One of the silver linings that has come out of the cloud of Covid is a new-found appreciation of our outside spaces and the beauty, safety and solace our state parks have to offer. We are blessed to have Goodwin right here in Hampton alongside several other near-by parks that make for a wonderful outing in a time when activities have been very limited.
Goodwin State Forest
Our hometown treasure, Goodwin, offers up a wonderful history, a beautiful outdoor environment and many educational opportunities. Goodwin was gifted to the people of Connecticut in 1964 when James Goodwin, one of Connecticut’s earliest conservationists, gifted the land and buildings upon it to the state. In addition to the hiking and biking trails, boating, youth group camping, fishing and cross-country skiing, Goodwin has a wonderful educational center and museum located on Potter Road. While activities at the park (and all state parks throughout Connecticut) have been significantly limited by Covid restrictions, there are still webinars and online learning opportunities including the Backyard Naturalist and Master Naturalist programs. These provide an opportunity to pair your time in the park with the chance to learn more about the environment and wildlife that inhabits it. For more information about Goodwin or these programs, visit the website www.friendsofgoodwinforest.org. Our local Friends group is a great supporter of the park and its programs.
The Air Line Trail State Park
One of the great features in Goodwin is the Air Line trail. The trail was originally part of a train line running from Boston to New York. Construction of the rail line began in the 1860’s and met many challenges largely due to the hills and valley of the North Eastern Connecticut terrain. By 1872 the line was in use and traffic continued to build until, in 1876, the first passenger run was scheduled. The line was active continually until disastrous flooding in 1955 combined with the construction of an interstate highway sealed the fate of our rail traffic.
Today the trail offers a fabulous and well-maintained path from Thompson to East Hampton, passing through twelve towns, including Hampton. The Northern Gateway to the trail is Thompson, an easy 25-minute drive from us, and offers several popular sites including the Tri-state Marker and the site of the Great East Thompson Train Wreck where, in 1891, four trains collided at Thompson Station. Thompson’s Trails Committee has formed a partnership with the National Park Service Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance program to develop a permanent interpretive park on the trail. Online workshops for the public to contribute to the final design of the park are coming this fall and all interested trail users are invited. More information will be coming soon, but in the meantime you can find out more by contacting the Director of Planning & Development for Thompson, Tyra Penn (planner@thompsonct.org).
Tyra is also heading up a plan which includes member towns of the trail communities including Hampton. This plan involves the production of a series of double-sided trail maps which feature the trail sections specific to each town in addition to the full trail map. Coordinated by the CT Rural Conservation and Development Area, partner towns are seeking a match funding from the Eastern Region Tourism District to bring the project to fruition. These handy maps fold down to a sturdy credit card sized piece that easily fits into a wallet or pocket. If the project succeeds, these wonderful maps will be available at the various towns along the trail including here in Hampton at Goodwin. For more information on how you can support this project, please contact Tyra Penn (planner@thompsonct.org).
Pachaug State Forest
A third natural wonder that is an easy 40-minute drive from Hampton and offers a fabulous day trip for anyone seeking an out-of-town jaunt as well as a gamet of outside activities is Pachaug State Forest. Pachaug is the largest state forest in Connecticut and encompasses almost 27,000 acres, and includes the towns of Voluntown, Griswold, Plainfield, Sterling, Preston and North Stonington.
Established in 1928, the park was added to with land purchases during the Great Depression. Today it offers a stunning example of Connecticut’s Northeastern coastal forest ecosystems. Featured at the park is a Rhododendron Sanctuary as well as Great Meadows Swamp which is considered one of the finest examples of Atlantic white cedar swamps in the state. Activities offered by the park include hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping hunting, fishing and swimming in designated swimming areas.
Like here at Goodwin, Pachaug has a Friends Group that is involved in activities and conservation in the park. Their website, www.friendsofpachaugforest.org , is an excellent resource for anyone looking to visit the park with information ranging from the trail system to upcoming events.
These are just a sampling of the many wonderful state parks in our immediate area. There is no time like the present to show your support for the parks by visiting them, taking the time to enjoy the many opportunities they offer, getting involved in the groups that support the park systems, or even volunteering time to help keep these parks beautiful and accessible. October is perhaps one of the most scenic months here in New England, and if ever there was a time to enjoy our outdoor spaces it is now.
Laura McCabe