| Talcott Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Talcott Mountain cliffs from the Farmington River floodplain. Heublein Tower, top right. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 950 ft (290 m) |
| Coordinates | 41°43′32″N 72°48′43″W / 41.72556°N 72.81194°W to 41°54′09″N 72°45′51″W / 41.90250°N 72.76417°W |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Farmington, West Hartford, Avon, Bloomfield, and Simsbury, Connecticut |
| Parent range | Metacomet Ridge |
| Geology | |
| Rock age | 200 Ma |
| Mountain type(s) | Fault-block; igneous |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Metacomet Trail |
Talcott Mountain of central Connecticut, with a high point of 950 feet (290 m), is a 13-mile (21 km) long trap rock mountain ridge located 6 miles (10 km) west of the city of Hartford. The ridge, a prominent landscape feature, forms a continuous line of exposed western cliffs visible across the Farmington River valley from Farmington to Simsbury. Talcott Mountain is part of the narrow, linear Metacomet Ridge that extends from Long Island Sound near New Haven, Connecticut, north through the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts to the Vermont border.[1]
A popular outdoor recreation resource, Talcott Mountain is known for its microclimate ecosystems, rare plant communities, and expansive views from cliffs that tower up to 700 ft (213 m) above the surrounding landscape.[1][2]
Talcott Mountain encompasses two state parks, several municipal recreation areas and reservoirs, a science center and school, a demonstration forest, and the historic Heublein Tower. The 51-mile (82 km) Metacomet Trail traverses the ridge.[3]
- ^ a b Farnsworth, Elizabeth J. "Metacomet-Mattabesett Trail Natural Resource Assessment." Archived 2007-08-07 at the Wayback Machine, 2004. PDF file. Cited Nov. 20, 2007.
- ^ DeLorme Topo 6.0. Mapping Software. DeLorme, Yarmouth, Maine
- ^ Connecticut Walk Book: A Trail Guide to the Connecticut Outdoors. 17th Edition. The Connecticut Forest and Park Association. Rockfall, Connecticut. Undated.