Walking the Trails

There’s still time to sign up for Saturday’s Hike, “On the Trail to the Monitor” led by local historian Morris Glenn. Morris will take you on an easy, and very beautiful, half-mile hike along Old Ironville Road and the Penfield Pond trail as he discusses the history of the area and the USS Monitor, the first ironclad warship commissioned by the Union Navy during the American Civil War. Click here for more information and to register.

Then, on September 27, 2015, one of our newest trails, the Art Farm Trail, will officially open. Local artist and owner, Ted Cornell, will lead tours of the farm and art on the property. Other guided hikes along the new trail will be led by a CATS representative at 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., however all are welcome to hike the trail at anytime during the day. (Click here for more information on this and other CATS events.)

For those of you who are following Chris and Michelle as they walk the trails in France, we received the following update from Chris this week:

“So far we have hiked 53 miles in six days on trails that go up and down ridges separating valleys,” he said. “We’ll be hiking up on a windy ridgetop with amazing views and see the orange tile roofs of small towns way down below and know that is where the trail leads. Then, we’ll look at the big ridge behind the town and know that we’ll be climbing up there too! As for trails, a few are narrow paths, many are dirt farm lanes, some are back roads, and the rest are paved roads with few if any cars.”

He also reported they’ve been staying in small B&Bs and hostels that serve local wine and home-cooked, local food, grown by some of the farmers they’ve met and talked to as they walk the trail. Stayed tuned for more updates.

And for those of you looking for a walk on trails a little closer to home, CATS’ Stewardship Coordinator Bill Amadon tells me that the Beaver Bend Trail (off of Angier Hill Road) is especially beautiful this time of year. He said there are currently lots of beautiful ferns and late season wildflowers blooming in the forest along the trail. He also suggested the Bobcat Trail (off of Walker Road), where “the Goldenrod and Asters are in bloom and the combination of colors is beautiful.”

Visit us on Facebook. Tell us about your favorite CATS trail. Post some pictures and “share” us with your friends so others will learn about CATS and the fabulous CATS trails.

Enjoy your weekend!

Gail Testa
CATS Operations Manager

A Gentle Hike to the Monitor (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Walking the French Way (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Volunteer Vacation Crew Completes Three Trail Projects (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
CATS Welcomes New Summer Interns (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Champlain Area Trails (CATS)

Champlain Area Trails (CATS) is a non-profit organization, begun in 2009, which creates and maintains hiking and cross-country ski trails in the Champlain Valley that link communities, connect people with nature, and promote economic vitality. In its short history, CATS has developed 35 miles of trails that when added to existing trails, gets it half-way toward the long-envisioned goal of a 30-mile trail loop between Westport and Essex. CATS will extend its trails to neighboring towns and eventually connect them to trails in the Adirondack Mountains, Vermont, and Quebec. Learn more on the CATS website.