Connecticut in Autumn, Hiking the Pine Knob Loop, Cornwall Bridge
This 2.5-mile loop is an excellent introduction to the short summits of the Litchfield Hills, an ideal retreat on a sunny fall afternoon. From the parking lot, cross Hatch Brook and begin your ascent to the first knob through a forest of oaks, ashes, maples, and hickories. Follow the blue blazes up the steep rocky slopes to your first lookout, before descending precipitously into a col. Here, you meet up with the Appalachian Trail and veer left back into the forest. Soon, you’re atop the second knob, which provides you with excellent vistas. The waters of the Housatonic River wind through the valley while the ski trails of Mohawk Mountain can be seen to the left in the distance. The Pine Knob Trail and the AT eventually split when you reach Hatch Brook. Veer left and venture downhill accompanied by the sounds of rushing water. When you reach the loop junction, turn right to return to your car.
I just received word that 
Rhode Island’s most popular trail is perched on the rocky shores above the Atlantic, ocean on one side, the backyards of the massive Bellevue Avenue mansions on the other. In the summer months, this 3 ½-mile route is crowded with hundreds of folks yearning to see the sloping lawns and backside of those summer “cottages” the Vanderbilts, Whitneys, and Astors built at the turn of the century. Come fall, you’ll pass the occasional dog walker as you take in the expanse of the sea all by your lonesome. Park your car on Narragansett Avenue near the walk and proceed to the right. You’ll soon spot The Breakers, the Italian-style villa commissioned by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1895. Another highlight is the red and gold lacquered Chinese-style pagoda at the Marble House. If you were wise, you booked a room at 
Next week, I’ll be discussing my favorite fall foliage activities in the region. Yet, I love September just as much as October in New England. The summer crowds are gone leaving the beaches deserted. It’s been unseasonably warm all week, in the low to mid-80s. With cousins in town from Arizona and my brother in from New York, we took advantage of the warm weather on Tuesday to drive up to a family favorite, Wingaersheek Beach in Gloucester. A mere 45-minute drive from my home and I was sifting my feet in the soft white flour-like sand looking at the gorgeous lighthouse at the point. It was low tide and we walked on a long sandbar almost out to that lighthouse. There were few people on the beach and best yet, there was no charge to enter. When we had our fill of sun, sand, and ocean, we headed to nearby Woodman’s for the requisite lobster roll, steamers, and onion rings. This place always has a long line in summer, but we marched right up to the counter to make our order. The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny the rest of the month so hit the coastline and dip your feet in the ocean one last time.