Community Corner

Picture Connecticut: A Riverside Stroll

The latest stop on the Picture Connecticut tour offers a hiking and nature-watching opportunity.

The Hilliard Trail along the Hockanum River in Manchester.
The Hilliard Trail along the Hockanum River in Manchester. (Chris Dehnel/Patch )

MANCHESTER, CT — The next stop on the Picture Connecticut tour is a spot on the Hockanum River in Manchester. The Hilliard Park Trail is short, but definitely worth a try in terms of scenic value.

The trail head is located at the corner of New State Road and Hilliard Street, along with a decent-sized parking area. The trail itself is just about 0.15 miles and maintained by the Hockanum River Linear Park Committee.
This trail is a very short segment in the woods close along the river, with good views of the waterway, a bench, boat launch and open spots for fly fishing.

The trail starts at the parking lot and proceeds upstream, following the river to the junction where Bigelow Brook enters the river. It then terminates out on Hilliard Street or connects east on Hilliard Street past the Hilliard Mills to the corner of Hilliard and Adams Streets.
Wildlife in the area includes ducks and geese and sometimes a Great Blue Heron or Belted Kingfisher.

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Picture Connecticut is a weekly series that features images of the state, past and present.
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