Bolton 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]

Bolton Notch State Park
Location in Connecticut
LocationBolton, Connecticut, United States
Coordinates41°47′24″N 72°26′53″W[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

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. "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. "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.
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