Outdoor Enthusiast: Sunset Rock

We took a slight right at the hidden road sign and began to  make our way down a bumpy dirt road sidelined by industrial buildings and homes.  Passing under a graffiti covered bridge we continued down the road with certain doubt about where we were heading.  Were we lost again?  The road opened up to a picnic area along the water of the Poquonnock River; we had reached our destination, Bluff Point State Park.  Park Ranger Jon Lincoln greeted us as we made our way through the picnic tables to the entrance of the park. Luckily, the weather cooperated with our visit, and the slightly overcast day made for a perfect walk along Bluff Point's main trail.  Bluff Point State Park sits in the southeastern corner of the state, extending into Long Island Sound. Surrounded by the Puquonnock River on the west and Mumford Cove on the east, the park encompasses over eight-hundred acres of trails, marshes, coastlines, and beaches where visitors may partake in a variety of activities. While only twenty-eight of the eight-hundred acres are open to the public for use, this is certainly not limiting  Jon took us along the main trail which loops for about three miles, where we witnessed all sorts of activities such as mountain biking, running, hiking, fishing and swimming.  Project Oceanology was even there conducting an youth orientated educational class on marine wildlife.  Jon explained how many local school groups come to the park to conduct research in the marshes and water.

Popular activities also include kayaking, boating, and even horseback riding.  The rest of the eight-hundred acres are a designated coastal reserve and natural preserve, which are protected by legislation against development.  The park has a rich history dating back to the 1600s where Native Americans occupied the area, taking advantage of the ample sea life located in the surrounding rivers.  After the Pequot War the park was occupied by a single farmhouse, which foundation is still visible today.  Many of the crops from the original farm, such as blackberry bushes and apple trees have thrived in the fertile ground throughout the years, and are available to be picked and enjoyed throughout the trail.  In the 1930s, Bluff Point was home to a small summer community, which was ultimately destroyed by a hurricane in 1938.  After explaining the history of the summer community, Jon led us along a short, narrow path of the main trail to a popular point of interest called Sunset Rock.  I was expecting a scenic area where one could come and in fact see the sunset, but was surprised to find Sunset Rock to be just that, a rock.  The rock was large and in a densely covered forest, where no sunset could possible be seen.  Jon explained, however, that this area was where the summer community came for religious services, and at one time, a sunset could indeed be seen.  This history of the area, was surprising, as I had only known the area to be a fun and challenging running trail, not anything more.  Over the course of the tour we traveled from dense forest to a beach, to a marsh and then to a cove.  Bluff Point occupies a diverse range of geographies that could satisfy any outdoor aficionado's needs.  

- Maura Hallisey