Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve
Encyclopedia
Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve (also called Pierrepont State Park) is a state park located in Ridgefield
, Connecticut
.
Hiking is easy around the lake, but moderate, with steep sections everywhere else. Boating is permitted in Lake Naraneka, though motor boats are not allowed. No campfires or camping are accepted in the park, but cooking in grills is permitted. Fishing is permitted according to regulations of the State of Connecticut Board of Fisheries and Game.
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.
Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve was a gift to the Connecticut State Park and Forest Commission from Seth Low Pierrepont upon his death in 1956. Pierrepont was a millionaire and ex-diplomat who served as a United States official in Lisbon
, Rome
, Paris
, and Santiago
. He also worked as chief of the American Division of the State Department. Pierrepont purchased the estate from the Scott family in the early 1930s.
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Ridgefield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. Situated in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, the 300-year-old community had a population of 24,638 at the 2010 census. The town center, which was formerly a borough, is defined by the U.S...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
Description
The 313 acres (126.7 ha) park has a variety of trails, including one going around the South end of Lake Naraneka (Pierrepont Lake).Hiking is easy around the lake, but moderate, with steep sections everywhere else. Boating is permitted in Lake Naraneka, though motor boats are not allowed. No campfires or camping are accepted in the park, but cooking in grills is permitted. Fishing is permitted according to regulations of the State of Connecticut Board of Fisheries and Game.
Trails
There are five different blazed trails. The white trail goes around Pierrepont Lake, ascends to the highest point in the park, and then descends to a minor entrance. It is the park's main trail, and has been recently moved to avoid going through a wetland. The blue trail starts at the white trail, and ascends to a pair of view points. It continues to ascend to end at the white trail near the summit. The yellow trail is a by-pass of the summit. The orange trail is a short spur off and white trail and leads to two residential areas. The red trail is a longer spur off the white trail that leads to the northeastern part of the park, and then loops around and follows an old woods trail to a minor entrance.White Trail Realignment
Leading up to October 2010, there had been complaints about the safety of a system of bridges and elevated walkways on the white trail crossing a wetland. In response to this, that section was removed, and the trail was realigned to go around the wetland. This caused the orange and blue trails to sometimes run concurrent with the white trail, and duel markings were added to the trees in these areas.History
General WoosterDavid Wooster
David Wooster was an American general who served in the French and Indian War and in the American Revolutionary War. He died of wounds sustained during the Battle of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Cities, schools, and public places were named after him...
led his troops down Old Barlow Mountain Road during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. 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.
Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve was a gift to the Connecticut State Park and Forest Commission from Seth Low Pierrepont upon his death in 1956. Pierrepont was a millionaire and ex-diplomat who served as a United States official in Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
, Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. He also worked as chief of the American Division of the State Department. Pierrepont purchased the estate from the Scott family in the early 1930s.
External links
- Seth Low Pierrepont State Park Reserve - official site
- 2010 trail map. Please note that the roads are not correctly placed or named.
- 2008 trail map
