C O N N E C T I C U T

TRAILS DAY

2 0 0 9

SATURDAY, JUNE 6TH

OVER

130

STATEWIDE EVENTS

Connectct Tas Day ~ Jne 6-7, 2009

Connecticut Trails Day has been coordinated by Connecticut Forest& Park Association (CFPA) since 1993 and, because of participation by hundreds of volunteer event leaders, our state has the highest number of events nationwide every year. Trails Day is our way of helping Connecti-cut residents to take in and enjoy the wonderful outdoor opportunities

available in this state. As always, a great variety of events is oered soeveryone can nd an activity of interest, whether it be a long or short

hike, a history walk, kayaking or canoeing, a family walk, equestrian,orienteering, letterboxing, trail maintenance, or cycling Strong participation by organizations like the AppalachianMountain Club (AMC), Connecticut Department of EnvironmentalProtection (DEP), local and regional land trusts, town agencies,outdoor-oriented businesses, volunteers, and our great sponsors iskey to the success of Connecticut Trails Day. Ann Colson, her CFPAteam, and the Trails Day Committee deserve Special Thanks for theirdedicated work in soliciting events and preparing this brochure. An exceptional program this year is the

Amecan Foesty Past and Pesent

event at Goodwin State Forest with activities that

everyone can enjoy. Participate in an old-fashioned forest eld walk

guided by expert foresters, follow a self-guided nature trail, or visit themuseum and gardens, all to be followed by light refreshments. To learnmore, see the Sunday listing for Hampton on page 14 of this brochure.We’re excited to announce the unique occurrence of two new National Trails in Connecticut, designated by the U.S. Congress andsigned into law by President Obama on March 30, 2009. See below formore information about these two trails and to learn about CFPA’sprograms for outdoor family activities.Be part of the celebration this year - Take in The Outdoors!Chuck Sack,

Trails Day Chairman

Two New Natona Tas n Connectct!!

Connecticut is privileged to have two new National Trails passing through its boundaries: The New England National Scenic Trail (MMM Trail) and the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R).

This year Trails Day oers events on both of these trails, identied by the

symbols shown below. We encourage you to sample these trails and tothank our U. S. Representatives and Senators for their support and votes.

New Engand Natona Scenc Ta

. The MMM Trail includes the Metacomet & Mattabesett Trails in CTand the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail in MA and is the

rst new National Scenic Trail designation in 25 years!

This rugged trail winds for over 200 miles along traprock

TAkE iN ThE OuTDOOrS!

continued on inside back cover Thank you to our major sponsors

NO PArkiNG FEES

The Connecticut Forest & Park Association gratefullyacknowledges the ConnecticutDepartment of EnvironmentalProtection Parks Divisionfor waiving parking feesfor Trails Day events.

This brochure was madepossible in part by a grantfrom the National Recreational Trails Program, the FederalHighway Administration, andthe Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection.

All Trails Day events take place on Saturday, June 6, unless otherwise notedConnecticut Forest & Park Association Trails Day 2009



Connecticut Forest & Park Association Trails Day 2009

ANSONIA



History Hike

.8:00amtonoon.

Ansonia Nature and RecreationCenter

,10DeereldRoad.ReadtheorestedlandscapewithnaturalistsPeterRzasaandAlisonRubelmannonthisHistoryotheLandhikeoverrockyterrainwithsomeupsanddowns.Discoveroldcellarholes,oundations,naturalsprings,oldstonewalls.Ansonia’shistorygoesbacktotheNativeAmericansandwewillvisitthelastsettlementothePaugasuckotheAlgonkianclan.Bringbeverageandsnack.Meet8:00amatAnsoniaNatureCenter.Rainorshine.

Please pre-register with Co-leader Peter Rzasa or Alison Rubelmann,ansnaturectr@snet.net, 203-736-1053.

BETHEL



Boardwalk Construction

.9:00amto3:00pm.SponsoredbytheBethelLandTrust.Helpbuildawalkwaythroughportionsothebeautiul

East Swamp

wetlandsproperty.Materialslargelypre-assembled;skillnotrequired.Portablebatterydrill/driversappreciated.Flatterrain,mightbewet.Bootsrecommended.Lunchwillbeprovided.Meet9:00amatthePoliceStationsoccereld.

Please pre-register with Leader John O’Neill, dantec@juno.com, 203-748-3801.

BLOOMFIELD



Hike

.8:30amto11:00am.

Penwood State Park

,sponsoredbyAMC-CTChapter.JoinAMChikeleaderorthispleasantour-milehikeovermoderateterrainontrailandwoodsroadwithsomehills.Moderatepace.Leaderstopsorbirdidentication.Meet8:30amatrontparkinglotonRoute185.Raincancels.

Leader Zellene Sandler,860-242-4167.

BOLTON





Tree and Bird Hike

.8:00amto11:00am.

Heritage Farm

via

Hop River Linear State Park

to

Bolton Notch State Park

,sponsoredbyBoltonConservationCommissionandBoltonHistoricalSociety.TakeintheOutdoorsonthetrailwithmembersotheBoltonConservationCommission.MeetnationallyknownarboristMatt“Twig”Largessoraour-mileTreeandBirdHikethroughHeritageFarmalongtheHopRiverStateParkTrailtoBoltonNotchStateParktotheSquawCavetrail.In2006YankeemagazinenamedLargess“TreePreservationistotheDecade.”Well-knownwithenvironmentalists,heishonoredwiththename“Twig,”dubbedbyJulia“Buttery”Hill,aamousactivistknownorsavingLuna,athousand-year-oldCaliorniaredwood.ThehikewillalsoincludeabrietalkbyTownHistorianHansDepoldonthebest-preservedRevolutionaryWarcampsiteinConnecticutatBoltonHeritageFarm,thehistoryoSquawCave,andwhattheWashington-RochambeauRevolutionaryRoute(W3R)meanstotheBoltonNotcharea.ConservationCommissionChairRodParleewillidentiybirdsalongtheway.Hikerscanoptoreightmileroundtriphike.AcarpoolwillbeavailableorthosewhopreeraridebacktotheFarm.Sturdyootwearrequiredorthisour-milehikeovermoderatelydicultterrainwithsomesteephills.Bringbeverage.Noacilities,soplanaccordingly.Nodogsplease.HeavyraindateSunday,June7.MeetatBoltonHeritageFarm,266BoltonCenterRoad.

Co-leaders Hans Depold (Bolton Town Historian, depoldh@comcast.net), 860-646-7220, and Rod Parlee (Conservation CommissionChairman, TOBCC@aol.com) 860-649-8066 ext 110.

BOLTON



Two-Mile Tree Walk

.1:00pmto3:00pm.

Freja Park, BoltonNotch State Park

,and

Squaw Cave Trail

,sponsoredbyBoltonConservationCommissionandBoltonHistoricalSociety.TakeintheOutdoorsonthetrailwithmembersotheBoltonConserva-tionCommission.MeetnationallyknownarboristMatt“Twig”Largessoratwo-mileTreeWalkthroughtown-ownedFrejaParkalongtheHopRiverStateParkTrailtoBoltonNotchStateParktotheSquawCavetrailhead.TownHistorianHansDepoldwillgiveabrietalkonthehistoryoSquawCaveandwhattheWashington-RochambeauRevolutionaryRoute(W3R)meanstotheBoltonNotcharea.ConservationCommissionChairRodParleewillexplainthevariousconservationprojectsinFrejaPark.Sturdyootwearrequiredorthistwo-milehikeovermoderatelydicultterrainwithsomesteephills.Bringbeverage.Noacilities,soplanaccordingly.Nodogsplease.HeavyraindateSunday,June7.MeetatBoltoncommuterlotatjunctionoRoute44andRoute6,acrossromGeorgina’sPizza.

Co-leaders Hans Depold (BoltonTown Historian, depoldh@comcast.net), 860-646-7220, and Rod Parlee (Conservation Commission Chairman, TOBCC@aol.com)860-649-8066 ext 110.

BRANFORD



Hike

.9:00amtonoon(dependingonpaceohikers).

WashburnPreserve

and

Stony Creek Limited Partnership Tract

,sponsoredbytheBranordLandTrust.Approximatelythreemiles,mostlyatwithsomerollingterrain,easytomoderatediculty.We’llbeginbywalkingonsidewalksthroughthevillageoStonyCreekandthenentereasytrailsthroughawoodandmeadowtoaccessasaltmarshwithoceanviews.Trailollowsaormertrolleyright-o-wayandcrossesacreekatatidegate.Fromtherewe’llenterwoodsandloopapeninsulaovermoderatetrailswithoceanviews,thenloopbackthewaywecame.MeetatbaseballeldonWestPointRoad,ofoThimbleIslandRoad,Branord.Rainorshine.

Leader Amos Barnes,amosourth@sbcglobal.net, 203-481-1882.