C and I woke up a little earlier than normal on Saturday in an attempt to beat the crowds on our annual fall hike up Talcott Mountain. The weather in New England this weekend was an absolute fall dream and this is one of my favorite seasonal activities! The hike boasts some incredible views of the Farmington Valley but you typically have to battle it out for a parking space and then bob through throngs of people all the way up the mountain on peak weekends. We got there a little after 8 am and were shocked to see only FOUR other cars! We literally had the entire trail to ourselves.
Surprisingly there was still quite a bit of green on the trees - it made a stunning collage of color for the entire duration of the trip! We are tempted to go back this weekend to see the trees at peak if we didn't already miss it during the week...
Heublein Tower, accessible only via hiking there, has a pretty cool history itself - the museum is free and definitely worth a visit (even for the views from the top alone!) if you get a chance. It was constructed in 1914 by a wealthy Hartford hotelier as a summer retreat and boasts some pretty memorable guests, including Dwight D. Eisenhower and countless socialites. Even more fascinating is the winter activities they used to pull off up there - including the construction of a full-blown ice rink for their "little" parties!
A few tips if you go - the route is hardest at the very beginning (straight uphill) and then is pretty easy for the rest of the walk. Stay to the right - don't get tempted by the "shortcuts" on the left as the right hand side runs along the face of the mountain (i.e. all the stunning views!). Also, there are no trash cans, bathrooms, or water along the way. Plan accordingly :)