Mohawk Trail In CT

[DayTrip]

Anybody here ever do the Mohawk Trail in NW CT? Interested in doing it as part of a loop with the section of the AT it borders but most of the info I've found online is not very definitive and/or has broken links. Of particular interest is the status of the three shelters/camp sites referred to in many places. The Mohawk Trail is about 24 miles of the 35 mile loop and with no dispersed camping in CT using these sites is a logistical necessity. I found a 4 year old blog referencing sites at 4,13 and 15 miles from the North but no other details. The CalTopo Map layers and the NatGeo CT AT maps do not show any camping locations on the Mohawk (but all of the locations on the AT are on both).

So if anyone knows the trail at all and can provide any info on the location and condition of these sites it would be greatly appreciated. Also sounded (based only on the one blog I found) that much of it is very poorly blazed. Any navigational comments would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Mike P.]

You probably know that much of that section at one time was the AT before they re-routed it. I've not been but maybe you might find something looking at old AT info.

 

[ChrisB]

Anybody here ever do the Mohawk Trail in NW CT? Interested in doing it as part of a loop with the section of the AT it borders but most of the info I've found online is not very definitive and/or has broken links. Of particular interest is the status of the three shelters/camp sites referred to in many places. The Mohawk Trail is about 24 miles of the 35 mile loop and with no dispersed camping in CT using these sites is a logistical necessity. I found a 4 year old blog referencing sites at 4,13 and 15 miles from the North but no other details. The CalTopo Map layers and the NatGeo CT AT maps do not show any camping locations on the Mohawk (but all of the locations on the AT are on both).

So if anyone knows the trail at all and can provide any info on the location and condition of these sites it would be greatly appreciated. Also sounded (based only on the one blog I found) that much of it is very poorly blazed. Any navigational comments would also be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Gaia GPS shows two shelters along what appears to be the Mohawk Tr: Red Mountain shelter and Cream Hill shelter on Music Mountain.

My experience with Gaia is if it shows up on the crowd-sourced map it is there and functional.

 

[DayTrip]

Gaia GPS shows two shelters along what appears to be the Mohawk Tr: Red Mountain shelter and Cream Hill shelter on Music Mountain.

My experience with Gaia is if it shows up on the crowd-sourced map it is there and functional.

What layer are you seeing this on? I don't see it in my GAIA (I have the mid-range GAIA - premium I think?)

EDIT - I zoomed WAY In and found them. Thanks!

 

[skiguy]

You probably found this already but anyhow. https://www.ctwoodlands.org/blue-blazed-hiking-trails/mohawk-trail

 

[DayTrip]

You probably found this already but anyhow. https://www.ctwoodlands.org/blue-blazed-hiking-trails/mohawk-trail

Yes I did. The links from it do not provide any shelter locations though - just that there are supposedly 4. Most other references say 3 and only 2 appear on the GAIA maps.

 

[Cumulus]

Here's my trip report from 2017:
https://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?59158-The-Mohawk-Loop-14-16-Apr-2017

--

Cumulus

NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 84/115 (59/67, 23/46, 2/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 39/39; WNH4K: 41/48; NEHH 89/100
LT NB 2009; CT NB 2017

"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll

 

[JoshandBaron]

Yes I did. The links from it do not provide any shelter locations though - just that there are supposedly 4. Most other references say 3 and only 2 appear on the GAIA maps.

Although a source I usually avoid, all campsite and shelter locations are on the AllTrails map.

 

[DayTrip]

Here's my trip report from 2017:
https://www.vftt.org/forums/showthread.php?59158-The-Mohawk-Loop-14-16-Apr-2017

--

Cumulus

NE111 in my 50s: 115/115 (67/67, 46/46, 2/2)
NE111 in my 60s: 84/115 (59/67, 23/46, 2/2)
NEFF: 50/50; Cat35: 39/39; WNH4K: 41/48; NEHH 89/100
LT NB 2009; CT NB 2017

"I don't much care where [I get to] --" said Alice, "-- so long as I get somewhere," ...
"Oh, you're sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."
- Lewis Carroll

Awesome. Thanks. I'll go through this report with the maps out and review. I was planning on parking where you did but I was going to hit the Mohawk Trail first and do the loop clockwise. Was there a reason why you did the AT first and went counterclockwise or did it just work out that way? It looks like the biggest "steeps" are in the North/Northeast/East corner so I was going to tackle those on Day 1. Plan is to put in a big enough Day 1 that my Day 2 gets me to the AT where shelter options are more abundant.

 

[DayTrip]

Although a source I usually avoid, all campsite and shelter locations are on the AllTrails map.

Agreed. I almost never look at AllTrails but I'll check it out. Thanks. Would be quite ironic if it wound up having the best info.

 

[Cumulus]

Was there a reason why you did the AT first and went counterclockwise or did it just work out that way?

My first day was a half day, and the best way to make that work was to hike south on the AT to Pine Swamp Brook Shelter.