Mohawk Trail Complete!

 

I was able to get out this week and complete the last section of the Mohawk Trail.   I decided to hike a modified Pine Knob loop that ended on the last .6 miles of the Mohawk Trail.  I parked at the Pine Knob loop parking area and began hiking taking the route to the right.  The trail is flat for a little while before climbing through hardwood forest.

  Soon the views start to come through the trees and eventually the trees open up to a nice view of the Housatonic River valley. 

A few ups and downs over some rocky knobs and you find the intersection with the AT.  It felt good to be on the AT as it usually does.  I hiked along the AT and enjoyed the forest and the views as they came.  The trail starts its descent and eventually I came to intersection where the Pine Knob loop breaks off, I stayed on the AT south, hiking toward my destination of the Mohawk Trail. 

The AT continues going down eventually levelling out and then climbing slightly again.  There are numerous charcoal hearth circles all along the trail here, evidence from the early iron industry that was in this area in the 19th century.  Stonewalls and hardwoods all around as the trail continues south.  The intersection with the Mohawk Trail comes soon and it is a climb up to Breadloaf Mountain. 

The summit offers a nice view to the south.  Then it is a steady descent to the river valley and Route 7.  I walked the road, about a mile, back to my truck.  It was a cold cloudy day with flurries all through the hike.  Temps were in the high 20’s, but there was very little ice on the trail and no snow.  It was a good hike, totaling 5 miles in a loop.  It feels good to finally complete the 25.2 miles of the Mohawk Trail, it was the first backpacking trip I took all those years ago with the Boy Scouts.