There is a boulder within Stoppleworth Conservation Area - a 55-acre nature preserve in Tolland – that juts out into the surrounding ferns. You can climb to the top of the ledge, plop down and enjoy the peace and solitude or eat a picnic lunch.
Stoppleworth is a place that draws you in as soon as you pass through the split-rail fence from the parking lot. From here, you can take either a right or left on the mile-long, orange-blazed loop trail that goes through the heart of the preserve.
The path takes you past some huge ferns and over several bridges before reaching a "resting" bench in honor of Leland Stoppleworth, the preserve's namesake. From here, the trail twists and turns down through a valley and up another hill, passing several more bridges, including a rare bridge made of huge stones.
There are plenty of rock formations along the way, including impressive ledges and boulders that seemed to have been randomly placed by giants. There are even a few cairns around - those piles of stones made by hikers in the shape of a cone.
The orange trail connects to the white-blazed trail of the 85-acre Campbell's Peaceful Valley where you can climb up ridges and cliffs that were once the size of the Himalayas or rocks that were once part of an ancient coral reef.
For those looking for a longer journey, Peaceful Valley has three blazed trails. A half-mile yellow-blazed loop trail takes you through the forest to a scenic overlook of the surrounding hillsides and Shenipsit Lake, with Hartford in the distance. A half-mile blue-blazed trail traverses through a bog and past rocky outcroppings and cliffs. A short red-blazed trail follows Grant's Brook and through some of the valley's meadows. Going from the crest of the northern hill to the bottom of Peaceful Valley, you traverse a sequence of rocks formed along the coast of North America 420 million years ago.
Mark your calendar for July 10 at 1 p.m. That's when retired University of Connecticut geology professor Tony Philpotts leads a geology walk through Peaceful Valley. Philpotts, who took students to this outdoor geological showcase for years, will explain the natural history and lay of the land. Participants should park at 215 Hunter Road.
Exit 67 off I-84 and follow Route 31 toward Rockville. Take a right onto Route 30. Turn left onto Crystal Lake Road and then right onto Hunter Road. The parcel is directly across from 376 Hunter Road. For maps of the preserves visit http://www.conservingtollandct.org.
