Tolland State Forest
Tolland State Forest, August 2007
Map showing the location of Tolland State Forest
Map showing the location of Tolland State Forest
Location in Massachusetts
Map showing the location of Tolland State Forest
Map showing the location of Tolland State Forest
Tolland State Forest (the United States)
LocationMassachusetts, United States
Coordinates42°08′03″N 73°01′46″W / 42.13417°N 73.02944°W / 42.13417; -73.02944[1]
Area4,415 acres (17.87 km2)[2]
Elevation1,457 ft (444 m)[1]
Established1925
Governing bodyMassachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
WebsiteTolland State Forest

Tolland State Forest is a publicly owned forest with recreational features covering 4,415 acres (1,787 ha) in the towns of Otis, Tolland, Blandford and Sandisfield in the southern Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.[3] The state forest centers on the 1,065-acre (431 ha) Otis Reservoir, the largest body of water for recreational use in western Massachusetts.[4] The forest is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

History

The state forest was created with the state's purchase of cut-over lumber lands in 1925. A Civilian Conservation Corps camp opened here in 1933. The Corps created the day-use and camping areas on the peninsula that extends into Otis Reservoir.[5] In 1966, the state expanded the forest through the purchase of the reservoir and surrounding lands.[4]

Activities and amenities

Forest trails are available for hiking, mountain biking, off-road vehicles, and cross-country skiing. The campground includes sites for tents and RVs. The day-use area offers swimming, picnicking, and a boat ramp. The reservoir is stocked in spring and fall with trout by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife.[6] The forest also offers educational programs and restricted hunting.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Tolland State Forest". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  2. ↑ "2012 Acreage Listing" (PDF). Department of Conservation and Recreation. April 2012. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Tolland State Forest". MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Gilmore Trail, Tolland State Forest" (PDF). MassParks. Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
  5. ↑ "The Civilian Conservation Corps: A Statewide Survey of Civilian Conservation Corps Resources". Prepared by Shary Page Berg (Beth McKinney, ed.) for the Massachusetts Office of Historic Resources. January 1999. pp. 100–101. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Trout Stocked Waters - Western District". Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. Retrieved July 24, 2013.
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