On The Trail At: Mount Frissell The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut squabbled over their common border for more than 150 years. When the matter was finally resolved in 1806. When the dust settled and the agreed-upon border was drawn, the summit of Mount Frissell wound up jussssssssssssst that little bit into Massachusetts. But the side of the mountain residing in Connecticut happened to be higher than any other place in the Nutmeg State. And so Connecticut is the only one of the 50 states whose highpoint is not a summit. There are several options for your dog to stand at the roof of Connecticut. The most direct is from the trailhead on East Street that takes you up and over Round Mountain and onto Mount Frissell in a little over a mile. The climbs are steady but won't overwhelm a healthy trail dog. A little ways past the highpoint marker and 80 feet higher is the open, grassy summit that has been heretofore obscured by the thick trees. If your goal is simply to tag the highest point in the state, turn around and head back. But as long as you're up here... The marquee canine hike in Mount Washington State Forest (where you are) is the trek to 2240-foot Alander Mountain and its expansive 270-degree views that may be the best in western Massachusetts. After passing the Tri-State Marker you can head north on the lightly traveled Ashley Hill Trail through lush forests and head back up to Alander Mountain. Until the campground about halfway back to the summit the going is on a wide jeep road and there will be plenty of unbridged stream crossings that your dog will happily bound through. When your dog gets his fill of mountaintop views of the Hudson Valley and the Catskills continue across to the South Taconic Trail to close your loop. If you plan to make the big loop you can also start your day in the forest headquarters and just take a jog down the Mount Frissell Trail, rather than cross Round Mountain. The loop over Alander Mountain will cover about eleven miles. <<Back To April 2008 Newsletter <<Back To Article Index