The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Map of regional trails unveiled
GOSHEN » With the sunny weather of the summer months upon us, local residents can now consider the wide array of walking trails that crisscross the region at a glance, as a map of the network was presented to the Northwest Hills Council of Governments Thursday morning and is now publicly available.
The map, as well as a corresponding draft report, had been developed by the Housatonic Valley Association at the behest of the group of chief elected officials in recent months.
There are just over 538 miles of recreational walking trails distributed throughout the 21 communities of the Northwest Hills Council of Governments, according to the report.
This includes both regional trails — such as a portion of the Appalachian Trail, the Mowhawk Trail, the Tunxis Trail and the Mattatuck Trail — and local ones, including the trails of the White Memorial Conservation Center in Litchfield.
Immediately at hand, there are 22.8 miles of trails in Torrington, 13 miles in Winsted, and 41.7 miles in Litchfield, according to the report.
The map includes data points for these trails, including parking areas, routes, the identities of land owners and the location of trailheads.
Residents can enter an address and find the paths near them, and an app allowing easy mobile access to the resource is in development.
The map does not include every public trail in the area — towns were allowed to omit trails from being included on the map, such as abandoned roads in Sharon and privately owned trails in the Great Mountain and Aton forests, and unsafe trails were not included, officials said.
But it is, according to the report. “the most complete and comprehensive ever compiled for these recreational resources within the 21 town service area of the NHCOG.”
“For me, (the development process) really broadened my appreciation of the resource that exists across this region, and I’ve worked in land protection here for an often long time,” said HVA Greenpoint Director Tim Abbott. “But parts of your communities, I have never seen before this — and I’m impressed. There’s wonderful hiking opportunities of all grades and involvements in every one of your towns. There’s a few where I’m likely to take my family in the near-future, because it’s worth a repeat visit.”
Trails have been mentioned as a priority for the region by the council and were included in a regional transportation plan approved in September 2016.
NHCOG Executive Director Rick Lynn praised the HVA for its work Thursday and asked elected officials to consider and offer potential updates and changes in the next few months.
The report will be finalized by the end of August, Lynn said, and presented to the group at its September meeting.
“I’d just like to commend the HVA team for the enormous amount of work they did on this job over the past three-and-a-half months,” said Lynn.
The map can be accessed by visiting http://arcg. is/0KeqXf.
It will soon be posted on the Northwest Hills Council of Governments website, Abbott said Friday, allowing for easier access.