This hike has served as a reminder as to what nature can do for us. There is a certain peace the forest brings, a connection that has hikers heading for the hills whenever we need healing. For those who have asked why we do this: the answer can be found amongst the trees, on top of the mountains, and in every footprint we have left behind.

The character of New England wouldn’t be quite the same without the countless miles of stone walls that criss-cross the forests and weave through modern suburban sprawl. It’s not uncommon to find these walls running straight through the woods, which leaves many people wondering exactly why they were built in the first place.

The Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea) is a part-time carnivore that supplements its diet by dissolving and absorbing nutrients from the bodies of insects that drown within the pools of its cone-shaped leaves.

With Connecticut experiencing a near-”Arctic” winter of its own in 2011, Trails of Freedom set out to Hubbard Park in Meriden, Connecticut to create a structure that epitomizes early Arctic life… the igloo.

This area of the Northeastern United States, while not devoid of poisonous or predatory creatures, nonetheless seems to be among the safest places to venture into the woods. But a look back through time reveals that it wasn’t always this way…

Photo of the Week #6 features one of many pools that briefly gather water as Falls Brook spills down the gorge at Kent Falls State Park in Kent, Connecticut.