Lost Lake in Connecticut

Trip Overview

We "discovered" the Lost Lake on a hiking trip near our home on the West Wood Trail system a few weeks ago. When we saw kayakers down below us it got us interested in kayaking. After borrowing them we purchased some this week and went for our first trip in our own boats today back to The Lost Lake.

This is a brackish pond. It was cut off from the Long Island sound years ago when they put in train tracks I think. In the summer you will see people crabbing and fishing on the main road (Rt. 146) where the tide comes in and out just under the roadway.

The wildlife is abound! On our first trip we saw many ducks (not sure what kind but I'd never seem them before). Snowy White Egrets, Herons, and we saw an Osprey catch a fish and watched him hold it while sitting at the top of a dead tree. I'm not a birder so I'm not sure what else we saw but there were a few other species. I'm pretty sure we saw a kingfisher. I'll start reading through my bird book so I can give you more specifics. There's also a tiny waterfall.

You can view the hikers by paddling all the way to the end and look up to the big rocks, there's usually someone there taking a hiking break. Next time I'll take pictures...I have to buy a dry bag now I guess!

Accommodations:

There are no facilities at this location. One drawback was the litter than the people who go crabbing leave behind. Perdue chicken packs everywhere. We may try to clean that up the next time we go but I had no gloves or trash bags with me today.

Fees:

no permits or fees

Directions:

You can launch your kayak on Route 146 in Guilford (Leete's Island Road) between Stony Creek in Branford and Sachem's Head in Guilford...closer toward Sachem's Head area. There's parking on the side of the road for maybe a half dozen cars and a path (maybe 80' or so to get into the water...it's a little mucky and buggy on your way down, bring bug spray.

Resources:

You can read about Lost Lake here:

www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=XAC008-032

...but you have to join, which I didn't. You can read the first paragraph description for free.

This site calls it Beattie Pond but you can see an aerial view and get better directions:
http://www.fishingworks.com/lakes/connecticut/new-haven/guilford/beattie-pond/