Mohawk Mountain State Park

Cornwall, CT

Sources: Keyarts #16; Hardy, #38

Directions:

In Goshen at the junction of CT 4 and CT 63 drive 4 miles west on CT4. The entrance is on the south side of CT 4.

Geology:

The mountain is 1,683 feet high.

Habitats:

Red/Black Spruce Swamps: ~Basin Swamp - forested and/or shrub swamps with stagnant or slow moving water; in topographically defined basins; on decomposed peats and mucks. Includes acidic Red/Black spruce basin swamp, Red spruce (Picea rubens) saturated forests, Black spruce (Picea mariana) saturated forests and Black spruce saturated woodlands. Community examples: Red spruce / Mountain holly (Nemopanthus mucronata) community Example - Holleran Swamp, Colbrook (TNC) Black spruce / Sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) community Example - Mohawk Mountain Black Spruce Bog Natural Area Preserve, Cornwall

(Source: Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection: Connecticut's Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy: Species and Habitat Lists  http://dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/wildlife/geninfo/fedaid/cwcs/sphblist.asp?Group=Habitats)

Trails:

Walk through the gate on the right. Turn left onto a gravel walk. On the white-blazed AT, turn right into the woods. (If you turn left you go to Dean’s Ravine). The trail heads generally southwest to the Black Spruce Bog. (On the way it crosses Toumey Road.)

At the ski lift area the hiker finds the blue-blazed Mattatuck Trail. The two trails run together briefly. Follow the Mattatuck Trail to the summit.

On top there is a summit tower with a 360 degree view. To the north is the Rig Plateau with Mounts Everett, Race and Bear. On the west are the Catskills. Southwest is Harriman Park in New York.

You can retrace your steps or go down Mattatuck road, turn left and return via Toumey Road.

PLANT LIST:

Trees:

Acer pensylvanicum (goose-foot maple)

Acer rubrum (red maple)

Betula lenta (black birch)

Betula papyrifera (white birch)

Picea mariana (black spruce)

Pinus resinosa (red pine)

Pinus strobus (white pin)

Prunus serotina (black cherry)

Quercus spp. (oaks)

Shrubs:

Alnus sp. (alder)

Chamaedaphne calyculata (leatherleaf)

Kalmia latifolia (mountain laurel)

Salix discolor (pussy willow)

Vines:

Vitis sp. (grape)

Herbs:

Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower)

Trillium sp. (trillium)

(Indian paintbrush)

Grasses:

(wild oats)

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