Wharton Brook State Park
96 acres in North Haven and Wallingford, CT
Parking: A couple lots near 675 US-5, North Haven, CT
Trail Map Trails: Less than a mile Rating: ★★★☆☆
I wish that I got to see Wharton Brook before the tornado in May 2018, the pines by the parking area must have been a sight to behold.
Unfortunately, I visited when the park officially reopened in January of 2019 after most of the cleanup had been completed. I was greeted by a now open field and a mostly bare park with stacks of picnic tables. Wandering through the picnic area and the tracks of heavy machinery I headed down towards Allen Brook Pond.
The swimming area here is a small beach that was empty in January. Past the beach is the short 0.66 mile loop through a damaged pitch pine forest. These unique trees had been carefully managed to help them thrive, but they too took a hit with the tornado.
There is a short spur to Allen Brook that was still clogged with fallen trees. I look forward to seeing how the park recovers over the years to come.
History:
Established as a state park in 1918.
Links:
Peter Marteka – Saving A Rare Pitch Pine Ridge Forest Along The Shoreline (2016)
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Last updated January 15th, 2019
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