River Highlands State Park

River Highlands State Park
Connecticut State Park
View from the western ridge of the Connecticut River in River Highlands State Park.
Country  United States
State  Connecticut
County Middlesex
Town Cromwell
Coordinates 41°37′10″N 72°37′53″W / 41.61944°N 72.63139°W / 41.61944; -72.63139Coordinates: 41°37′10″N 72°37′53″W / 41.61944°N 72.63139°W / 41.61944; -72.63139
Highest point River bluffs [1]
 - elevation 150 ft (46 m)
Lowest point River banks [1]
 - elevation 15 ft (5 m)
Area 177 acres (72 ha) [2]
Purchased 1995
 - Opened 2001
Management Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
Location in Connecticut
Website: River Highlands State Park

River Highlands State Park is a public recreation area located on the west bank of the Connecticut River in the town of Cromwell, Connecticut. The 177-acre (72 ha) state park is managed by Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.[1]

History

The property sits at a river bend once known as "the blow hole," where whistling winds were said by sailors to speed along their ships.[3] The hole itself, silenced by silting, was last heard sometime in the middle years of the twentieth century.[4] The park's acreage was inherited by the family of Ulia Allegretti, who then sold it to the state in 1995. Using funds from an open space acquisition fund, the State Department of Environmental Protection paid $1,195,000 for the land. The park was opened to the public in 2001.[3]

Activities and amenities

The park offers hiking trails and scenic river vistas.[1] Trails are also used for mountain biking.[5] It is one of four state parks where boaters can find primitive camping.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "River Highlands State Park". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. July 18, 2016. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  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 8, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Woodside, Christine (May 20, 2001). "A new park to open on bluff in Cromwell". New York Times. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
  4. ↑ Marteka, Peter (October 12, 2008). "The view's the thing at River Highlands State Park". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Conn. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  5. ↑ "River Highlands State Park". New England Mountain Bike Association. Retrieved April 15, 2017.
  6. ↑ "River Camping". State Parks and Forests. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. December 2015. Retrieved September 8, 2016.
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