephone pole into place across the steam on two gabiosn or rock filled baskets. The pole is held in the air by multiple wires parralel to a pole already laying on the gabions.

The corner of the bridge and ramp is shown under construction. Light colored decking slates are layed out but not fit togeather, and tools like drills and carpentry pencils are layed out on top of them.

The ramp turns at a 45 degree angle as it reaches the flat bridge. The gap where the stream flows is visable below the bridge, and a blue blaze marking the trail is seen on a nearby tree.

Black Rock Bridge

A new 58- foot bridge in Black Rock State Park replaces an undersized bridge that washed out multiple times and was in disrepair.

Originally, the bridge was designed to have steps, however, at the request of hikers who had accessibility concerns, the design was changed to include ramps.

Three crew members work on building trail in a summer decidious forest. They wear yellow helmets, gloves and the blue CWCC shirts all crew members wear. The women closest to the camera is in the midst of lifting a McLeod to eyelevel.

Four crew members stand, taking a break on a sunny rock. Some of their bags sit on the rock, and a view of distant hills is just visable over the tree line.

South Tunxis Reroute

This 1- mile reroute of the Tunxis Trail visits two amazing overlooks and moves the trail off of a muddy ATV track!

The crew built drainage and sidehilled sections of trail in steep areas, as well as clearing the new trail corridor.

11 Crew members and two staff pose on a new bridge over a rocky stream. Three sit on the stairs while most of the others lean against the wooden railing. All are in blue CWCC shirts, work pants, and boots. The forest around the bridge consists of both young and old hemlock and is sunny.

Bridge stairs and railing are being constructed. In the foreground, a crew member and volunteer measure cut a stair piece on rocks, while past the half built stairs, many crew members work to attach railing pieces with drills, or measure gaps.

Two crew members fit a railing piece to the bridge. Anouther crew member crouches with their back to the camera as they work to attach decking to the main bridge as seen by the pile of boards, drill and screws. Other crew members are seen working in the background.

Crew members and volunteers sit hammering nails into multiple stacked boards. Lumber sits in the foreground, and a photographer takes photos in the background.

A pontoon boat filled with lumber and 5 people moves backwards on flat sunny water. The background shows a nearby decisidous peninsula, and a hill beyond it. Mist is slowly lifting into the blue sky.

Kettletown Bridge

The CWCC crews were joined by CFPA volunteers and the Oxford Youth Conservation Corps over two intense days of bridge construction. Some of the work included ferrying lumber to the site via boat, and lugging it up the hill.

10 Crew Members and two staff pose on a elevated board walk which is about 1.5 feet above the sunny swamp. They lean on the waist high railing towards the photographer. One person holds a large New England Trail triangular emblem.

A crew member walk away from the camera on wooden boards layed on the ground between upright posts. The posts are about head high and pounded into the wet ground.

Crew members gather around at the edge of the swamp. In front of them is a level board, 1 foot up whichis attached to two of the pounded posts.

A crew leader uses a chain saw to cut one of the posts to the level of the board walk. A compleated railing is on the other side of the board walk, and a "kicker" board lines the side he is cutting on at a hight of about 4 inches.

A long compleated board walk streaches into the distance across the wet decidious forest. There is a waist high railing on one side and 4 inches of board on the other side.

Elevated Walkway

Over 300 feet of elevated walkway now takes hikers on the New England Trail around a low-lying wet area.

This project took over 3 weeks to complete. Building in muddy conditions and hauling all the materials to the site proved to be especially challenging. But what an improvement!

Scovill Bridge and Trail Relocation

The fall crew built a bridge and more than a quarter mile trail relocation to move the Northern Scovill Loop off of the railroad track.

Two volunteer work parties helped haul lumber from the railroad to the bridge site and helped built portions of the new trail. The crew also had to carry in concrete and mix it on site for the bridge!

Four crew members in yellow helmets and two CFPA staff in white helmets pose at the end of a compleated bridge in a sunny decidous forest.

A staff member stands with two crew members and helps as they pry at a rock with 5 ft long rock bars.

The trail stewardship coordinator watches as crew members nail pieces of board togeather to form a longer and thicker board with will reach across the stream.

Shenipsit Stones and Bridges

The CWCC summer crews completed a 16-foot bridge, 16 feet of bog bridging, and installed 6 stepping stones on the Shenipsit Trail to keep hikers high and dry.

Stepping Stones and Trail Refinement

The crew visited Gay City State Park and installed 12 solid stepping stones. They also cleared and constructed a new section of the red-blazed Gay City Trail.

Short sections of bog bridging turn into the distance in a mixed mossy forest. The bog bridging consists of 8 inch boards laid on two 4 by 4 sills that are placed parallel to the path. Fresh dirt is evidence of recent digging.

Crew members stand on a section of two 8 inch boards while anouther crew member levers a screw out. It appears they are in a stream bed with hemlock trees and two other boards in teh background.

Five sections of bog bridging, each interupted by a small section of freshly dug sandy dirt , lead to a newly built trail that head up a hill and out of veiw. The entire area is forested and the ground mossy.

Bigelow Bog Bridging & Relo

The Ridge Trail in Bigelow Hollow State Park was moved off of a muddy ATV track. This bog bridging project was part of a larger 0.3 mile trail relocation to greatly enhance the trail.

The CWCC was joined by a group from the Wilderness School (a program of CT Dept of Children & Families) for a portion of the project.

A crew member sits on a telephone pole over a steam, using a jig-saw to take the top off of a parallel telephone pole which his foor rests agains. A singular piece of decking sits to his right, spanning across the two logs.

A crew member crouches with a sledge hammer. He looks up at the bottom of a huge gabion which is held above a hole by cables. The wire basket is cylindrical and full of rocks.

Two crew members twist the ends of wire fencing togeather to close the top of a gabion which has been filled with rocks.

Volunteers and trail crew stand togeather for a photo in a mixed forest. There are about 15 people in the photo.

Pachaug Bridge

The Pachaug Trail needed a new bridge. The existing bridge had washed downstream multiple times. The CWCC were undaunted!

The new bridge is 45 feet long and uses 4 telephone poles to span Lowden Brook! The project was completed with the help of DEEP and volunteers from both CFPA and the Friends of Pachaug Forest.