kelly hollow

disclaimer: loads of photos, awkwardly placed due to graceless editing program.

kelly hollow is a cross country ski trail in winter and a very accessible hiking trail the rest of the year. it's one of those trails built on an old logging road for a good part of the way, but don't let this deter you. just because it's easy, don't think it will be dull. it's full of dense forest of all sorts (spruce, hemlock and white pine primarily). sometimes you see one forest on your left and across the trail is an entirely different world. you'll hike to the constant sound of water tearing around all over the place (there are plenty of falls, but no good photos yet).

it's a double loop trail and depending on how much of it you hike you will

also find a lean-to, a pond full of very loud frogs and and ancient apple orchard. the loops are 2 and just under 4 miles, making either one a quick afternoon hike. someone with a little more time can do both loops.

you will find low stone fences along much of the trail, but take one of the loops and once past the pond you'll find a collection of foundations and a wall or two sitting on top of them. they're in a nice clearing and if you passed up a chance to have lunch at the lean-to, this is a nice place to stop.

the trailhead is on mill brook road and the drive there is pretty spectacular itself. from 28 take dry brook road south about six miles through mapledale and seager (you will know you are in towns only because of the signs, not because there is a town there) to millbrook road. the intersection with millbrook is a Y and there is a dilapidated barn to let you know you're in the right place. a right onto millbrook gets you into some spectacular scenery (especially in winter) for the final nine miles of driving. the trail is on the left and there's always plenty of parking.

the best part was the drive back, though, because we came upon a pile of turkeys. wild ones are nicer to look at, shiny black-blue and sleek. turkeys are very large and although we've seen plenty around town, we'd never seen a pack of them. there are only five here, but there were at least ten in the middle of the road when we rounded a curve and saw them up the rise. i thought they were dogs.