“The best medicine is simply walking in the woods,” Daniel Nazzaro, former advisor of the Hiking Vikings Club, physics teacher, and avid hiker said. So, I set out to test Mr. Nazarro’s theory, and took to the local hiking trails around East Lyme to report back on the best places to go for a mentally medicinal hike and see some renowned New England foliage.
First on the list: Rocky Neck State Park. As a novice hiker, this trail involved little effort, and the views were well worth the 2.5 mile loop that took me about an hour to complete. The path follows a paved road surrounded by trees, but it’s easy to wander off into the woods to check out some gorgeous ocean views. The vibrant leaves entranced me for most of the hike, so I would highly recommend this one to see foliage. Toward the end, the path spills out to the Rocky Neck Beach and Pavilion, where it loops back around to the parking lot. This hike is a popular spot, so it isn’t ideal for people looking for some solitary time in the woods, but overall is a convenient and pretty place to go.
I had high expectations for the next stop: Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve. This hike had six different trails to choose from, ranging from 1-3 miles. I chose the 3.2 mile blue loop. This path was more woods than water, but easy to follow if you look for the blue markers, also known as blazers, on the trees. This hike was a bit more challenging than the first, and therefore would be preferable for someone looking for more of a workout. There were fewer people than at Rocky Neck, and I passed zero fellow hikers in my 90 minutes on the muddy blue path. I would recommend this hike for the exercise, solitude, and scenic leaf peeping overlooks along the way.
My final destination was a little known hiking path near Powers Lake in East Lyme. This was the easiest hike of the three, and the least busy. The path leads to a gorgeous lookout over Powers Lake. This hike isn’t a loop like the other two, so if you’re looking for a quick out and back trail, this is the place to go. This trail didn’t take very long, about
half an hour, but had the prettiest views. If you’re looking for some spots nearby to view some breathtaking foliage, get some exercise, or simply get some healing fresh air, then pull up your hiking boots and go explore the outdoors at Rocky Neck,
