Tolland County High Point Trip Report
Burley Hill
Date: June 30, 2001
Author: Bob Schwab
Since access is a bit of a problem, I thought I should report what I've learned. I stopped by the owner's
house on Burley Hill Road, and got pretty much the same information that Fred Lobdell reported back in
1996. The owner doesn't mind visitors to his highpoint, but he doesn't own the access routes most visitors
go up through the fields or along the ridge from the tower on Sears Road. I learned that Mr. Bradway (49
George Heck Road) owns the fields and the northern ridge approach, and his daughter lives in the large
white house 0.25 mile up Sears Road to the south. When I contacted Mr. Bradway, he thanked me for
asking for permission, and told me I could park in front of the chained-off access road he uses to get into his
fields. This access road is 0.4 mile up New City Road from the Briar Hill Road intersection. The entrance is
posted and blocked with a chain that barely leaves any room for a car to park.
Hike up the access road and then skirt along the southern edge of the field to a higher field. Cut diagonally
across this second field and head for the back (southeast) corner. Head south-southeast into the woods
along a faint trail until you come to several ledges. I found BM Burley No.1 (officially listed in the
government database at 1308 feet), but there were higher ledges southeast of this spot. Scramble up all the
candidates to be sure you've visited this highpoint.
I suggest that future visitors make an effort to get permission from Mr. Bradway to cross these fields.