HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
+ 1 further entry on record
Historic woodland trails with reports of phantom gunshots and screaming
Short Rocks Road, Branford, CT
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free access. Public park maintained by Branford Land Trust.
Access
Limited Access
Woodland trails, mostly packed earth with gentle inclines
Equipment
Photos OK
Quinnipiac Nation Territory · Totoket Indigenous Settlement · Connecticut Colonial Era · Historic Native American Lands
The lands surrounding Supply Pond Park have deep historical roots in Connecticut's Indigenous past. The area was originally inhabited by the Totoket, an Indigenous community of the Quinnipiac Nation. The name 'Totoket' translates to 'place of the tidal river,' reflecting the geographic character of the region.
In 1638 settlers from New Haven bought the Totoket lands, and in 1644 English colonists formally established the town of Branford. The Totoket people retained a 200-acre reservation on Indian Neck peninsula for their continued use and settlement.
Supply Pond Park is maintained today by the Branford Land Trust as a public recreational resource. The park features multiple hiking trails managed to provide both beginner and intermediate-level woodland experiences. The Blue, Yellow, and Green Loop trail, the park's most popular route, encompasses 2.2 miles on packed earth paths. Additional trail options include the Orange and Green Loop and the longer Branford Supply Pond and Saltonstall Mountain Preserve Loop, which extends 6.1 miles. The area remains a significant natural and recreational resource for the Branford community.
Sources
The woodland trails of Branford Supply Pond Park have developed a reputation among paranormal investigators and local residents for consistent auditory phenomena. Hikers report experiencing what sounds like a battle or violent confrontation unfolding in the forest around them, only to discover no visible source when attempting to investigate.
Witnesses describe hearing distinct gunshots echoing through the trees, followed by screaming and the sounds of multiple people running and gasping for air. The phenomena reportedly originate from various directions around the hiker, creating a disorienting effect. When visitors turn to locate the sounds or venture in the direction they appear to originate, the noises cease immediately, leaving only the ambient forest sounds.
Paranormal researchers classify these phenomena as residual haunting—an imprint of a traumatic historical event replaying without awareness of current observers.
No historical event at this location is known to account for the sounds.
Explore the woodland trails of Supply Pond Park where visitors report hearing auditory phenomena including distant gunshots, screaming, and footsteps. Multiple trail options range from 2.2 to 6.1 miles. The sounds reportedly disappear when hikers attempt to locate their source.
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