Winter Fun at Sunrise Park

Armed with warm gloves, snowshoes, sleds and a thermos full of hot chocolate, my family and I headed out for a day of fun in the snow at .

We parked in front of the pavilion and were able to sit in the shelter of the overhang and easily strap on our snowshoes. With hopes of seeing a deer, we headed north along the blue-blazed Eagle Cliff trail. 

I thought we had gotten an early start until, not twenty feet into our trek, we encountered two gentlemen and their dog who had obviously been out for a while running the trails on their snowshoes. They were a bit more ambitious than the tranquil stroll in the woods I had in mind. They told us the trails were already cut and in great condition.

And they were right. 

We had picked the perfect day to venture into the woods. The sky was a bright cornflower blue and the temperature settled in at a comfortable 30 degrees. There was only a slight breeze blowing over the pond. It was enough to make us feel like the only people on earth.

It didn’t take long for the quiet of the woods to settle in on us. All of a sudden we were more aware of the majesty of the trees, the brilliance of the snow and the shimmer of the ice upon the pond.

Not far down the trail we passed through the Chapel and made our way around White's Pond, over Austin Brook to the Over the Mountain trail. Looking back over White's Pond from that vantage point, you couldn’t help but be struck by the beauty of the park. 

Sunrise Park was purchased by the people of Suffield from the estate of Edward M. White, truly the people’s park (to borrow a phrase). The over 130-acre park surrounds the 20-acre White's Pond and includes the blue-blazed Metacomet Trail. 

Metacomet, a Connecticut Forest & Parks Association trail, traverses the summit of West Suffield Mountain from the south.  The north end was re-routed in 1985 to follow the west and north boundaries of Sunrise Park, through Suffield Land Conservatory property, to the junction of Phelps and Mountain Roads.

I suppose it’s important to note that though I enjoy hiking and snowshoeing, I’m not an athlete of any kind. I walk my three miles three times a week but that’s about it. I’m usually up for a challenge, but I’m not looking to train for a triathlon.

My husband and my son, soon to be 11, came along for this adventure. My husband, who can bike up to 100 miles a week in good weather, was up for anything and my son, a black belt in karate and soccer player, was two steps ahead of him. There was about 15 inches of snow on the ground and West Suffield Mountain looked daunting from the junction of Deer Run and the Over the Mountain trail.

Not to worry, though the climb is steep up Deer Run, an orange-blazed trail, it’s still fairly easy and the effort is worth the reward. Almost immediately, we found ourselves following along with a fresh set of deer prints. A few feet further along the trail we could see deer runs to the left and right, some well worn. 

The trail was dotted with sturdy red oak and gently swaying birch trees.  My son was able to identify each type as we moved along by the signs affixed to the trees.  Soon, we found ourselves in a patch of oak that had clearly been identified by the deer as a great place for a mid-morning snack. Pockets of snow, about 3 feet wide and circular, had been expertly moved aside to provide easy access to acorns and other vegetation.

In some areas we came across, it almost looked like the Suffield Department of Public Works had been out clearing the snow. Wide sections of the fluffy white powder had been kicked and nuzzled away to grant these wintering animals a tasty treat.

About halfway up the mountain, we decided to go off trail and head back down toward White's Pond. It was a bit tricky cutting a path over fallen trees and uneven terrain, but the views of the pond and the pavilion on the far shore were worth it. 

We managed to connect back with the West Shore trail about 20 feet before the Council Fire area. Again, we encountered feeding areas for deer and cozy spots perfect for the animals to bed down. The walk from the beach to the pavilion was flat and easy. It allowed a nice opportunity to cool off after the climb up and back down the mountain. 

Our little excursion around the pond only took us about an hour and a half, but our day didn’t end there. We abandoned our snowshoes for hot chocolate and sledding.  The hill across the parking lot from the pavilion seemed ideal. 

Two other families with sleds and a snowboard in tow had already packed the snow, creating some amazing jumps. My husband and I found a nice viewing spot on a welcoming little bench at the top of the hill. 

My nephew joined us after having stopped at Suffield Hardware and, for $7, purchased “the best saucer sleds ever” (the consensus of everyone on the hill). The good old-fashioned saucer sled beat every other type of sled on the hill. It worked especially well at fashioning another jump.

Every variation of the sled run was attempted: frontwards, backwards, two-man and spinning among them. We all raced and fell and laughed. 

“You’re never too old for sledding,” my husband said.

After another hour and a half, exhausted but happy, we had some drinks and snacks, packed up and headed out. 

Only minutes away, you can find a winter wonderland in the woods and on the slopes of West Suffield Mountain.