The Jericho trail is a Blue-Blazed

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

trail in Watertown, near the border with Thomaston and

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

, Litchfield County,

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

. The trail is contained almost entirely in a section of the Mattatuck State Forest. The mainline trail is a linear north–south "hike-through" trail. The trail is listed as one of the three short Waterbury Area Trails in the Connecticut Walk Book West. The Jericho trail is a linear trail with a trailhead and parking area at the trails southern terminus on Echo Lake Road and a connector trail leading to Connecticut Route 262 in the west. The northern terminus terminates at the trail's intersection with the Mattatuck Trail near the Rock House and Crane's Lookout. Notable features several scenic overlook views including an 810-foot summit with a 270 degree panorama (Crane's Lookout ). The trail stops just before Crane's Lookout and the Rock House underneath, both which are on the Mattatuck Trail.Connecticut Walk Book: A Trail Guide to the Connecticut Outdoors. 17th Edition. The Connecticut Forest and Park Association. Rockfall, Connecticut. Undated. The trail is maintained largely through the efforts of the

Connecticut Forest and Park Association The Connecticut Forest and Park Association (CFPA), established in 1895, is the oldest private, nonprofit conservation organization in Connecticut. The organization is credited as an important early pioneer of the national land conservation move ...

Trail description

The Jericho Trail is primarily used for

backpacking Backpacking may refer to: * Backpacking (travel), low-cost, independent, international travel * Backpacking (hiking), trekking and camping overnight in the wilderness * Ultralight backpacking, a style of wilderness backpacking with an emphasis on ...

rock climbing Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...

, and in the winter,

snowshoe Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footw ...

ing.

Trail route

From the north it is also possible to connect to the Jericho Trail via the Mattatuck Trail (which can be found in Black Rock State Park), or to hike in using either of two unmarked paths (which include dirt road portions), one off of Park Road the other on. BBHTJerichoTrailLeathermanCave1

Origin and name

The trail is named for Jericho Brook which the trail follows for a length of less than a mile in the upper northern half of the trail route.

Folklore

The

Leatherman Leatherman is an American brand of multi-tool made by Leatherman Tool Group of Portland, Oregon. The company was founded in July 1983 by Timothy S. Leatherman and Steve Berliner in order to market the former's idea of a capable, easily p ...

was a nineteenth-century vagabond who traveled approximately ten miles a day in a thirty-four (34) day circular route between New York's Hudson River in the west and the Connecticut River in the east. His circuit was also bounded by Long Island Sound in the South and the Litchfield Hills in the north. He was found dead in March 1889 near Ossining, New York, in his Saw Mill Woods rock shelter (apparently of mouth cancer due to his use of tobacco) and is buried at the Sparta Cemetery, Route 9,

Scarborough, New York Briarcliff Manor () is a suburban village in Westchester County, New York, north of New York City. It is on of land on the east bank of the Hudson River, geographically shared by the towns of Mount Pleasant and Ossining. Briarcliff Manor inc ...

.Research by Dan W. DeLuca
(retrieved July 21, 2006)

Hiking

The mainline trail is blazed with blue rectangles. Trail descriptions are available from a number of commercial and non-commercial sources, and a complete guidebook is published by the

in the Connecticut Walk Book west. A map of the Thomaston and Watertown sections of the trail is available from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection at its website. Weather along the route is typical of

. Conditions on exposed ridge tops and summits may be harsher during cold or stormy weather.

References

External links

Specific to this trail:
CT Museum Quest Article on the Jericho Trail

CT Museum Quest Article on the Whitestone-Jericho Connector
Government Links:
State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection page for the Mattatuck State Forest, including a map

State of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Forestry Division Letterboxing Clues for Mattatuck State Forest

Town of Watertown Website
Leatherman:
The Legend of the Old Leatherman

Cold Spots: The Legend of the Leatherman
{{Protected areas of Connecticut Hiking trails in Connecticut Protected areas of Litchfield County, Connecticut Watertown, Connecticut