Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve

Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve (also called Pierrepont State Park) is a public recreation area covering 305 acres (123 ha) in the town of Ridgefield, Connecticut. The state park offers opportunities for hiking, fishing, and boating.[3]

Seth Low Pierrepont
State Park Reserve
Location in Connecticut
LocationRidgefield, Connecticut, United States
Coordinates41°19′30″N 73°30′00″W[1]
Area305 acres (123 ha)[2]
Elevation958 ft (292 m)[1]
DesignationConnecticut state park
Established1956
AdministratorConnecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
WebsiteSeth Low Pierrepont
State Park Reserve

History

General Wooster led his troops down Old Barlow Mountain Road during the Revolutionary War. John Barlow's blacksmith shop was located here. An old foundation of the Scott House dating from the 1720s can be seen at the boat launch area. The stone walls and enclosures in the park were built by the Scott family when they farmed the land.[4] Diplomat Seth Low Pierrepont purchased the land from the Scott family in the 1930s, improving the property by having a dam built at an "impassable swamp" and creating Lake Naraneka. He bequeathed a portion of his estate, including the south and eastern shores of the lake, to the state upon his death in 1956. The opposite shore of the lake was sold to developers by his widow.[5]

Activities and amenities

The park's five blazed trails include one around the south end of Lake Naraneka (Pierrepont Pond). The park's main trail is the white trail, which goes along Pierrepont Lake from the parking lot, ascends to the highest point in the park, and then descends to a minor entrance. Hiking is easy around the lake, but moderate, with steep sections everywhere else. The top of Barlow Mountain offers views of Pierrepont Lake, Redding hills, and on rare occasions, Long Island Sound.[6] The park offers picnicking facilities, fishing,[7] and a launch for non-motorized boating on 38-acre (15 ha) Lake Naraneka.[8][3]

References
  1. "Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve". 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 March 20, 2014.
  3. "Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Retrieved February 5, 2013.
  4. Ridgefield Walk Book: Expanded & Revised (1997 ed.).
  5. Sanders, Jack (October 16, 2015). "Seth Low Pierrepont: He preferred an Indian's name to his own". The Ridgefield Press. Ridgefield, Conn. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  6. "Catalog of Ridgefield Open Spaces: Pierrepont State Park". Town of Ridgefield. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  7. "Lakes & Ponds: Pierrepont Pond" (PDF). 2017 Connecticut Angler's Guide. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. p. 39. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  8. "Pierrepont Pond Boat Launch". Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. June 5, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
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