Thanks to Mora and our daily walks, I've discovered many lovely trails within just a few minutes of my home in Durham. I had hiked on some many years ago with our first "Durham Dog" Abby, then Jason and Ashley came along and replaced my dog walking time with their myriad of activities. I recently discovered that it's not as easy to reach the Coginchaug Caves as it was in the 80's due to all the housing that has been built over the past 30 years. One perfect morning a few weeks ago, I decided to get there via Harvey Road, then crossing Higganum Road (on the blue trail). At every turn and after each up and down (and there were many), I kept thinking it was just around the corner. Well, it was...but not until we had walked for an hour. That meant, of course, another hour before breakfast! It was a fun walk, however, despite the hills and rocks I climbed (sometimes stumbled over) to get there. Funny, my walking buddy runs up those trails with no effort! The caves are still worth the hike, but maybe carrying a snack is a good idea.
On the other side of Harvey Road is the blue trail that climbs up to Bear Rock and eventually winds its way to Miller Pond. I'm looking forward to that walk again when the Mountain Laurel is in bloom. There are many laurels along that path as there are in so many other trails in this area.
Who knew about Whitney Pond before "my life with Mora"? Not I, that's for sure! It's a small treasure which can be reached via 3 different roads. You can access it off of Cream Pot Road or by walking down a few yards from the end of Dead Hill Road, turning right, and ducking under the yellow gate (which, I think, is still part of Cream Pot Road). Or, you can access it from the Rockland Preserve (in Madison) not far from the North Gate. The pond is in the Mica Ledges Preserve (part of the Middlesex Land Trust and the Madison Land Trust). Within this preserve are the trails that also lead you to the Mica Ledges, a fantastic spot for views of Durham and Guilford. So, get those hiking shoes on, maybe find a good walking stick for some of the climbs and descents, and enjoy our "back yard"!
