The Smith Tree Farm, featuring
The Charlotte Craig Trail
Distance (difficulty): 1/4 mile to overlook (difficult); alternate 3/4 mile (moderate)
Special features: view of western hills with the Meriden Mountain to the south.
Location: At the Smith Tree Farm at 53 Doyle Road. Coming from North Canton on Wright Road, turn left (southwest) onto Doyle Road (not paved all the way to the Farm). Follow the road one-half mile. The Smith Tree Farm is on the right side at the point the old road gets daunting and provides opportunity to turn around. Looking into the driveway, you will see a brown barn about 100 feet in, with a white farmhouse to the left. Enter the driveway and park on the right. The farmhouse is leased as a private residence, so please be respectful of our tenant's privacy.
The Charlotte Craig Trail, first blazed in 1982, was the first hiking trail created by the CLCT. It was originally a quarter-mile trail climbing straight up the ridge. After the CLCT acquired the adjacent Paust and Rochford properties, the trail was expanded to loop around to the east, providing a more gradual descent back to the tree farm. The two trail heads for this loop are both reached by walking along the right side of the barn (you will be heading northward) to the rear field of Christmas Trees, where the trail heads will be found in the far left and right corners. The easier, more gradual climb is to the right. The trail is marked with yellow blazes. Your goal is the overlook atop the ridge that presents a wonderful vista of the south (Ratlum Mountain, including Ski Sundown, down to Meriden Mountain) and southwest across New Hartford.
Old trail map. (Does not show the newer portion of the loop to the northeast.)
The Smith Tree Farm is also a fine point from which to take the Ted Wright Trail to the south, up Ratlum Mountain, and onward to the Capen Cabin area and Breezy Hill Road. The trail head is found by walking further down Doyle Road 1/4 mile and turning left just after crossing the creek.