Hiker’s Notebook — Hitting the Alander Brooke Trail

Distant ridges occasionally peak through the dense tree cover on the Alander Mountain Trail, providing a view of the rugged Oblong Valley landscape.
Photo by Grace Demarco


Distant ridges occasionally peak through the dense tree cover on the Alander Mountain Trail, providing a view of the rugged Oblong Valley landscape.
MILLERTON — On a warm Sunday, I ventured to escape the heat of a mid-August afternoon under the bright-green protective canopy of the Alander Brooke and CCC Trail. After the minor delay of forgetting my boots at home, I laced up my well-loved Merrells and took to the trail for the perfect mind-clearing and balancing activity to bridge one week to another.
This 2.6 mile hike is accessible from Under Mountain Road in Millerton, just off of Route 22. I headed down the road, passing the trailhead marked by visible signs on the left, and followed the arrows up a bit toward a parking pulloff.
After parking and retracing my steps a short way down the road, I headed down the Alander Mountain trail. Immediately I was under the full coverage of the trees above, engulfed by the sights and sounds of nature.
Although there were no other hikers to be found on this late afternoon, the wide trail appeared to be heavily trafficked and well marked. The compact and colorful fallen leaves, scattered pinecones and acorns set the trail aside from its fern and vegetation linings.
Shortly after beginning, I approached a fork in the trail and, following the signs, went left toward the easier Alander Mountain trail. As I winded through the trail with manageable inclines and declines, I followed the blue trail markers which appeared frequently on the trees.

Although my heart beat rapidly and I was getting a workout, my mind and body calmed the second I stepped off of the concrete and onto the trail. The sights and sounds around me captured my attention and I absorbed everything I could in the 2.6 miles that separated me from the edge of the woods and the resumption of real life responsibilities.
The trail remained non-technical and beginner friendly with easy footing, allowing me to keep my head and eyes up. Along with the marginal wood ferns, the trail was lined with common witch hazel, white birch and the occasional white baneberry. I was greeted by chipmunks and squirrels who scurried across the trail ahead of me, and the birds, visible and hidden, accompanied my trek with their songs.
Along with the melodious and regular crunch coming from under my boots, the flow of an upcoming body of water bubbled through the brush. The trickling water added to the already present harmonies of nature all around me. Shortly after, at about 0.6 miles, I approached a culvert and crossed over a small stream toward another split in the trail.
At the fork, the blue trail veers to the right and straight up Alander Mountain, but bare left for the CCC loop which remains manageable and beginner friendly. Although the loop was unmarked, the trail was unmistakable.
It seemed to be the road less traveled, in the best way possible, as the trail thinned and wound toward a shaded downhill stretch. Here, I was even more a part of my surroundings. The trees provided refuge from the sun which peaked through the gaps in leaves, offering a welcoming and cooling breeze. A black and white striped feather had dropped from its original wearer and was now, like the leaves, a part of the trail.
As I approached the tip of the CCC loop, marking the halfway point of my adventure, I curved through a grassy area and was met by a frog who hopped across into the shelter of the nearby foliage. I heard the frog longer than I saw him, as the leaves rustled with its every movement.

After walking around a white birch road block, two stone walls corralled the trail until the loop circled back and met up with the blue trail.
The scent of pine and something sweet lingered in the air when I stopped for a moment after hearing rustling in the grass. From out of the brush, turkeys, one after the other, emerged just feet ahead from my right. Some ran, some flew, but no less than twenty turkeys flapped their wings and waved me goodbye.
After they finished their grand gesture, I stood there and thanked myself for lacing up my boots and walking the trail. To encounter animals and plants in a place we all share is a gift. Taking the time for myself and getting out there was the best thing I could do.
As the warmth of summer lingers and gives way to fall, it is the perfect time to grab your old and dusty boots from the attic and get back out there. It is also the perfect time to step out onto the trail for the first time. Let the breeze push you toward the everchanging landscape of the forest, especially through the changing of the seasons. The trails will always be there for you.
Alander Brook and CCC Trail is not the only trail in the area. For a moderate 5-mile trail look to Mount Frizzell and Brace Mountain Loop Trail. For a short, yet steep, trail with waterfalls, look to the Quarry Hill Trail. For an easy 2.4 mile hike, look at the Mary Moore Cliff Trail Loop.
For more information on hikes nearby, complete with maps, reviews, and difficulty ratings, alltrails.com is a great and free resource.
Whether it’s short, long, fast, slow, completely flat or a vertical climb, the trees will overshadow your worries, and the breeze will carry you along. The hardest part is getting there.
After that, it’s just a walk in the woods.
Graham Corrigan
Jorma Taccone, left, takes part in a Q&A before a screening of "Hot Rod" at Four Brothers Drive-In in Amenia on Aug. 31, 2023.
AMENIA — Four Brothers Drive-In will host a screening of the new dark comedy Over Your Dead Body on Thursday, Aug. 6, with director Jorma Taccone on hand for a pre-screening Q&A as part of a partnership with the Boondocks Film Society.
The film stars Samara Weaving and Jason Segel as a married couple. Each is secretly plotting to kill the other. Taccone, a North Canaan resident and founding member of the comedy troupe The Lonely Island, will discuss the film before the screening.
The event marks the third time Taccone has screened one of his films at Four Brothers, following presentations of Hot Rod and MacGruber. He first discovered the drive-in while passing through Amenia and later reached out to its owners about hosting a screening.
"The Four Brothers Drive-In is a delight on every level,” said Taccone. “I had never been to a drive-in movie theater before attending the screening of Hot Rod at Four Brothers. I will forever pat myself on the back for forcing John and Boondocks Film Society to play the movie there.”
Drive-in movie theaters like Four Brothers are a return to better days when people gathered together to celebrate life, community, art, and miniature golf. I'm a big fan.”
Jeff Palfini, a Boondocks co-founder alongside Cindy Heslin, says the Drive-In has been a perfect partner. Boondocks has hosted 15 events there, by Palfini’s count.
“It’s a well-oiled machine,” Palfini said. “And our audience loves it. They’re always asking when we’re going to do another movie at the Drive-In.”
In their nine years of operation, Boondocks Film Society has become a pillar of the local film community. Screenings have moved beyond the Northwest Corner into the Hudson Valley area, and programming has expanded to include premieres and Q&As, like the Over Your Dead Body event next week in Amenia.
Palfini said the film feels particularly well-matched to its venue. It’s set in the woods and “jump scares and a drive-in go hand-in-hand.”
But it all started in North Canaan.
Palfini said the re-opening of the Colonial Theatre in 2017 inspired their first screening — a little-known '90s film starring Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway, and Jerry Lewis called Arizona Dream. “We decided early on that the way to get people out was to have the events be in a variety of places,” Palfini said. “Sometimes theatrical settings, and sometimes very non-traditional settings.”
Boondocks has emphasized that uniqueness by finding local food partners to create custom menus that referenced the films. The same goes for the playlists that welcome attendees — the music references the source material in a way that beckons audiences to a deeper understanding of the film.
Thus far, it’s been working. Palfini and his team aren’t looking to change things, despite the recent news that the Colonial Theatre is on the market. Palfini helps to manage the theater, but he says one of Boondocks strengths is their ability to be mobile. “Over the years, I think we made a smart decision in terms of the sustainability of this thing by making it a pop-up. It removes almost all of the financial pressure.”

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D.H. Callahan
Bernie Williams and his Band of Friends at Millbrook Winery in 2025.
Throughout the history of Major League Baseball, precious few greats have been considered five-tool players. New York Yankee Bernie Williams was one of them.
To be considered a five tool player, one must show exceptional proficiency in five categories: hitting for average, hitting for power, running bases, fielding and arm strength. But there’s another tool Williams possesses that didn’t make it to the back of his baseball card: his mastery of jazz guitar.
On Aug. 1 at Millbrook Winery, that elusive sixth tool will take center stage as Williams and his Band of Friends return to the Vineyard for a night of jazz, wine and possibly a baseball reference or two.
Williams is best known for his legendary career with the Yankees. During his 15 years with the Bronx Bombers, he won four World Series championships, four Gold Glove awards and one Silver Slugger award in 1998, the same year he won the American League batting title, making him the first player in history to win a Gold Glove, a batting title and a World Series in the same year. Oh yeah, he was also an MLB All-Star every year between 1997 through 2001.
But while his work on the field is well known to New Yorkers and the broader baseball world, he almost took the musical route through life.
Williams first picked up a guitar when he was just 8 years old and was immediately taken by the magic of music. He was so passionate about it that he attended a performing arts high school in his hometown of San Juan, Puerto Rico. By the time he made it to the big leagues, he was known as the guy with the guitar in the locker room.
That reputation soon reached the Yankees’ fan base, with commentators telling stories of Williams and his outfield teammate Paul O’Neill’s jam sessions. O’Neill set up a drum kit in a paint room at the old Yankee Stadium, and the two would play together through rain delays, sometimes getting visits from New York City’s musical greats while they waited to play ball. MSG Network, which aired Yankees games at the time, even ran a promotional ad featuring the two World Series champions jamming together on a blues riff in their batting practice uniforms.
But unlike O’Neill, whose drumming is a hobby at best, Williams is a serious musician. During an appearance with Paul Simon at a charity event, Simon surprised Williams and his band by playing “Mrs. Robinson,” a song they didn’t know and hadn’t practiced. But just a few lines in, Williams was taking solos and riffing on Simon’s choruses with expert musicianship.
While Williams’ music is the main draw for the event on Saturday, the relationship between the All-Star and the winery goes beyond the performance. The collaboration started in 2021, when Williams visited the vineyards and instantly connected with then-general manager Ian Bearup, bonding over baseball, music and wine. They quickly decided to team up and create a custom variety they call Bernie’s Blend. This year’s bottle, featuring art from Williams’ daughter, Beatriz, is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc and will be released at the performance on Saturday night.
While the VIP ticket levels are all sold out, as of press time, bring-your-own-lawn chair spots are still available. The wine will be available at the vineyard and online throughout the year at millbrookwine.com.
Elena Spellman
If horses could speak, Hearn believes they would offer just one piece of advice: “They’d tell us to slow down.”
From feeding retired racehorses before sunrise to guiding veterans, grieving parents and troubled teenagers through equine-assisted therapy sessions, Deanna Hearn rarely has a quiet day. As founder of Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue in Dover Plains, she oversees the care of more than 40 sanctuary horses while leading a nonprofit whose mission extends far beyond animal rescue.
What began as a childhood love of horses has evolved into a place where healing runs in both directions — for horses and for people. By the time you leave Lucky Orphans, it becomes clear that this place isn’t really about horses. The horses are simply how it begins. For Hearn, every rescued horse represents something much larger: hope, resilience, healing and second chances. The organization’s mission, she says, is simple: “People helping horses heal people.”
Growing up in the Bronx, Hearn was captivated whenever she saw horses. Her grandfather, a Korean War veteran, had cared for military horses during the war. After returning home, he struggled with addiction, and the invisible wounds of military service. Through every difficult chapter of his life, however, one thing consistently brought him peace.
“Horses bring peace,” he told his granddaughter.
When Hearn was 11, after years apart, Hearn and her grandfather began spending weekends riding together. Less than a year later, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Before he died, he asked family members to help buy Hearn’s first horse — a stubborn paint horse that bit, kicked and frequently threw her off. She wanted to sell him. Her father refused.
“Every life has value,” he told her.
Looking back, Hearn says that lesson became the foundation of everything she would later build.
What began as a boarding stable in 2003 took a different direction after the Dutchess County SPCA asked Hearn to care for horses seized in cruelty cases. She soon realized that although Dutchess County had one of New York’s largest horse populations, there was no dedicated nonprofit equipped to care for neglected and abused horses. Lucky Orphans officially became a nonprofit in 2008.

Today, Hearn is quick to point out that Lucky Orphans is not simply a rescue.
“We’re a sanctuary,” she said.
Many of the more than 40 horses living there arrive with broken bones, chronic illnesses, heart conditions, missing eyes or other injuries that make them unsuitable for riding or adoption. Rather than rehabilitating and rehoming them, Lucky Orphans makes a lifetime commitment to every horse.
In 2013, Hearn became certified in equine-assisted psychotherapy, combining her lifelong relationship with horses and the lessons she learned from her grandfather to create programs for veterans, trauma survivors, children and families facing emotional challenges. The transformations she witnesses continue to surprise her. She recalls one woman who arrived convinced she would not fit in with a group of strangers. During the session, a horse quietly chose to follow her without a rope or commands. For the first time in years, the woman said she felt truly seen.
Another memory has stayed with Hearn ever since. A teenager in a juvenile probation program, wearing an ankle monitor and struggling with anger, entered a round pen with a horse. As his frustration grew, the horse moved farther away. When he finally calmed himself, the horse walked directly toward him and rested its head against his chest.
“I told him, ‘If you can control your energy, you can control the world around you,’” Hearn said.
Stories like these sustain her through the difficult realities of running a nonprofit. Operating the sanctuary costs roughly $52,000 each month, and Hearn lives on the property, where the work never truly ends. Veterinary bills, staffing, fundraising and the daily care of dozens of horses are constant concerns. Then someone returns years later and tells her that the horses changed their child’s life.
“That’s why I keep going,” she said.
Looking ahead, Hearn hopes more people discover what makes Lucky Orphans unique. The organization is expanding its community programming with educational visits, yoga sessions, horse encounters, volunteer opportunities and family events designed to reconnect people with horses and with one another.
Her vision is simple: to create a place where people slow down, reconnect and remember something modern life often makes us forget. If horses could speak, Hearn believes they would offer just one piece of advice.
“They’d tell us to slow down,” she said.
After spending an afternoon at Lucky Orphans, it’s hard to disagree.
For more information or to plan a visit, go to luckyorphans.org
Jennifer Almquist
A brass quintet at the Yale Music Shed at Weekend in Norfolk 2025.
Norfolk bursts with activity in midsummer with Weekend in Norfolk (WIN). An all-volunteer committee transforms the town with free public events for all ages. WIN 2026 begins Thursday, July 30, and runs through Sunday, Aug. 2.
Norfolk sculptor Jon Riedeman, the new head of Norfolk Artists and Friends (NAF), organized the group’s 19th annual art exhibition, featuring paintings, sculpture, photography and jewelry by area artists in the Art Barn on the grounds of the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Riedeman expanded the show this year by inviting artists from New Marlborough, Massachusetts, to participate. The exhibit opens with a reception Thursday, July 30, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Music fills the air throughout the weekend. On Thursday night, take in the Emerging Artists Series concert from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Music Shed, featuring the next generation of professional chamber musicians presented by the Norfolk Chamber Music Festival. Then enjoy Friday Night on the Green, a welcoming party with live performances and free food.
The Bistro at Infinity Music Hall is extending its hours from noon to 9 p.m. throughout Weekend, with live music during the day. Don’t miss the Yale Brass Quintet performing in front of the historic 1833 Opera House. In addition, Norbrook Brewery will host a tap takeover featuring its celebrated local brews.
The Sidewalk Sunday Street Fair fills Station Place and Robertson Plaza with local artists, authors and craftspeople selling directly to visitors. Open Studios invites the public into working galleries and private studios for live demonstrations and artist meet-and-greets. Food trucks will also be available at the street fair.
Guided and self-guided tours showcase Norfolk’s historic estates and Victorian homes, while Tiffany stained-glass tours let visitors view Louis Comfort Tiffany windows in local chapels. The Village Green hosts public weddings and vow renewals as part of the festival.
Choose from five garden tours offered Sunday, Aug. 2, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Outdoors, guided nature walks explore Barbour Woods, with birding treks for wildlife lovers. Great Mountain Forest opens its 90-year-old weather station to the public, and workshops cover fly-fishing and pollinator gardening.
Food traditions include a Blueberry Betty social and an old-fashioned ice cream social. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the IceBox Cafe is offering 50 cents off its signature freshly brewed iced chai. On Saturday, the cafe will serve buttermilk pancakes all day, complete with Great Mountain Forest syrup.
Kids’ programming features movie screenings, yoga on the grass and art workshops.
Visitors can begin their adventure at The Hub, 2 Station Place, where volunteer “WINbassadors” will hand out maps and schedules. Full event details and ticket information are available at weekendinnorfolk.org.

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