Higby Mountain facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Higby Mountain
Ledges of Higby Mountain
Highest point
Elevation	est. 892 ft (272 m) (ridge high point)
Geography
Location	Middletown, Meriden, and Middlefield
Parent range	Metacomet Ridge
Geology
Age of rock	200 Ma
Mountain type	Fault-block; igneous
Climbing
Easiest route	Mattabesett Trail

Higby Mountain, also known as Mount Higby, is a cool mountain ridge about 892 feet (272 meters) tall. It's located near Meriden, Connecticut. This mountain is part of a long, narrow chain of mountains called the Metacomet Ridge. This ridge stretches from Long Island Sound in Connecticut all the way north to the Vermont border.

Higby Mountain is famous for its tall cliffs, special mini-ecosystems (called microclimates), and rare plants. It rises steeply, about 600 feet (183 meters), above the Quinnipiac River valley and the city of Meriden. This creates a continuous, two-mile-long rocky edge. You can explore the mountain on the Mattabesett Trail, which is about 50 miles long.

Exploring Higby Mountain's Landscape

Higby Mountain is found within the towns of Middletown, Meriden, and Middlefield. It is about 3 miles long and 1.2 miles wide at its widest point. The mountain's rugged shape means it covers a much larger area than it looks.

Water Sources and Features

Higby Mountain is very important for water. It acts like a giant sponge, holding water underground. Two reservoirs and one pond are located at its base. The Higby Mountain Reservoir is at its eastern foot. Adder Reservoir sits on the upper eastern slope. Black Pond is nestled between Besek Mountain and Higby Mountain.

The mountain has a clear, sharp cliff line that is about two miles long. You can see it from many places in the Quinnipiac River Valley and the city of Meriden. A notable spot on the ridge is Camel's Hump, also called The Pinnacle, which is about 750 feet (229 meters) high. This point is just above a small dip in the mountain called Preston Notch.

Neighboring Peaks and Water Flow

Interstate 91 cuts through the gap between Higby Mountain and Chauncey Peak to the north. The Metacomet Ridge continues from Higby Mountain. To the northwest, it becomes Chauncey Peak. To the south, it becomes Besek Mountain.

Smaller hills extend north from Higby Mountain into Middletown. One of these is Fall Hill, where the 50-foot (15-meter) high Westfield Falls tumbles down. You can see these falls from Interstate 91, just north of Higby Mountain. Water from the north and east sides of Higby Mountain flows into Fall Brook, then Sawmill Brook, and finally into the Mattabesett River. This river then joins the Connecticut River and flows into Long Island Sound. Water from the west and south sides drains into Harbor Brook, then the Quinnipiac River, and also into Long Island Sound.

Mountain's Story: Geology and Ecosystems

Higby Mountain, like much of the Metacomet Ridge, is made of a type of rock called basalt, also known as traprock. This rock formed from volcanic activity.

How Higby Mountain Formed

The mountain was created around 200 million years ago, near the end of the Triassic Period. This was when the North American continent began to split away from Africa and Eurasia. Hot lava flowed up from these cracks in the Earth. It then cooled and hardened into thick layers of rock, hundreds of feet deep. Later, faulting (when parts of the Earth's crust move) and earthquakes tilted these rock layers. This tilting created the steep cliffs and the long ridgeline we see today on Higby Mountain.

Unique Habitats and Wildlife

Higby Mountain has a mix of different environments. Some upper slopes are hot and dry, while ravines are cool and moist. The ledges are rich in minerals from basalt talus (broken rock). This combination creates special microclimate ecosystems on the mountain. These unique spots support plants and animals that are rare in other parts of Connecticut. Higby Mountain is also an important path for raptor (birds of prey) during their migration.

Fun Activities and Protecting the Mountain

Many activities can be enjoyed on Higby Mountain. These include hiking, snowshoeing, bird watching, and picnicking. While swimming, boating, and fishing are not allowed in the reservoirs, you can fish and boat on Black Pond.

Trails and Access Points

The Mattabesett Trail runs along the ridgeline of Higby Mountain. This trail is maintained by the Connecticut Forest and Park Association. It stretches from the northern end of Lamentation Mountain south to Totoket Mountain and then north again to the Connecticut River.

Higby Mountain has two main places where you can start a hike. One is a parking area on the south side of the mountain, on the westbound side of Connecticut Route 66. This is about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Connecticut Route 15 in Meriden. The second trailhead is at the north end of the mountain. It's at the corner of Miner Street and Interstate 91, near exit 20 in Middletown. You can park along the road there. Black Pond can be reached from a small parking lot off East Main Street in Meriden, about 1.2 miles (1.9 km) east of Connecticut Route 15.

Conservation Efforts

Several groups work to protect Higby Mountain. The Nature Conservancy manages a 158-acre (64-hectare) nature reserve on the south ridgeline. The town of Middletown also owns part of the mountain. They keep it as open space and as a source of clean water. Black Pond, which is undeveloped and very scenic, is part of the Black Pond Wildlife Management Area.

The mountain's natural beauty and ecosystems face challenges from new buildings and quarrying (removing rock). In 2000, Higby Mountain was part of a study by the National Park Service. They were looking into creating a new National Scenic Trail. This trail is now called the New England National Scenic Trail. It would connect the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail in Massachusetts with the Mattabesett Trail and Metacomet Trail in Connecticut.

Local groups like the Meriden Land Trust and the Middlesex Land Trust have been working hard to protect the beautiful views from Higby Mountain.