Ratings - difficulty (1 -10, 10=really tough), scenery (1- 10, 10=awesome)
Local
WAVENY PARK, NEW CANAAN
Distance: 2.7 miles for full loop around High School.
Difficulty: 2. Nearly flat with excellent footing except for some uneven grass on fields.
Scenery: 6. Beautiful open field section, with a not quite as interesting, well used wooded trails.
You can stop part-way through and do some intervals on the New Canaan High School track! Steve Pyle
Directions to Waveny Park
MIANUS RIVER PARK, COGNEWAUGH ROAD, COS COB
Distance: 5.5 miles for perimeter loop.
Difficulty: 7. Moderately hilly with tricky footing (rocks and roots). A few stream crossings and short steep hills.
Scenery: 5. All deep woods. Deer and coyote (very, very, rarely have been spotted here at sunrise and sunset).
Steve Pyle
Directions to Cognewaugh
DEVIL'S DEN, WESTON
Distance: 5.6 miles, 6.5 with out and back trip to overlook.
Difficulty: 8. Very tricky footing with lots of rocks, roots, and stream crossings. Few flat sections with many medium length hills.
Scenery: 6. Deep woods with Mountain Laurel groves, lots of deer at sunrise and sunset, and an occasional flock of wild turkeys! Great view from ledge overlook.
Steve Pyle
Directions to Devil's Den
GREENWICH POINT PARK, OLD GREENWICH
Distance: 2.6 miles for outer loop.
Difficulty: 1. Flat with good footing and loose sand in a couple spots.
Scenery: 7. Beach, ocean, and woods views abound. Beautiful indigenous shore plants in-season.
Steve Pyle
Directions to Greenwich Point Park
National & International
GARDEN OF THE GODS PARK, COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO
Distance: 6.2 miles for perimeter loop.
Difficulty: 10. 7000 ft of altitude with steep hills with rocky footing.
Scenery: 10. Spectacular rock formations in terra-cotta and white. Deep red ground, alpine plants , with Pike's Peak towering in the background.
Steve Pyle
WHITE TANKS REGIONAL PARK, (West of) PHOENIX, ARIZONA
Distance: Variable Many possibilities for routes within park.
Difficulty: 5. Some loose and rocky footing with many turns. Mostly flat, with the possibility of some hills depending on direction taken. Don't trip and fall on a cactus!
Scenery: 9. Run among 30 ft tall Saguaro cactus, not to mention cholla, creosote plants with the White Tank Mountains in the background.
Steve Pyle
TORREY PINES PARK, DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA
Distance: 5.5 Miles
Difficulty: 7. Long climb up Torrey Pines' Cliff into park. Good footing, but slippery after rain.
Scenery: 10. Begin with 1.5 miles south along pristine beach below cliffs, run up cli ffs into park and look out over the Pacific from 250 ft above the beach. Watch surfers and perhaps spot a seal, dolphin or migrating whale. Check-out the widevariety of indigenous flora.
Steve Pyle
PISMO BEACH, CALIFORNIA
Distance: Up to 10 miles, out and back route along continuos beach.
Difficulty: 1. Flat, wide, quite firm s and beach.
Scenery: 9. The beach goes on forever with few people. But vehicles are allowed on the beach, bummer!
Steve Pyle
MARIN HEADLANDS PARK, MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Distance: Variable Many different route depending where you park.
Difficulty: 6. Good footing, but substantial hills wherever you go.
Scenery: 9. Rolling hills meet the sea and waves break on the rocks. Unusual dark sand beach and on calm days seals can be spotted.
Miscellaneous: Visit the Marine Mammal Center, where infirm seals, sea lions, and sea elephants are healed.
Steve Pyle
ELK LAKE / BEAVER LAKE, VICTORIA, BC
Distance: 10 k.
Difficulty: 1. Flat with good footing and generally wide trails. Distances are marked and it is impossible to get lost.
Scenery: 7. Wooded with lake views. I've never seen too much wild life although a cougar was found downtown in the Empress Hotel parking lot a few years ago, so keep your eyes up!
Miscellaneous: If you are up early you can see members of the Canadian national rowing team on the lakes.
Erik Jensen