View From The Tower
October 16, 2006
By MELISSA PIONZIO, Staff Writer
On a recent Sunday afternoon, the wide, rocky trail leading to the Heublein Tower at Simsbury's Talcott Mountain State Park was filled with hikers of all ages enjoying the gorgeous fall weather. Brilliant blue skies, clear air and cool temperatures created a lovely atmosphere to enjoy with fellow nature-lovers.
Access to the trail is from a paved parking lot off Route 185, diagonally opposite the entrance to Penwood State Park. The 1.25-mile trail begins with a gradual incline that is shaded by an overhang of young birch, maple and elm trees that were just beginning to show their fall colors of red, yellow and orange.
Walkers continue along this part of the trail, which climbs uphill without being overly strenuous, until coming to a long wooded ledge that overlooks the Farmington Valley. Here, there are plenty of lookout points and rocky areas that jut out from the path for breathtaking views of the area. Parents and pet owners should take note of extremely steep drops along this section of the trail.
There wasn't much wildlife to be seen on this particular weekend as crowds of hikers pressed upward, but the area is home to a variety of critters, such as deer, fox, rabbits and the usual array of squirrels and chipmunks. On quieter days, bird watchers may encounter turkeys, vultures, hawks and eagles along with many other types of birds common to the area.
Pat and Harold Odiorne often drive from their Southwick, Mass., home to walk the trail. They say it is a restful spot that can be easily reached at any pace. The couple likes to hike there on weekdays, when it isn't so busy.
"One time we were coming up here in the morning and we saw a red fox," said Pat Odiorne. "It was a Thursday, so there weren't all these troops of people."
The trail continues away from the ridge, through heavily forested woods that include interesting rock formations and shady open spaces. Hikers will eventually see the Heublein Tower through the trees and can walk right up to the stone and stucco structure on a short path to the right, or continue toward the left and come out at the back of the building, where there are bathroom facilities and garden beds.
The 165-foot tower was built in 1914 by Gilbert Heublein as a summer home for his family and for the entertainment of weekend guests. Heublein was co-founder of G.F. Heublein and Bros., which later became Heublein Inc., an international food and beverage importing firm. The property is now owned by the state and is part of the Talcott Mountain State Park.
Pretty views are available from the stone steps at the front of the building; nearby is a huge stone fireplace and a barbecue pit. A large garage, also of stone and wood, is located further away from the property, past picnic tables and grills which are available for visitor's use. Leashed pets are welcome.
A side entryway that leads into Heublein's former study now serves as a gift shop run by the Friends of Heublein Tower Inc., a non-profit group whose mission is to restore the house to its original and authentic 1914 state. Here walkers will find a variety of items including T-shirts and sweatshirts and caps with depictions of the tower, tote bags, snacks, maps, nature and hiking books, postcards, stuffed animals and small toys.
Visitors can pass through the gift shop to an information desk staffed by state Department of Environmental Protection interpretive guides, who provide maps, information and tours of the building and grounds. Several rooms in the building are furnished with pieces that were owned by the Heublein family. The living room, with its large stone fire place, is filled with dark wicker furniture, leather chairs, a tea service and other knick knacks. As visitors climb the stairway to the tower, they can peek into several other rooms, including a sleeping porch, Heublein's bedroom and a room with displays of Heublein products.
From the tower promontory, visitors have splendid views of the Connecticut landscape that, on clear days, can reach 1,200 square miles. Some of the views include the town of Bloomfield and the Hartford skyline from the east; Reservoir 6, the Talcott Mountain Science Center and Sleeping Giant State Park to the south; Ethel Walker School and several mountain ranges, including Sugarloaf, Mohawk, Round and Bear mountains to the west; and Iron Bridge, the Mount Tom range and Springfield, Mass., to the north.
The trail to the park is open all year, while the tower building is open late spring through Labor Day, Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Labor Day through the last weekend in October, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gift shop is open on the weekends during the above schedule. For further information call the DEP at 860-424-3200 or the Friends group at 860-242-1158 or go to www.friendsofheubleintower.org or http://dep.state.ct.us/stateparks/parks/talcott.htm.
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Read about the proposed Whitewater Park project, the revitalization of downtown, and more jobs for the region in the Discover Willimantic section.
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