Enjoy an invigorating hike from Bloomfield to Simsbury co-sponsored by the Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy (TRLC), Simsbury Land Trust (SLT), and Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services. Along with the glorious fall scenery, the free hike will showcase TRLC, SLT, and town properties that provide trail connectivity linking Bloomfield and Simsbury through Penwood State Park.
The hike will be approximately 5 miles. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the hike’s end point, the parking lot at the corner of Iron Horse Boulevard and Drake Hill Road in Simsbury (Google map). Bloomfield Parks, Recreation & Leisure Services will provide a bus to shuttle hikers to this year’s starting point, the Oliver Filley House in Bloomfield’s LaSalette Park.
We will hike from LaSalette Park to TRLC’s adjoining Hawk Hill Farm, a working farm with passive recreation trails. From there we will proceed to TRLC’s Stout Family Fields, Bloomfield’s alternate gateway to Penwood State Park.
In Penwood, we’ll visit Lake Louise and The Pinnacle before taking the yellow trail to access SLT’s adjacent Tanager Hill preserve for a lovely descent from Penwood State Park into Simsbury. We’ll proceed through SLT’s Owen-Mortimer preserve and return to the parking lot.
We invite you to take advantage of this annual opportunity to experience a different mode of journeying between our two neighboring towns and enjoy the end of the fall color. RSVP online to help us plan ahead. Thank you!
(Photos from last year courtesy Paula Jones.)
Views from the Pinnacle in Penwood State Park
Gathering at Simsbury Land Trust’s Tanager Hill Preserve
Hikers cross Wintonbury Land Trust’s Stout Family Fields
You’re invited to an evening of Celebration & Appreciation under the big tent at Wintonbury Hills Golf Course, made possible in part by the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving.
We’re celebrating the new Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy formed in April 2023 by the merger of the East Granby, West Hartford, and Wintonbury (Bloomfield) land trusts. We also want to thank the many helpers and supporters who made the merger possible.
Please join us to socialize with neighbors who love the outdoors and share our mission of preserving open space and farmland within our communities:
- Enjoy live music, hors d’oeuvres, sodas, beer, and wine (or additional drinks from a cash bar).
- Learn about the merger and our accomplishments since then.
- Discover new places for nature walks, and learn how you can help us protect open space.
Event registration for refreshments and drinks is $25 per person for members and $30 per person for non-members. Additional contributions are welcome (we are a 501c3 tax-exempt organization).
Please register by Friday, September 15:
- Register & contribute online now with a credit card. (Registration now is closed.)
- Or download and print a PDF form to mail-in with a check.
Event Sponsors:
- Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
- Seabury Life
- White & Katzman Property Services
- The Bluebird Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
- Northwest Community Bank
- Windsor Federal
Learn how you or your organization can co-sponsor this event to help our land trust members learn about the merger and support land conservation efforts in our communities: sponsorship fact sheet.
Preparation in the Fall can drastically impact the tick population in your yard next Spring. Horticulturalist and organic land care steward David Murray will discuss simple techniques to help everyone reduce the risks of tick-borne diseases.
In this free workshop, David will examine how ticks in our yards impact our lives. He also will show us how to use simple supplies – toilet paper tubes and a low toxicity insecticide – to safely and effectively reduce tick populations along tree, shrub, and woodland borders.
This presentation is cosponsored by the Traprock Ridge Land Conservancy and East Granby Public Library.
You’re welcome to attend Board of Directors meetings to learn about the organization or to get more involved. This month we will be at East Granby Public Library. Please contact us if you have questions or suggestions for the agenda.
You’re welcome to attend Board of Directors meetings to learn about the organization or to get more involved. This month we will be at East Granby Public Library. Please contact us if you have questions or suggestions for the agenda.
Come explore the Town of Bloomfield’s Wilcox Park and a portion of the Metacomet Trail atop the region’s traprock ridge that connects Bloomfield to East Granby to the north and West Hartford to the south. We will follow the yellow trail through the meadow, over a brook, through the woods, and past a vernal pool to connect with the blue-blazed Metacomet Trail along the ridgeline. While taking in views of the Farmington River Valley to the west, we will proceed to the Buck Property recently donated as an addition to the park before descending to the start. The approximately 3 mile route is moderately difficult, and leashed dogs are permitted. The rain date is Sunday, June 4. RSVP is appreciated.
The event is one of many in Bloomfield and around the state that are part of Connecticut Trails Day. Thousands of people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and interests come together with a simple, common purpose: to celebrate the many hiking, biking, paddling, letterboxing, and equestrian experiences Connecticut’s trails have to offer! To find inspiration for your next hikes, visit Connecticut Trails Day.
You’re welcome to attend Board of Directors meetings to learn about the organization or to get more involved. This month we will be at Bloomfield’s Human Services Center. Please contact us if you have questions or suggestions for the agenda.
CHANGE IN LOCATION: Penwood State Park is anticipated to remain closed through May 12 due to rain delays in the repaving project. This event has been moved across the street to Talcott Mountain State Park.
Join land trust member Brian Kleinman for a guided outing in search of native and migratory birds in the woods, around the pond, and along the traprock ridge of beautiful Talcott Mountain State Park. Brian is the owner of Riverside Reptiles Education Center and a member of the Hartford Audubon Society. Bring your binoculars, dress in layers, and meet in the main parking lot.
April 28 update: This event is POSTPONED due to the weather, new date to be determined.
Ron Pitz returns for another interactive workshop on invasive species in our Connecticut landscapes. Join fellow residents in tackling some of these plants at Wintonbury Land Trust’s Hawk Hill Farm. You will walk away feeling confident in knowing how to identify and remove some of these harmful plants from your own backyards while socializing with other participants and getting physical exercise.
Ron is a Land Trust volunteer steward, DEEP-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist, and former executive director of the Knox Foundation. This program is provided in partnership with Bloomfield Public Library.
Please RSVP to help the organizers prepare. Recommended dress: long pants, long sleeved shirts, and gloves. Bring water, insect repellant, and any cutting and digging tools you have along with your fun spirit!
Celebrate Earth Month in Bloomfield with a free tour of our Hawk Hill Farm. The Land Trust and its partners preserved Hawk Hill Farm because it is one of the oldest continuously operating farms in Bloomfield and its gently sloping farm roads lead to beautiful views of the Metacomet Traprock Ridge and Hartford skyline.
We will walk approximately 2 miles to learn about the historic property’s many champion trees, volunteer efforts to manage invasive plants, and local birds that can be spotted on the pastures, pond, and forest (binoculars optional). Our guide will be Ron Pitz, a Land Trust volunteer steward, DEEP-certified Master Wildlife Conservationist, and former executive director of the Knox Foundation.
Please RSVP in advance to help us manage the group size. The rain date is Sunday, April 23. This event is co-sponsored by the North Central Conservation District and is part of the Town’s TREES FOR BLOOMFIELD initiative.
