One of my favorite hikes is Tinkerville Brook in Ashford, CT. It is one of many properties owned by Joshua’s Trust and was recommended to me by their executive director Mike Hveem. The first time I visited the property was with my wife Julie, and we found it to be an enchanting property, not only for a nice loop hike, but it is also a great place to sit, take in the scenic habitat and enjoy some quiet time in a lush forest.

The property is in a narrow strip of land and 0.7 miles between Armitage Road and Bissonnette Pond. Tinkerville brook is a beautiful forest stream that winds along near the trail and then tumbles down a ravine waterfall on its way to Bissonnette Pond. The waterfall is certainly a major feature of the property, and so too is the massive stone abutment at the crest of the falls. The roar of the water can be heard before you approach the falls and ads to the charm of this property. The height and grandeur of the handmade structure speaks of a bygone era of stone craftsmanship. We sat in silence on the edge of wall and soaked up the tranquility of the forest and tumbling waters.

The brook passes through swamp and marsh land full of herbaceous plants and shrubs. If you go in March, look for skunk cabbage as it starts sprouting from the wet soil near the brook. The property also has several very large black birch trees and mature stately hemlocks and appears to have been relatively undisturbed for many years.

Julie and I followed the trail along the brook to where the property ends at Bissonette Pond and took the loop trail back up towards the brook and then to the trail head and small parking area. From start to finish it is about 1.5 miles of relatively easy hiking and perfect for either a quick hike in nature, or a more extended visit. We vowed to return and bring a picnic lunch to enjoy along the banks of Tinkerville Brook.

The Last Green Valley filmed a short video about Tinkerville brook with the folks from Joshua’s Trust. It can be found on the TLGV YouTube page:

https://youtu.be/N72VFga6Jgg

Here is the link to the trail map from the Joshua’s Trust website:

https://joshuastrusttest.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Tinkerville-Trail-Map-2019-05-30.pdf