Historic Wethersfield
Wethersfield, CT
CT Trails Day Paddle
June 7th, CT Trails Day Paddle
Great Meadows Conservation Trust, in collaboration with Connecticut River Conservancy, will be holding two paddles at Wethersfield Cove on Connecticut Trails Day Weekend. The paddles will be on Sunday, June 7.
A beginner paddle around the cove with paddle instruction and a limited number of kayaks available, and an intermediate paddle on the CT River from the cove to Hartford. Pr-registration is required for both paddles.
Registration required:
- Beginner: https://ct-trails-day-paddle-beginner.eventbrite.com
- Intermediate: https://ct-trails-day-paddle-intermediate.eventbrite.com
Fall Foliage Tour
October 17th, 10:00am. Fall Foliage Tour
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
More than 2,000 trees representing 100 species and varieties grace the grounds of Cedar Hill Cemetery. John Kehoe leads this autumn walk highlighting a colorful sampling of the remarkable collection including maples, cherries, beeches, pines, cedars and more.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
No pets allowed, except for service animals.
Stargazing at Cedar Hill
September 15th, 7:30pm. Stargazing at Cedar Hill
Admission: $10.00; Cedar Hill & ASGH Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Explore the night sky at Cedar Hill Cemetery with the Astronomical Society of Greater Hartford. Learn about telescopes and astronomy while viewing prominent objects such as the moon, globular clusters, planets, nebula, or galaxies.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
No pets allowed, except for service animals.
Mushroom Hunt
August 22nd, 10:00am. Mushroom Hunt
Admission: $10.00; Members Free – Reservations Encouraged
Join Joe Lenoce of Connecticut Valley Mycological Society in search of mushrooms at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Joe will discuss the basic types of fungi, where to find them, and proper methods
of collecting. Participants will then head out to search for mushrooms in the ornamental foreground.
The program concludes with Joe reviewing documentation resources while identifying any fungi collected. Appropriate shoes and basket or paper bag for collecting recommended.
Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
No pets allowed, except for service animals.
Tree Walk
June 6th, 10:00am. Tree Walk
Free – Reservations Encouraged
Join arborist John Kehoe on this walk featuring Cedar Hill Cemetery’s rare and
notable trees. The tour, through the ornamental foreground and historic memorial sections, will
highlight trees such as the beautiful European Weeping Beech, the unusual (for the Northeast) Umbrella Magnolia, and the Huss Hemlock named for a resident of Cedar Hill.
The Tree Walk is part of Connecticut Forest & Park Association’s Trails Day Weekend. A nationwide initiative, Trails Day encourages the public to explore the great outdoors.
Admission to the program is free. Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
No pets allowed, except for service animals.
Bird Walk
May 9th, 6:30am.Bird Walk
Free – Reservations Encouraged
Join Jay Kaplan from Roaring Brook Nature Center for his annual bird walk at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Jay will lead participants through the ornamental foreground in search of resident and migratory birds. Appropriate hiking shoes and binoculars are strongly recommended.
Admission to the program is free. Advance reservations are recommended and may be made online at www.cedarhillfoundation.org.
No pets allowed, except for service animals.
Arbor Day Celebration
May 2nd, 9:30am. Arbor Day Celebration/Tree Planting
Join Wethersfield Village Improvement Association along with Town dignitaries at Emerson Williams Elementary for a tree planting and celebration. The town’s 4th graders will read their poetry and show their drawings of trees. The John Chester Fife and Drum Corp will be there to perform.
A Spring Pruning Primer
March 14th, 10:00am – 11:30am. A Spring Pruning Primer: Roses, Fruit Trees, Evergreens, Perennials, and Grasses
After a long, cold winter, gardeners are eager to get back outside. Kick off your 2026 gardening season by joining Head Gardener Peter Winne for a workshop focused on pruning techniques and other essential early-spring garden tasks.
Learn about which plants to prune now, how much to cut back, and the right tools for the job. The workshop will also cover strategies for waking up perennial beds and borders after winter dormancy. Plants discussed will include roses; ornamental and fruit trees; a variety of perennials and ornamental grasses; and evergreen shrubs such as hollies and boxwoods.
This outdoor demonstration will take place in the museum gardens. In the event of rain, snow, or extreme cold, the workshop will be rescheduled for the following Saturday, March 21st.
Tickets: $20 | $15 Members | Children 6-12 FREE
*This event is not suitable for children under 6.
Get your tickets now!
https://www.simpletix.com/e/workshop-a-spring-pruning-primer-roses-fru-tickets-258066
GMCT Brisk Winter Walk
January 14th, 9:00am. Great Meadows Conservation Trust Brisk Winter Walks
About 1 hour.
Meet Goodwin University’s Bruce Morton, Program Director of Environmental Studies, at the Putnam Park parking lot, 100 Great Meadow Road, just north of the Putnam Bridge. We’ll peel away the centuries to imagine the river bank before the bridge, check out the strategically located Standish parcel, and explore the 300+ acre Crow Point property owned by Goodwin University. We’ll observe the process of nature reclaiming the land and waterways excavated for fill to build the highway across the ancient farmland and wetlands of the Great Meadows.
Dress for the weather and ground conditions, including mud or snow. Weather and water conditions may revise or cancel. These areas are used for hunting, so wear an orange vest if you have one. Call or text Jim Woodworth for the latest information, 860-808-9968.
Full GMCT Brisk Winter Walk Schedule:
Thursday, January 1, 1:00 pm, Wethersfield. About 11⁄2 hours. Meet Jim Woodworth at 160 Middletown Ave, south of Maple St, on GMCT’s Wood Parcel. Enjoy the Heritage Walk panels, new Eagle Scout installed accessible picnic table, native shrub plantings, and lush “Rays Crazy Fall Mix cover crop on the corn field! Cross the shiny bridge and follow the trail along the marsh and around the loop past the 18th century house site. Hike will continue across the culvert by the Pond, and out along the edge of the farm fields that once hosted the original “Pyquag” Native American summer camp and burial site. We’ll continue along Anderson Farm fields and the marsh, across the Frechette Field and Dowd Parcels and turf fields to the new 7Acres Flower Farm.
Saturday, January 3, 4:00 pm, Wethersfield. As the sun sets in the western sky (4:32pm), meet at the Keeney Center parking lot, 200 Main Street, Old Wethersfield. Walkers will stroll down Main Street to Wethersfield Cove Park (about 1 mile), through the parking lot to the Cove channel, under the I91 overpass and out to the River’s edge. The super Wolf Moon will rise (4:46pm) above the tree line on the eastern shore, shimmering on the river below!
Sunday, January 4, 1:00 pm, Rocky Hill. About 2 hours. Meet at the meadows gate at 78 Goff Brook Lane, off of Old Main St. Join Tim Lewis on a hike to several of our parcels in the Rocky Hill Meadows. We’ll walk the farm roads, take a turn around the Goff Brook Trail in the DiPaola parcel, and walk out into the meadows, noting the Nature Conservancy flood plain forest study transect and the planting of DED tolerant Elm Trees.
Saturday, January 10, 11:00 am, Glastonbury. About 2 hours. Meet at the Glastonbury ferry landing on Ferry Lane for a short turn around the Ferry Park trail, see the bench in memory of GMCT’s Betty Schmitt, and then cross Ferry Lane and walk upstream along the River through fields and pastures to the Walker Easement on the Coal Wharf. Nearby are archeological digs dating to the earliest settlement in Glastonbury, and a planting of DED tolerant elm trees positioned to spread their seeds on the spring freshet to the flood plain forests down-stream.
Sunday, January 11, 1:00 pm, Wethersfield. About 2 hours. Meet at 258 Elm St, at the underpass under I-91. A long hike down to the River and along the farm road, now designated a Greenway, to our Wolcott, Crilly and Zeleski parcels in the Wethersfield Meadows. From the Broad Street Green take Elm Street East, crossing Route 3. From the Silas Deane Hwy take Maple Street/Route 3 north, at the stop light, turn right on Elm Street.
Sunday, January 18, 1:00 pm, Wethersfield. About 1 hour. Meet at 412 Hartford Ave, corner of Jordan Lane, for a short walk through the gate to our Wolf Parcel and DeMille Easement on the Cove and Folly Brook. Stay for a longer walk, another two and a half hours, up Hartford Ave. and out along the Hartford dike that divides the Folly Brook Nature area from the South Meadows Industrial Park. We’ll walk through the area of the “tree removal” for the Brainard Airport approach and learn about advantages of “shrub/scrub” and early successional habitats.
Saturday, January 24, 9:00 am, Wethersfield. Meet Goodwin University’s Bruce Morton, Program Director of
Environmental Studies, at the Putnam Park parking lot, 100 Great Meadow Road, just north of the Putnam Bridge. We’ll peel away the centuries to imagine the river bank before the bridge, check out the strategically located Standish parcel, and explore the 300+ acre Crow Point property owned by Goodwin University. We’ll observe the process of nature reclaiming the land and waterways excavated for fill to build the highway across the ancient farmland and wetlands of the Great Meadows.
Sunday, January 25, 1:00 pm, Glastonbury. About 2 hours. Meet Tim Lewis at the Glastonbury Boat House, 252 Welles Street. View the beautiful River from the boat house veranda and Riverfront Park. Follow the trail through the park, past the DED tolerant elm trees, and down along the riverbank. Check out the eagles nest in Crow Point Cove on the way to the Preissner parcel, the First Church of Christ parcel and the newly acquired Botticello parcel in the Glastonbury meadows. Return along the trail or loop up to Main Street and return via River Front Park trail from Main Street.
Saturday, January 31, 9:00 am, East Hartford. Meet Goodwin University’s Bruce Morton, Program Director of Environmental Studies, at Hockanum Park, 324 High St. Explore our Wilson-Carvalho and Hockanum Meadows parcels in the “Wethersfield Triangle” of land marooned on the east side as the river meandered. We’ll observe the tree “obstruction removal” carried out by CAA on the approach to the Brainard field runway. We’ll explore the trails that Goodwin University has constructed with the help of DEEP trail grants and will soon pave from S. Meadow Rd. south along the River to connect with the Putnam Bridge trail.
Sunday, February 1st, 4:00pm, Wethersfield. Meet at the Keeney Center parking lot, 200 Main Street, Old Wethersfield. As the sun sets in the western sky (5:06 pm),walkers will stroll down Main Street to Wethersfield Cove Park (about 1 mile), through the parking lot to the Cove channel, under the I91 overpass and out to the River’s edge. The Snow Moon will rise (4:56pm) above the tree line on the eastern shore, shimmering on the river below!
Dress for the weather and ground conditions, including mud or snow. Weather and water conditions may revise or cancel. These areas are used for hunting, so wear an orange vest if you have one. Call or text Jim Woodworth for the latest information, 860-808-9968.
GMCT Brisk Winter Walks
January 18th, 1:00pm. Great Meadows Conservation Trust Brisk Winter Walks
About 1 hour.
Meet at 412 Hartford Ave, corner of Jordan Lane, for a short walk through the gate to our Wolf Parcel and DeMille Easement on the Cove and Folly Brook. Stay for a longer walk, another two and a half hours, up Hartford Ave. and out along the Hartford dike that divides the Folly Brook Nature area from the South Meadows Industrial Park. We’ll walk through the area of the “tree removal” for the Brainard Airport approach and learn about advantages of “shrub/scrub” and early successional habitats.
Dress for the weather and ground conditions, including mud or snow. Weather and water conditions may revise or cancel. These areas are used for hunting, so wear an orange vest if you have one. Call or text Jim Woodworth for the latest information, 860-808-9968.
Full GMCT Brisk Winter Walk Schedule:
Thursday, January 1, 1:00 pm, Wethersfield. About 11⁄2 hours. Meet Jim Woodworth at 160 Middletown Ave, south of Maple St, on GMCT’s Wood Parcel. Enjoy the Heritage Walk panels, new Eagle Scout installed accessible picnic table, native shrub plantings, and lush “Rays Crazy Fall Mix cover crop on the corn field! Cross the shiny bridge and follow the trail along the marsh and around the loop past the 18th century house site. Hike will continue across the culvert by the Pond, and out along the edge of the farm fields that once hosted the original “Pyquag” Native American summer camp and burial site. We’ll continue along Anderson Farm fields and the marsh, across the Frechette Field and Dowd Parcels and turf fields to the new 7Acres Flower Farm.
Saturday, January 3, 4:00 pm, Wethersfield. As the sun sets in the western sky (4:32pm), meet at the Keeney Center parking lot, 200 Main Street, Old Wethersfield. Walkers will stroll down Main Street to Wethersfield Cove Park (about 1 mile), through the parking lot to the Cove channel, under the I91 overpass and out to the River’s edge. The super Wolf Moon will rise (4:46pm) above the tree line on the eastern shore, shimmering on the river below!
Sunday, January 4, 1:00 pm, Rocky Hill. About 2 hours. Meet at the meadows gate at 78 Goff Brook Lane, off of Old Main St. Join Tim Lewis on a hike to several of our parcels in the Rocky Hill Meadows. We’ll walk the farm roads, take a turn around the Goff Brook Trail in the DiPaola parcel, and walk out into the meadows, noting the Nature Conservancy flood plain forest study transect and the planting of DED tolerant Elm Trees.
Saturday, January 10, 11:00 am, Glastonbury. About 2 hours. Meet at the Glastonbury ferry landing on Ferry Lane for a short turn around the Ferry Park trail, see the bench in memory of GMCT’s Betty Schmitt, and then cross Ferry Lane and walk upstream along the River through fields and pastures to the Walker Easement on the Coal Wharf. Nearby are archeological digs dating to the earliest settlement in Glastonbury, and a planting of DED tolerant elm trees positioned to spread their seeds on the spring freshet to the flood plain forests down-stream.
Sunday, January 11, 1:00 pm, Wethersfield. About 2 hours. Meet at 258 Elm St, at the underpass under I-91. A long hike down to the River and along the farm road, now designated a Greenway, to our Wolcott, Crilly and Zeleski parcels in the Wethersfield Meadows. From the Broad Street Green take Elm Street East, crossing Route 3. From the Silas Deane Hwy take Maple Street/Route 3 north, at the stop light, turn right on Elm Street.
Sunday, January 18, 1:00 pm, Wethersfield. About 1 hour. Meet at 412 Hartford Ave, corner of Jordan Lane, for a short walk through the gate to our Wolf Parcel and DeMille Easement on the Cove and Folly Brook. Stay for a longer walk, another two and a half hours, up Hartford Ave. and out along the Hartford dike that divides the Folly Brook Nature area from the South Meadows Industrial Park. We’ll walk through the area of the “tree removal” for the Brainard Airport approach and learn about advantages of “shrub/scrub” and early successional habitats.
*Canceled Saturday, January 24, 9:00 am, Wethersfield. Meet Goodwin University’s Bruce Morton, Program Director of Environmental Studies, at the Putnam Park parking lot, 100 Great Meadow Road, just north of the Putnam Bridge. We’ll peel away the centuries to imagine the river bank before the bridge, check out the strategically located Standish parcel, and explore the 300+ acre Crow Point property owned by Goodwin University. We’ll observe the process of nature reclaiming the land and waterways excavated for fill to build the highway across the ancient farmland and wetlands of the Great Meadows.
*Canceled Sunday, January 25, 1:00 pm, Glastonbury. About 2 hours. Meet Tim Lewis at the Glastonbury Boat House, 252 Welles Street. View the beautiful River from the boat house veranda and Riverfront Park. Follow the trail through the park, past the DED tolerant elm trees, and down along the riverbank. Check out the eagles nest in Crow Point Cove on the way to the Preissner parcel, the First Church of Christ parcel and the newly acquired Botticello parcel in the Glastonbury meadows. Return along the trail or loop up to Main Street and return via River Front Park trail from Main Street.
Saturday, January 31, 9:00 am, East Hartford. Meet Goodwin University’s Bruce Morton, Program Director of Environmental Studies, at Hockanum Park, 324 High St. Explore our Wilson-Carvalho and Hockanum Meadows parcels in the “Wethersfield Triangle” of land marooned on the east side as the river meandered. We’ll observe the tree “obstruction removal” carried out by CAA on the approach to the Brainard field runway. We’ll explore the trails that Goodwin University has constructed with the help of DEEP trail grants and will soon pave from S. Meadow Rd. south along the River to connect with the Putnam Bridge trail.
Sunday, February 1st, 4:00pm, Wethersfield. Meet at the Keeney Center parking lot, 200 Main Street, Old Wethersfield. As the sun sets in the western sky (5:06 pm),walkers will stroll down Main Street to Wethersfield Cove Park (about 1 mile), through the parking lot to the Cove channel, under the I91 overpass and out to the River’s edge. The Snow Moon will rise (4:56pm) above the tree line on the eastern shore, shimmering on the river below!
Dress for the weather and ground conditions, including mud or snow. Weather and water conditions may revise or cancel. These areas are used for hunting, so wear an orange vest if you have one. Call or text Jim Woodworth for the latest information, 860-808-9968.
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