- Devil's Hopyard State Park
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Coordinates: 41°28′57″N 72°20′50″W / 41.4825°N 72.34722°W Devil's Hopyard State Park is located in East Haddam, Connecticut at a scenic waterfall on the Eightmile River.
Contents
History
In 1919, the former State Park and Forest Commission obtained an 860-acre (3.5 km2) parcel located in the Millington section of East Haddam. The principal feature of the park, Chapman Falls, drops more than sixty feet over a series of steps in a Scotland Schist stone formation. The falls also once powered "Beebe's Mills", which were named after the original owner.
The name
At some time prior to 1800, there was a malt house near a small tributary of the Eightmile River called Malt House Brook, on George Griffin’s farm. Although the malt house was abandoned prior to 1814, during the period of its operation, Griffin grew hops in a small clearing—the "hopyard" -- beside the road running through the area now called Devil's Hopyard. But the Devil's presence in this hopyard is not so easily explained. The “devil” part focuses on the potholes near the falls, which are some of the finest examples of pothole stone formations in this section of the United States. Perfectly cylindrical, they range from inches to several feet in diameter and depth. These potholes were formed by stones moved downstream by the current and trapped in an eddy where the stone was spun around and around, wearing a depression in the rock. When the rock wore itself down, another would catch in the same hole and enlarge it. We know this now, but to the early settlers the potholes were a great mystery that they tried to explain with references to the supernatural. They thought that the Devil had passed by the falls, accidentally getting his tail wet[citation needed]. This made him so mad he burned holes in the stones with his hooves as he bounded away.
Activities
There are many things to do when arriving at Devil's Hopyard State Park. Activities that are open to the public include:
- hiking
- youth camping
- camping
- stream fishing
- bird watching
- bicycling
- picnicking
Attractions
Some of the most beautiful landscapes can be found right in the park. Vista Point, which is located at the end of the Blue Trail, is a cliff that stands 150 to 175 feet (53 m) above the majestic Eightmile River. Other attractions include the "mini falls".
Wildlife
Much of the wildlife at the park is worth seeing[citation needed]. There are two different types of deer, many species of frogs, turtles, fish, fishers and many of the state's protected bird species.
Image gallery
See also
- Historic Bridges of Devil's Hopyard State Park
References
External links
Protected areas of Connecticut National Park Service National Wildlife Refuges Silvio O. Conte • Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge
National Trails State Parks Airline • Beckley Iron Furnace Industrial Monument • Bigelow Hollow • Black Rock • Bluff Point • Burr Pond • Camp Columbia • Campbell Falls • Chatfield Hollow • Collis P. Huntington • Connecticut Valley Railroad • Day Pond • Dennis Hill • Devil's Hopyard • Dinosaur • Fort Griswold Battlefield • Fort Trumbull • Gardner Lake • Gay City • George W. Seymour • Gillette Castle • Haddam Meadows • Haley Farm • Hammonasset Beach • Hampton Beach • Harkness Memorial • Haystack Mountain • Hop River State Park Trail • Hopeville Pond • Housatonic Meadows • Hurd • Indian Well • John A. Minetto • Kent Falls • Kettletown • Lake Waramaug • Larkin State Park Trail • Levy • Lovers Leap • Macedonia Brook • Mansfield Hollow • Mashamoquet Brook • Millers Pond • Mohawk Mountain • Moosup Valley State Park Trail • Mount Tom • Old Furnace • Osbornedale • Penwood • Putnam Memorial • Quaddick • Quinnipiac River • River Highlands • Rocky Neck • Selden Neck • Seth Low Pierrepont • Sherwood Island • Silver Sands • Sleeping Giant • Southford Falls • Squantz Pond • Stratton Brook • Talcott Mountain • Wadsworth Falls • West Rock Ridge • Wharton Brook • Windsor Locks Canal State Park Trail
State Forests Algonquin • American Legion • Centennial Watershed • Cockaponset • Enders • James L. Goodwin • Housatonic • Massacoe • Mattatuck • Meshomasic • Mohawk • Mohegan • Nassahegon • Natchaug • Nathan Hale • Nehantic • Nepaug • Nipmuck • Nye-Holman • Pachaug • Paugnut • People's • Pootatuck • Quaddick • Salmon River • Shenipsit • Topsmead • Tunxis • Wyantenock
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (web)Categories:- Connecticut state parks
- East Haddam, Connecticut
- Parks in Middlesex County, Connecticut
- Protected areas established in 1919
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