Bolton Notch State Park

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Bolton Notch State Park
Map showing the location of Bolton Notch State Park
Map showing the location of Bolton Notch State Park
Location in Connecticut
LocationBolton, Connecticut, United States
Coordinates41°47′24″N 72°26′53″W / 41.79000°N 72.44806°W / 41.79000; -72.44806Coordinates: 41°47′24″N 72°26′53″W / 41.79000°N 72.44806°W / 41.79000; -72.44806[1]
Area95 acres (38 ha)[2]
Elevation636 ft (194 m)[1]
DesignationConnecticut state park
Established1918
AdministratorConnecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
WebsiteBolton Notch State Park

Bolton Notch State Park is a public recreation area located in the town of Bolton, Connecticut, on the boundary between the Thames River and Connecticut River watersheds.[3] The state park's 95 acres (38 ha) offer opportunities for hiking, climbing, and cave exploration.[4]

History[]

Native Americans are believed to have used the major trails crossing through Bolton Notch, which they called Saqumsketuck,[5] for at least 10,000 years. The notch is thought to have created the boundary between the Mohegan and Podunk territories.[6] The park grounds include Squaw's Cave, where according to legend a European settler and his Podunk bride lived as outcasts around 1640.[7] The state purchased the park's first 70 acres in 1918 in anticipation of developing a Wayside Park.[8]

Activities and amenities[]

The park offers rock climbing and hiking[4] as well as "several caves large enough to accommodate a human."[9] It is crossed by both the Hop River Trail and Shenipsit Trail.

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Bolton Notch State Park". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ^ "Appendix A: List of State Parks and Forests" (PDF). State Parks and Forests: Funding. Staff Findings and Recommendations. Connecticut General Assembly. January 23, 2014. p. A-3. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  3. ^ "Bolton Lakes Watershed: An Update" (PDF). Eastern Connecticut Resource Conservation & Development Area, Inc. April 2014. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Bolton Notch State Park". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  5. ^ DePold, Hans. "Ancient Days in Bolton Notch". Bolton Historical Society. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  6. ^ "Bolton 2015 Plan of Conservation and Development" (PDF). Town of Bolton. November 26, 2015. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  7. ^ Marteka, Peter (August 16, 2009). "Bolton Notch State Park contains a state rarity: a cave". Hartford Courant. Retrieved March 22, 2014.
  8. ^ Report of the State Park Commission to the Governor 1918 (Report). Hartford, Conn.: State of Connecticut. December 24, 1918. p. 26. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
  9. ^ "The Geology of Bolton Notch State Park". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved March 22, 2014.

External links[]

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