Wadsworth Falls State Park, or simply Wadsworth Falls, is a public recreation and preserved natural area located on the Coginchaug River in the towns of Middletown and Middlefield, Connecticut. The state park's offer trails for hiking and mountain biking, pond and stream fishing, swimming, and picnicking facilities. It is managed by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.HistoryThe falls are named after noted academic and linguist Clarence C. Wadsworth, a colonel in the New York National Guard who owned the property where the park now exists. After settling in Middletown, Connecticut, he worked for 45 years to preserve Wadsworth Falls In his will he established the Rockfall Corporation, which is tasked with protecting the land, plants, and animals on his estate. In 1942, were given to the State of Connecticut to become Wadsworth Falls State Park.FeaturesWaterfallsTwo natural waterfalls can be found within Wadsworth Falls State Park. The larger of the two falls, often informally distinguished as "Big Falls" or "Wadsworth Big Falls", drops the 52-foot breadth of the Coginchaug River some 30 feet (9.1 m) over a shelf of Hampden Basalt. Big Falls may be reached by car or by hiking from the main entrance on Route 157. The smaller of the falls, referred to as "Little Falls" or "Wadsworth Little Falls", is found along Wadsworth Brook and descends approximately 40 feet over an outcrop of sandstone known as Portland Arkose. Little Falls may be reached from either park entrance with a hike along the Main Trail and Little Falls Trail. Historic mansionThe Long Hill Estate mansion once belonging to Clarence C. Wadsworth is adjacent to the park, near. The restored mansion is owned by city of Middletown and is used as a reception hall. It may be reached from the park grounds by way of the purple-blazed hiking trail and has walking trails around its grounds.
