Meshomasic State Forest
| Meshomasic State Forest | |
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Connecticut River as seen from Great Hill in the Meshomasic State Forest
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Forest's location in the state of Connecticut
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| Location | Connecticut, USA |
| Nearest city | Middletown |
| Area | 9,000 acres (36 km2) |
| Established | 1903 |
| Governing body | Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection |
Coordinates: 41°38′N 72°33′W / 41.63°N 72.55°W
The Meshomasic State Forest is located in East Hampton, Portland, and Marlborough with smaller sections located in Glastonbury and Hebron. It is popular for mountain biking, hiking, and hunting. The Rangers Headquarters were located on Gadpouch Road in East Hampton.
Meshomasic State Forest began as 70 acres (280,000 m2), acquired for $105.00 in 1903. It was the first State Forest in Connecticut , and the second in the country (Pennsylvania had the first). The forest was originally purchased to provide private landowners with examples of good Forest management practices. During the Great Depression two Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps were located on the forest.Connecticut Route 2, connecting Hartford and Norwich, was built in the 1950s and 1960s and runs through the state forest from Exit 10 to Exit 12.
The state forest's second-growth forest is typical of the Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion. The forest is a mix of deciduous trees and white pine. One stand of white pine, referred to as the “big pines”, contains pines over 100 years old.
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