| Saltonstall Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Looking south at two men fishing from a boat in Lake Saltonstall, Saltonstall Mountain is on the right. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | est. 320 ft (98 m) ridge high point |
| Coordinates | 41°16′44″N72°51′42″W / 41.27889°N 72.86167°W /41.27889; -72.86167 to41°18′58″N72°47′12″W / 41.31611°N 72.78667°W /41.31611; -72.78667 |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Branford,North Branford, andEast Haven, Connecticut |
| Parent range | Metacomet Ridge |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | 200 Ma |
| Mountain type(s) | Fault-block;igneous |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Ridge Trail or Branford Trail |
Saltonstall Mountain, also known asSaltonstall Ridge (Lonotonoquet inQuinnipiac),[1] with a high point of (est.) 320 feet (98 m) above sea level, is atraprock mountain ridge located 3 miles (5 km) east ofNew Haven, Connecticut and 1.75 miles (2.8 km) north of Long Island Sound. It is part of theMetacomet Ridge that extends fromLong Island Sound nearNew Haven, Connecticut, north through theConnecticut River Valley ofMassachusetts to theVermont border. Saltonstall Mountain is known for its 100 foot (30 m) scenic cliff faces and sharp ridgeline, uniquemicroclimate ecosystems, rare plant communities, and forLake Saltonstall, a 3 miles (5 km) long by 0.3 miles (400 m) wide municipal reservoir nearly enclosed by the mountain. Saltonstall Mountain is traversed by a number of hiking trails managed by theSouth Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (SCCRWA) and Branford Land Trust.
Saltonstall Mountain rises steeply 200 feet (61 m) above the surrounding landscape, with a high point of (est.) 320 feet (98 m). It is roughly 5.75 miles (9.3 km) long by 1.25 miles (2.0 km) wide and shaped like ahunting bow. The mountain lies within the towns ofBranford,North Branford, andEast Haven, Connecticut. Its western side is steepest, with vertical ledges andtalus slopes, while its eastern side is lower and punctuated by hilly rises. The high point lies at the north end of the mountain; Lake Saltonstall is sandwiched in the mountain's southern arms. Beside Lake Saltonstall, the mountain shelters several other small bodies of water, includingLidyhites Pond, located in the center of the ridge north of Lake Saltonstall;Linsley Pond andCedar Pond, located at the mountain's northern foot; and the twoBranford Supply Ponds, located at the eastern foot. TheFarm River runs along the western foot of the mountain.Interstate 95 cuts through the southern tip of the ridge.
The Metacomet Ridge continues north from Saltonstall Mountain asTotoket Mountain and south asBeacon Hill where the ridge terminates at Long Island Sound. To the west, the Metacomet Ridge continues from Saltonstall Mountain through urban East Haven and New Haven as a series of parallel traprock rises culminating inEast Rock. An outlying peak,Peter's Rock, lies to the north-northwest of Saltonstall Mountain.The west side of Saltonstall Mountain drains into the Farm River, thence to the East Haven River and Long Island Sound; the east side into Pisgah Brook, thence into the Branford River and Long Island Sound.
Saltonstall Mountain, like much of the Metacomet Ridge, is composed ofbasalt, also called traprock, avolcanic rock. The mountain formed near the end of theTriassic Period with therifting apart of the North American continent from Africa andEurasia.Lava welled up from the rift and solidified into sheets of strata hundreds of feet thick. Subsequentfaulting andearthquake activity tilted the strata, creating the cliffs and ridgeline of Saltonstall Mountain. Hot, dry upper slopes, cool, moist ravines, and mineral-rich ledges of basalttalus produce a combination ofmicroclimate ecosystems on the mountain that support plant and animal species uncommon in greater Connecticut. Examples rare plant and animal species (protected by the state of Connecticut) that live on Saltonstall Mountain include theeastern box turtle,red-shouldered hawk, andviolet wood sorrel. Saltonstall Mountain is also an importantraptor migration path. (SeeMetacomet Ridge for more information on the geology and ecosystem of Saltonstall Mountain).
The southern half of the mountain is protected as public watershed managed by the SCCRWA. The SCCRWA maintains a number of hiking trails and pedestrian/bicycle roads on the ridge and along the shore of Lake Saltonstall. A permit (good for a year, fee charged), available from the SCCRWA, is required to visit the property. Permitted activities on the mountain includehiking,bicycling,picnicking,snowshoeing, and other passive activities. Notable trails include an interpretive nature trail and a dead-end ridgeline trail with precipitous views to the west. The 28-mile (45 km)Branford Trail, a recreational footpath that loops around the town of Branford and visits the town's many conservation properties, passes through the east side of the SCCRWA watershed property. Fishing and boating (using the SCCRWA's boats only) are allowed on Lake Saltonstall, where the SCCRWA manages a boat rental shop and handicap accessible fishing pier in season. Swimming and dogs are prohibited, and most of the southernmost 0.5 miles (800 m) of the mountain is off limits to the public.
The northern half of the mountain is surrounded by suburban subdivisions; a few reach to parts of the ridgeline. Nonetheless, the Branford Land Trust and the town of Branford manage 800 acres (3.2 km2) of protected open space on the north summit and adjoining parts of the mountain. The Branford Trail crosses through these properties. Passive activities such as hiking and picnicking are encouraged. The town of East Haven maintains open frontage on the Farm River at the west base of Saltonstall Mountain where fishing is allowed.
The SSCRWA parking lots are located off Hoseley Avenue, 1.9 miles (3.1 km) north ofU.S. Route 1 in Branford. A permit is required to park and use the trails or lake. There are two parking areas for the Branford Trail. The first is located on Laurel Hill Road via Brushy Hill Road, 1.25 miles (2.0 km) north of its junction with Route 1. The second is located on Northford Avenue via Mill Plain Road, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) north of Route 1. Three parking lots for the Branford Supply Ponds trails are located on Chestnut Street and its extension, Short Rocks Road, 0.3 miles (0.5 km) north of Route 1. Permits are not required to use the Branford Trail and Branford Supply Ponds parking areas.
| ↓ South | North ↑ | North ↑ | < West |
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| Beacon Hill (no image) |  |  |  |