Partridge Woods - Osgood Hill

 I ascended Osgood Hill a few months ago on a hot and steamy day on the Kulish Ledges side. There are trails on the other side of Osgood Hill as part of the Partridge Woods trail network. A couple are relatively new and the whole system is rather rustic, but super well marked and easy to follow. Parking is off Brickyard Road, I actually missed the entrance the first time, at a large stack of mailboxes, look for a small sign just in from the road, there is a parking area and kiosk just down from that. Starting on Ethans Way, which is an old road, the trail ascends moderately but with easy footing. At half a mile, the Hurd Hill Trail leaves to the left. I took this trail, which is another old road. It intersects with Ridge Trail after 0.2 miles (in a rare instance, I found the mileage on the signs to be exactly as my watch recorded!) and then shortly thereafter veers off to the left, creating a loop over the summit of Hurd Hill. I started my hike with very low clouds/fog, so I didn't really have much by way of views.. not that there are many along this route. The summit of Hurd Hill is somewhat cleared, but also overgrown with a picnic table and bench amongst the tall grass. From here I picked up Ridge Trail, which starts as an old road, then becomes trail. The variety of terrain along here is cool, from open woods, to blueberry bushes to open area with tall grass and back into woods. There are a couple viewpoints noted on the trail guide which stem from cleared trees. Ridge Trail heads up and over a summit named Blacktop before a short, somewhat steep climb with a ton of little switchbacks up to the Osgood Hill summit. Another bench on the summit of Osgood Hill is in a cleared area, however no views here. I continued on Kulish Ledge Trail for about half a mile, then picked up Osgood Hill Link Trail. In about half a mile it meets up with Wheeler Trail. I went left first descending a couple tenths of a mile to a driveway marked semi private on the map but private on a sign on the road. I retraced my steps continuing on Wheeler Trail past the intersection with Osgood Hill Link Trail and Ethans Way to the intersection with Ridge Trail. Wheeler Trail is another old road, slightly rougher footing, but still easy going. Back to the intersection with Ethans Way and an old homestead site of the Wheeler property. From here I descended down Ethans Way (old road the entire way) and back to the car. I only saw 2 ladies hiking up within my last 3/4 mile on Ethans Way. 

Strava Activity

Hurd Hill Trail going left, Ridge Trail going right

funky tree along Ridge Trail

loved the sun burning through the fog

mixed variety of terrain along Ridge Trail

Kulish Ledge Trail 

Wheeler Trail at the private driveway

Wheeler Trail where Osgood Hill Link Trail ends

Wheeler Trail where Ethans Way meets up