Complimentary Explore! Issue Outdoor, Indoor & Around Town Adventures in A NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR www.thelastgreenvalley.org • TOLL FREE 866-363-7226 1 Welcome to Explore! … …the most comprehensive 2018 EXPLORE! Table of Contents guide to discovering The The Last Green Valley Map . 2 Last Green Valley National The Last Green Valley Programs & Events 2018 . 4 Heritage Corridor and The Last Green Valley's 35 Special Towns . 6 Accommodations . 9 beyond. Comprised of 35 Astronomy/Night Sky Views . 11 towns and cities in eastern Bicycling & Mountain Biking . 13 Connecticut and south- Boating and Fishing . 16 central Massachusetts, Camping . 23 The Last Green Valley has Chambers/Economic Development . .26 something for everyone! Community Concerts . 30 Disc Golf . 32 Tackle hundreds of miles of Education . 33 trail, on foot, mountain bike, Electric Car (EV) Charging Stations . 35 snow shoes or even a horse! Entertainment & Theaters . 36 Paddle 87 miles of National Farms/Orchards/Nurseries/Forest & Wood Products . 39 Recreation Water Trails. Fish Hiking, Walking & Strolling Trails . 43 Horseback Riding & Horse Camping . 60 for trophy trout or fight with Hunting . 62 a pike. Walk in the footsteps Labyrinths/Mazes . 64 of American history. Eat Letterboxing & Geocaching . 65 incredible food sourced from Libraries of The Last Green Valley . 67 a farm just minutes away, MORE! Outdoor Activities & Sites . 69 and sip wine overlooking Museums & Historic Sites . 74 Nonprofits . 80 rolling hills. NPS Passport Stamp Locations . 93 Off-Road Vehicles/Snowmobiles . 94 Explore! connects you to this Paddling . 96 beautiful place where you Retail - Arts, Antiques & Uniques . 105 can play, eat and shop local. Scenic Overlooks & Views . 108 Service Businesses Join us to explore all The Last Medical Emergency Facilities . 111 Green Valley has to offer and General Services . 112 start your next adventure! Skate Parks . 117 State & Federal Parks & Forests Chart . 118 For your convenience, we have tried to make all information State & Federal Parks & Forests Map . 122 in this Guide accurate and up-to-date but assume no liability State & Federal Parks & Forests Descriptions . 124 for errors or omissions. We advise visitors to check times and charges to avoid disappointment since we cannot be Swimming & Scuba Diving . ..129 responsible for changes or cancellations. No portion of this Tastes & Sips . 133 Guide may be reproduced without written permission from Winter Activities . 138 The Last Green Valley, Inc. © 2018. Index . 143 Cover photos: Top photo K. DiBonaventura, bottom left A. Dabrowski, bottom center F. Kefalas, bottom right L. Moorehead A publication of The Last Green Valley, Inc. Design by Angell House Design P.O. Box 29, 203B Main Street Printing by AM Lithography Corp. on recycled paper Danielson, CT 06239-0029 860-774-3300 • 866-363-7226 toll free [email protected] • www.thelastgreenvalley.org 2 J. Gothreau 1 Explore! The Last Green Valley LEGEND Highway Scenic Drive Route 169 National Scenic Byway ] Explore! Join us as we celebrate the bounty of The Last Green Valley 2018 Programs & Events The Last Green Valley, Inc. (TLGV) staff and volunteers invite you to join the fun and learn 2018 about The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor by participating in our programs. tastes Keep up to date on our websites thelastgreenvalley.org and thelastgreenvalleyacorns.org and follow us Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. of the sunday, august 26 • 4:00 PM The Publick House, Sturbridge, MA Visit thelastgreenvalley.org for tickets and more information Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. Check Walktober activities to enjoy, fall is a wonderful thelastgreenvalley.org for the latest schedule. time to explore The Last Green Valley National TLGV Acorn Adventures Visit TLGV Rangers at Regional Events Historical Collaborations are sponsored by Heritage Corridor. Walk, hike, stroll, pedal, Kids, bring your adults out to explore The Last Want to learn more about The Last Green Savings Institute Bank & Trust. paddle, climb, stargaze, eat, shop, visit, enjoy, Green Valley every month with programs meant Valley National Heritage Corridor? Look for learn and connect to The Last Green Valley! to bring out the kid in all of us. Perfect for TLGV Rangers at more than 70 festivals, fairs Spring Outdoors people 12 and under - and sure to keep people and town celebrations throughout the year, Now in its 3rd year, Spring Outdoors has TLGV Youth Programs for Schools, 12 and over entertained - Acorn Adventures will including fun events like the Dudley Grange exploded with more than 200 activities Camps & Recreation Departments take us all across The Last Green Valley to dig in Strawberry Festival, First Fridays in Putnam, the between the Vernal Equinox (March 20) Our watershed education program is a free the mud and search streams for water critters, Woodstock Country Fair, Holland Zucchini Fest, and the Summer Solstice (June 21). Join our 30-45-minute interactive opportunity for trek around a historic farm, hike through the Celebrating Agriculture, Killingly Bike Night, partners and members on guided walks, bikes, middle school students (can be modified for woods looking for letterboxes and geocaches, Union Old Home Day and more. Stop by and paddles and tours during the entire season. younger or older groups) that is appropriate look toward the skies at our great big sun say hi to our Rangers! The Ranger program is Learn interesting stories and see things spring and fun for classrooms, club meetings and and twinkling stars, hang out with bats and sponsored by Savers Bank. to life in The Last Green Valley. camps. Materials are provided to conduct much more! Visit thelastgreenvalley.org and a hands-on session using watershed maps thelastgreenvalleyacorns.org for more details TLGV Ranger Talks Tastes of the Valley and a table-top watershed model. For more and to also find games and activities to do on Do you belong to an organization that is Join The Last Green Valley for a unique farm-to- information or to book a session for your your own! Acorn Adventures are sponsored by looking for an interesting and informative table feast and fundraiser on August 26 at the students, call 860-774-3300. Putnam Bank. program? Consider a presentation about The Publick House in Sturbridge, MA. Enjoy a multi- Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor. course, gourmet dinner that showcases creative Water Quality Monitoring TLGV Member Programs TLGV currently offers 9 different presentations, local chefs who expertly prepare foods grown, TLGV is always looking for volunteers to help Join Chief Ranger Bill Reid at monthly member each lasting approximately 45 minutes. Contact raised and crafted in The Last Green Valley’s 35 monitor the health of our streams, rivers, programs that vary from a mid-winter eagle Chief Ranger Bill Reid at [email protected] or call him towns. Share your table with a farmer, brewer ponds and lakes. Whether you would like survey to farm visits, historic site tours, dark sky at 860-774-3300 for more information. or vintner who is working hard to grow their to monitor once a season, once a month or programs and more. Not yet a member? Join agricultural business in The Last Green Valley. once a week, we have an opportunity for today! As an added benefit, TLGV members Historical Collaborations Tickets go on sale in early summer. you. Training and equipment are provided. Together, we can identify, track and correct receive In Touch, a biennial magazine that TLGV organizes quarterly programs for Walktober highlights the special people, places, treasures sharing resources among historic societies, problems that might otherwise go undetected. What started as a walking weekend almost and stories that make The Last Green Valley a libraries, and like-minded organizations For more information contact Jean Pillo, TLGV’s 30 years ago has grown to become The Last National Heritage Corridor. and interested citizens who are working to Volunteer Water Quality Monitor, at 860-928- Green Valley’s signature event throughout preserve the history and culture of The Last 4948 or [email protected] the month of October. With more than 200 4 Green leaf indicates member of TLGV Programs & Events 5 Explore! Sturbridge (1738) (town.sturbridge.ma.us): Killingly (1708) (killinglyct.gov): Celebrate Known far and wide for the living history variety in one small town. Historic downtown, 35 Unique Places to Visit in museum at Old Sturbridge Village, there are shopping, dining, rural areas & parks, the also well-tended trails and many organized Quinebaug River, and year-round events The Last Green Valley hikes thanks to Friends of Sturbridge Trails thanks to an active business association, (FrOST), plus dining, camping and more. town staff and volunteers. National Heritage Corridor Webster (1832) (webster-ma.gov): The Lebanon (1700) (lebanontownhall.org): largest natural lake in southern New England Want to stand where George Washington did? Our 35 municipalities offer hundreds of reasons to explore each and every one. Spread the word welcomes boaters and fisherman, and people You can in Lebanon. The Historical Society about the great places we have here in eastern Connecticut and south-central Massachusetts. who try to pronounce the lake’s real name: Museum & Visitors Center offers knock-out Lake Chargoggagoggmanchauggagog- displays, plus interactive opportunities for kids. gchaubunagungamaugg. Lisbon (1786) (lisbonct.com): National In Connecticut (26 towns): Scenic Byway Rte. 169 goes right down the middle of Lisbon; with the Shetucket River to Ashford (1714) (ashfordtownhall.org): the west and the Quinebaug River to the east, Home of Horizon Wings, a non-profit wildlife the views are indeed scenic. rehabilitation center specializing in birds of prey and offering programs at their home base Mansfield (1702) (mansfieldct.gov): Home and on the road. to UConn’s bustling campus and lots of open spaces including Mansfield Hollow State Park, Brooklyn (1786) (brooklynct.org): there is always something to do, whether New paddlers love the Riverside Park canoe trekking by yourself or attending events at a and kayak launch - paddle a few miles variety of entertaining venues.