Great Hollow Nature Preserve in New Fairfield celebrates National Trails Day with a 2 mile hike

On the weekend of June 4 and 5, Connecticut is set to host Connecticut Trails Day—the largest National Trails Day (NTD) celebration in the nation with over 200+ free events scheduled statewide. This annual celebration features activities for everyone, including hiking, biking, horseback riding, running, trail maintenance, kayaking, educational walks, bird watching, letterboxing, and more. These events are guided by knowledgeable volunteers from local hiking clubs, parks and recreation departments, state agencies, conservation organizations, historic groups, education programs, and land trusts.

The Great Hollow Nature Preserve will host a 2 mile hike around the historical farmstead and lead through a variety of habitats such as wet meadows, old fields, and forested uplands. "We will also take a short stroll into our neighboring Michael Ciaiola Park to view a gorge, locally known as Tuckers Run," Great Hollow Nature Preserve explains. Attendees are asked to park in the orchard area and meet outside the Walter Merritt homestead. Learn more about this hike here. 

As part of NTD, a nationwide hiking initiative established by the American Hiking Society in 1993, Connecticut’s weekend-long celebration is coordinated by the Connecticut Forest & Park Association (CFPA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving Connecticut’s land, trails, and natural resources. This long-standing event celebrates the state’s spectacular trails, the many joys and benefits they provide, and the countless supporters and volunteers who make them possible.

The success of Connecticut Trails Day would not be possible without strong participation by organizations like the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), land trusts, town agencies, outdoors-oriented businesses, hundreds of volunteers, dedicated sponsors, and CFPA.

The full listing of events can be viewed on the online directory of events and interactive map at www.ctwoodlands.org/TD2016 or in the printed 2016 Connecticut Trails Day Booklet (widely available by mid-May). CFPA members receive their printed booklet in the mail. Free printed booklets can also be picked up (while supplies last) at the CFPA headquarters in Rockfall, CT as well as at select public drop points: town halls, public libraries, nature centers, state parks, and outdoor retailers.