Regicides Trail facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Regicides Trail |
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West Rock
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| Length | 7.0 mi (11.3 km) |
| Location | New Haven County, Connecticut, United States |
| Designation | CFPA Blue-Blazed Trail |
| Trailheads | Quinnipiac Trail Junction in north, West Rock Ridge State Park South Overlook parking lot by pavilion in south |
| Use | Hiking, snowshoeing, geocaching |
| Highest point | Junction with Quinnipiac Trail on York Mountain, 680 ft (210 m) |
| Lowest point | Wilbur Cross Parkway Tunnel Roof, 380 ft (120 m) |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Hard |
| Sights | New Haven, Woodbridge, Lake Watrous, Lake Dawson, Lake Wintergreen, Konold's Pond, Long Island Sound, Judges Cave |
| Hazards | Deer ticks, poison ivy, falling off cliff heights |
The Regicides Trail is a Blue-Blazed hiking trail in Connecticut. It is about 7 miles (11 km) long. The trail generally follows the edge of a rocky cliff made of a special type of rock called diabase or traprock. This cliff is located northwest of New Haven.
The trail gets its name from two men, Edward Whalley and William Goffe. They were called "regicides" because they were involved in the decision to execute King Charles I of England a long time ago. When King Charles II later became king, these men had to hide. In 1660, they hid in a place called Judges Cave, which is near the southern end of this trail. The Regicides Trail is known for being one of the more challenging trails in Connecticut's Blue-Blazed trail system.
What is the Regicides Trail Like?
The Regicides Trail is a narrow path marked with blue paint marks, called "blazes," on trees or rocks. It can be quite rocky and sometimes tricky to walk on, so good hiking shoes are a must!
A paved road called Baldwin Drive runs roughly parallel to the trail. This road is usually closed to cars, except for park maintenance vehicles. The road is named after Simeon E. Baldwin, who was the governor of Connecticut from 1911 to 1915.
The trail goes through several towns: New Haven, Hamden, Woodbridge, and Bethany. It is entirely located inside West Rock Ridge State Park. Even though it's in a state park, a private group called the Connecticut Forest and Park Association helps maintain it, working with the West Rock Ridge Park Association.
Where Does the Trail Start and End?
At its southern end, the Regicides Trail finishes near a building at the park's South Overlook. From this spot, you can see amazing views of South Central Connecticut. You might even spot Sleeping Giant State Park, East Rock Park, New Haven Harbor, and the Long Island Sound.
At its northern end, the Regicides Trail connects with another trail called the Quinnipiac Trail. Both of these trails are part of Connecticut's "Blue-Blazed Trails" system, which includes over 800 miles (1,287 km) of trails!
Connecting Trails
There are two other Blue-Blazed trails that connect to the Regicides Trail:
- The Westville Feeder trail starts on Blake Street in the Westville area of New Haven. It is about 0.6 miles long and joins the Regicides Trail just south of Judges Cave. This trail is marked with blue and yellow blazes.
- The Sanford Feeder trail follows an old road. It runs from Brooks Road in Bethany and connects to the Regicides Trail near Baldwin Drive. The Sanford Feeder is also 0.6 miles long and is marked with blue and red blazes.
The Regicides Trail also connects to other trails within West Rock Ridge State Park that are not part of the Blue-Blazed system. These include:
- The Red Trail, which forms a loop inside the park.
- The Green Trail, which goes down to the park's main entrance on Wintergreen Avenue.
- The Orange Trail, connecting to the south end of Lake Wintergreen.
- The Gold Trail, connecting to the northern end of Lake Wintergreen.
- The Purple Trail, connecting to Main Street in Hamden.
- The Yellow Trail, connecting to Mountain Road in Hamden.
You can also connect to the Woodbridge trail system from the Regicides Trail. The red-blazed North Summit Trail meets the Regicides Trail just west of Baldwin Drive, near a U-shaped viewpoint. The North Summit Trail is 0.8 miles long and connects to the Bishop Estate and Darling House Trails, which are off Connecticut Route 69 in Woodbridge.
