| Hiking Trail Conditions Report |
 | Peaks |
Mt. Prospect, Lion's Head, Bear Mountain, CT |
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 | Trails: |
Appalachian Trail |
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 | Date of Hike: |
Monday, October 19, 2026 |
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 | Parking/Access Road Notes: |
My vehicle was the only one there at the designated AT lot along Lime Rock Rd. (Route 7) in Falls Village. |
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 | Surface Conditions: |
Dry Trail, Leaves - Significant/Slippery |
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 | Recommended Equipment: |
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 | Water Crossing Notes: |
Most were bridged or easy stepovers; Brassie Brook can be more significant, but was an straightforward walk on the rocks given relatively low water flows. |
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 | Trail Maintenance Notes: |
There was one large cluster of blowdowns just below Great Falls (on the section of trail that leaves and then rejoins Housatonic River Rd.) There is no convenient way through or around this; it requires tenacity and gymnastics- and then a bit of work to relocate the trail on the other side. Otherwise, everything was in great shape and easy to follow, despite the blanket of fresh leaves covering much of the footway. As a side note, there were two signs along the way, indicating the respective distance from the southern terminus was 1494.6 miles and 1500.0 miles. The problem was, the signs seemed to be only about 2 miles apart. I don't think I covered 5.4 miles in 40 minutes, at a brisk hiking pace, with several photo stops. |
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 | Dog-Related Notes: |
Saw plenty, especially along the accessible section next to the Housatonic River. All sections here are suitable for canines. |
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 | Bugs: |
Found a tick on me after the hike- yes, they are still in season! As for other annoying insects, those are happily absent for now. |
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 | Lost and Found: |
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 | Comments: |
This was an out-and-back on the AT from Falls Village (slightly south of Housatonic Valley Regional High School) to Bear Mountain, to cover a few miles of the Connecticut AT I hadn't yet seen. Going only up to Mt. Prospect would have felt unfulfilling, so I continued north for a while for turning back. Many of the leaves were already down, but the forest was illuminated in yellow, and there were many shrubs that had turned a vivid shade of red. Trail conditions were almost completely dry, and the route passed several noteworthy outlooks (Great Falls, Rand's View, Lion's Head, and Bear Mountain, among others). I saw about 9 deer in the early morning hours. There were a few other hikers, primarily around Bear Mountain, Lion's Head, and the accessible section along the Housatonic River. Between Great Falls and Route 44 in Salisbury, I didn't see another soul. Overall, this was about 32.6 miles, with 5,400' elevation gain. Please note that key attractions on this route can also be visited in much shorter distances. Full details on Unnecessary Climb! |
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 | Name: |
Jason |
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 | E-Mail: |
kurlando7@hotmail.com |
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| Date Submitted: |
2026-10-21 |
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 | Link: |
 https://unnecessaryclimb.wordpress.com/at-falls-village-to-bear-mountain/ |
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Disclaimer: Reports are not verified - conditions may vary. Use at own risk. Always be prepared when hiking. Observe all signs. Trail conditions reports are not substitutes for weather reports or common sense. |
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