Connecticut River Greenway State Park

Connecticut River Greenway State Park consists of a number of separate state land holdings in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts. The park includes critical wildlife and plant habitat as well as areas providing public access to the Connecticut River. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (Massachusetts) (formerly the Department of Environmental Management) acquired most of the parcels over the past twenty years, adding on to earlier state holdings including Mount Tom State Reservation, Mount Holyoke Range State Park and Skinner State Park.

Much of the DCR's land acquisition for this park was spearheaded by staff person Terry Blunt, of whom the Director of State Parks and Recreation, Priscilla Geigis, said, "It's really been his leadership and his vision and his drive that has helped to coordinate so many different entities, landowners, towns, organizations, to come together and protect this very special place."^[1]

The Connecticut River Greenway State Park is intertwined with other protected land including farmland under state-held agricultural preservation restrictions (a type of conservation easement), municipal and conservation land trust holdings, and state and national wildlife refuges.

River access points

• Pauchaug, Northfield: one mile north of Northfield Center on Rte. 63. Paved parking area and ramp which can accommodate canoes and motorboats.
• Barton Cove, Gill: Rte 2 east of Turners Falls. Paved parking and ramp for motorboats or canoes.
• Sunderland: north side of Sunderland Bridge in Sunderland. Canoe and fishing access. Limited parking.
• Hatfield: Hatfield one mile north of the center. Canoes and shallow draft lightweight boats.
• Elwell Recreation Area, Northampton: Damon Road at Route 9 and I-91. Canoe and rowing only. Wheelchair accessible dock on the river. Limited parking.
• Oxbow Ramp, Easthampton: Interstate 91 to exit 18 south on Rte. 5 in Easthampton. Thirty-five parking spaces and a paved ramp. Customarily used by high powered recreational craft and larger fishing boats.
• South Hadley/Chicopee Boat Access: James St. downstream from the Holyoke dam. Gravel ramp for shallow draft fishing boats. Popular during shad fishing season.
• Chicopee Boat Access, Chicopee: Shallow, moderate and deep draft recreational and fishing boats. Easy canoe and rowing shell access.

Other areas

• French King Gorge
• Mt Toby State Forest

References

1. ^ Rossi, Dan (21 December 2006), "Blunt receives recognition for work", Daily Hampshire Gazette, http://www.gazettenet.com/ 

External links

• Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Resources page
• Mount Tom State Reservation
• Mount Holyoke Range State Park
• Skinner State Park

Coordinates: 42°36′27.4″N 72°32′30.3″W / 42.607611°N 72.54175°W / 42.607611; -72.54175