View Full Version : Kent - Oh, gosh!
Old Grouse
12-29-2007, 17:42
My wife wanted to hit a couple of the antique shops in Kent today, which gave me a chance to walk around the commercial area a bit. I revisited the one "outfitter," and all I can say is that I hope they plan on restocking before the busy season. Otherwise we may see a lot of hikers pulling out of Kent well supplied with fancy Vineyard Vines ties, but little else.
At lunch we enjoyed eavesdropping on a local man and his visiting grandson. "James, no one buys anything here in town because it's at least double the cost." And, "There are 9 art galleries in Kent for a population of only about 3,600 - that should tell you something, James." And, "Highest taxes in Connecticut, and the Fire Department is a Taj Mahal." Etc., Etc.
My own advice is to maildrop your own supplies to Kent, and maybe buy a fancy burger there. Otherwise, walk on.
Just a Hiker
12-29-2007, 17:48
With the exception of the cool folks who own the liquor store, Kent has changed a bit over the past few years. The outfitter is now targeting tourists instead of hikers, and I am not sure if one can even camp in the church's backyard any longer. However, the IGA is good for resupply and there are a few good restaurants.
Just Jim
A group of us camped behind the church in June 07. Great folks. Also, go to Kent Market. The ladies there are fabulous! They open at 6:00 am but were there at 5 and cooked us a full blown breakfast, eggs, bacon, toast, tea (coffee) for less than $5. She told us that the locals stop there and not the sandwich shop. Also, the pizza place (Pizza & Pasta) has fantastic pizza for normal prices. I will agree that the outfitter couldn't outfit much at all. As a matter of fact, he stood there talking with a local for 15 minutes while I waited to ask a question. But, the Market and the grocery were great. The ice cream shop had a pint or more of ice cream (hand dipped) for about $1.50. Just look around a bit. We were pleasantly surprised.
By the way the photo shows Ken's Market as Hollywood was filming the next day and changed the name.
The food at Kent was fine. The lodging was expensive. The walk into town was easy. Walked about half the distance before catching a ride the rest of the way back to the trailhead. It's an OK trail town, nothing special.
Blissful
12-29-2007, 21:56
The outfitter stunk when we were there too. Not even any canister fuel and the people did not seem to know outdoor gear at all. Though my hubby did get some trail runners there. I would not rely on them for gear.
sasquatch2014
12-29-2007, 23:07
You think that it can be expensive you should see it during Parents Weekend. Just move the decimal on the price a few spaces.
Undershaft
01-07-2008, 12:48
Kent is a good "in and out in an afternoon" town. The walk in was easy. The outfitter charged me something ridiculous like $0.50 an ounce for denatured alcohol and was not geared towards thru-hikers. They didn't even have batteries in stock. I got a ride to the IGA which was a good resupply although I liked the market in Salisbury better. The bookstore was nice. The woman in the Package store was very nice and gave me a free beer. Half the people I passed on the street with my pack on would not even acknowledge my existence, the other half were friendly. I got a ride back to the trail from the outfitters and hike on. I spent a total of about three hours off the trail when I resupplied in Kent.
Kent is a good "in and out in an afternoon" town. The walk in was easy. The outfitter charged me something ridiculous like $0.50 an ounce for denatured alcohol and was not geared towards thru-hikers. They didn't even have batteries in stock. I got a ride to the IGA which was a good resupply although I liked the market in Salisbury better. The bookstore was nice. The woman in the Package store was very nice and gave me a free beer. Half the people I passed on the street with my pack on would not even acknowledge my existence, the other half were friendly. I got a ride back to the trail from the outfitters and hike on. I spent a total of about three hours off the trail when I resupplied in Kent.
Exactly. No biggie. Go in, eat, resupply, do laundry, move on. I did a 20 miler including a 3 hr town stop in Kent mid-afternoon.
Pedaling Fool
01-07-2008, 12:54
I would not waste my money in Kent, they already have enough. The outfitter is a joke.
Lone Wolf
01-07-2008, 12:56
Kent is a great little town. It's got everthing a hiker needs but i'm not a whiny hiker who bitches a lot. :)
Pedaling Fool
01-07-2008, 13:01
A bitching hiker is a happy hiker:D
Lone Wolf
01-07-2008, 13:03
A bitching hiker is a happy hiker:D
more like an anal, spoiled brat :cool:
Frolicking Dinosaurs
01-07-2008, 13:05
::: Dino peeks over trifocals at LW and JG :::
I had a maildrop in Salisbury, which was an easy in->out resupply. I bought new boots in the Village Store Outfitters, which was very good. I guess since I knew I didn't need to stop in Kent, it never dawned on me to head that way.
Lone Wolf
01-07-2008, 13:06
we be fine. no beef :)
Old Grouse
01-07-2008, 13:08
But were you perhaps referring to me? I didn't come by my name for nothing, you know.
Lone Wolf
01-07-2008, 13:12
But were you perhaps referring to me? I didn't come by my name for nothing, you know.
if you were Old Grouch maybe
With the internet, there's hardly a need for an outfitter every town, or any town for that matter. As long as it's has a PO, store and bar.... ;)
Frolicking Dinosaurs
01-07-2008, 13:18
we be fine. no beef :)Just making sure we weren't going have a pissing match ;)
sasquatch2014
01-09-2008, 08:51
I had forgotten another thing about Kent and for that matter the stretch from about the Ten Mile River up past Kent and the area of St Johns Ledges. As the weather gets nicer on the weekends this is a favorite stretch of road for all the "Bikers". I call them this in "'s as they are mostly highly paid CEO's and the such and not the 1%'s. Anyhow as most know the tone on the pipes of these bikes can be heard for a long way off and it just echos through the valley so if it peace and quiet you are looking for Kent is best visited on weekdays in the summer and first nice days of springs.
Appalachian Tater
01-09-2008, 08:57
Kent is a great little town close to the trail with a fairly safe roadwalk. The medium-sized grocery store right next to the post office is quite nice and there are public benchs that attract hikers like flies. Nice little restaurants, too. Too bad there's no laundry or hostel. Everyone there was polite and their were funny tourists to look at, just like in Salisbury. Has the laundry been rebuilt? That would make it even nicer, especially since everything is so close together.
Bottom line, it's not a full-service trail town. But there's no reason to avoid it or to be snobby because there are a bunch of rich people hanging out.
Stopped in for a sandwich last year at a little restaurant in Kent. Reasonably priced, as I remember. Nice quiet little town (except for the fossil fuel powered touristas - watch the road walking! ).
I have to agree with other opinions on hiking in Ct. It's tough to get a ride, and the folks who are most likely to pick you up are the hunters, fishermen, and working stiffs in pickup trucks (lots of shiny suv's passed me by, even without my beard).
Fife'n Drum has a nice bar for burgers and brew. Stop there whenever I section in CT. :cool:
Appalachian Tater
01-09-2008, 09:10
Here's a guide to food and lodging in the town and surrounding area:
http://www.southkentschool.org/admissions/visiting_south_kent.php
Undershaft
01-13-2008, 10:44
Kent had a laundrymat this past summer. It was right near the IGA.
Appalachian Tater
01-13-2008, 11:53
Kent had a laundrymat this past summer. It was right near the IGA.
That's great. In 2006, it was still closed for fire. Now you can buy your groceries and go to the P.O. while you wash clothes. Can't beat that.
the_iceman
01-13-2008, 15:13
The trail misses town a bit now but do the mile road walk and go across the bridge for your free beer and then around to the outfitter and general store. Nice folks, I grew up here!
Old Grouse
01-13-2008, 16:01
Thanks, folks. I think I lost my perspecive there and just started grousing. Naturally your impressions of Kent are going to be different if you walk a few hundred miles to get there, as opposed to cruising in by car for a couple of hours. So Kent isn't the prototypical trail town and maybe it never was, but plainly it can be a welcome stopover. I stand corrected.
Appalachian Tater
01-13-2008, 16:08
.......plainly it can be a welcome stopover. Any place with food is a welcome stopover!
RITBlake
01-13-2008, 16:19
Kent is great. Hiked through it half a dozen times and never had a bad word to speak of it.
You can get a great pizza and a resupply at IGA. Short walk from the trail, friendly people, tons of food options etc....
I heard a lot of negative things towards Kent on my thru and it's just not justified.
Thru hikers seem to think that if a town a. doesn't have a hostel or b. the town/townspeople don't bend over backwards at the sight of a thru hiker then it's not a true "trail town." wah wah wah.
Lone Wolf
01-13-2008, 16:21
i agree
Thru hikers seem to think that if a town a. doesn't have a hostel or b. the town/townspeople don't bend over backwards at the sight of a thru hiker then it's not a true "trail town." wah wah wah.
Kent's OK... just OK as a trail town. IIRC, I spent just under $100 for a one-night stay (Fife & Drum?) at Kent. That's a bit on the steep side for most thru-hikers. And there was no laundromat when I was there.
RITBlake
01-13-2008, 16:36
Kent's OK... just OK as a trail town. IIRC, I spent just under $100 for a one-night stay (Fife & Drum?) at Kent. That's a bit on the steep side for most thru-hikers. And there was no laundromat when I was there.
That seems to be the biggest point of contention w/ most thru hikers regarding Kent. The lack of an affordable place to stay, namely a hiker hostel.
Knowing this, thru hikers might want to consider using Kent as a 'get in / get out' resupply stop only and not as a stayover. Not every town is going to be a perfect trail town with all the ammenities you might need.
You can easily, camp at the shelter which is .25 downhill to the road, and be in Kent for a full day.
And I don't this mean as a direct response to terrapin just using his quote as a starting point.
RITBlake
01-13-2008, 16:40
hey hey a 1,000 posts!
spittinpigeon
01-13-2008, 16:41
In 97 I stopped in Kent. It must have been a Saturday because the place was alive, and the bookstore had all their books out on the lawn, picked up a good read; King Rat by James Clavelle. That was when the outfitter was in back near the laundermat. When I went through in 06, it was a graveyard back there except for the chinese place.
Strange thing about Kent, it's half Yankees and half Red Sox.