This cache is located along a flat walk/bike/jog trail (trail is handicap accessible but this cache may not be). Entire round trip for whole trail is approx. 2.5 miles. This is one of our favorite spots to kayak. There are lots of caches in the north side of the park, so we decided to add some on this side.
Beware of lake-effect winds, man-eating mosquitos and muggles. Great place to walk dogs, but be sure to watch out for “doggie land mines”. Do NOT go off the trail – do NOT disturb rocks, do NOT mess with the red lights.
* * Background info:
Mansfield Hollow Lake is a reservoir resting on the border of Windham County and Tolland County, Connecticut. It was created by the Mansfield Hollow Dam and is entirely contained within Mansfield Hollow State Park.
Designed and constructed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, this dam substantially reduces flooding along the Quinebaug, Shetucket, and Thames rivers. Construction of the project began in 1949 with completion in 1952 at a cost of US$6.5 million.
The Mansfield Hollow reservoir is located within the Shetucket River Watershed and is part of the Thames River Basin. Access to the site is available from US Route 6 and State Route 195.
The project consists of a rolled earth fill dam with stone slope protection 12,420 feet long and 68 feet high. The spillway comprises a concrete weir 690 ft in length. The weir's crest elevation is 16 feet lower than the top of the dam. The permanent lake at Mansfield Hollow Dam, Naubesatuck Lake is 450 acres in size. The flood storage area for the entire project covers about 1,880 acres in the towns of Mansfield, Windham, and Chaplin, Connecticut. The entire project, including all associated lands, covers 2,472 acres. The Mansfield Hollow Dam can store up to 16.1 billion gallons of water for flood control purposes. This is equivalent to 5.8 inches of water runoff from its drainage area of 159 square miles.
The top of the dam itself is popular for walking, jogging, and biking. The west half of the dam is approx. 1-mile long, the east half is almost 2 miles long. Parking is available at the State Park, Damsite, Commuter Parking Lot on US Route 6, and athletic field parking lot on State Route 89.
A boat launch is located on Bassett Bridge Road in the town of Mansfield, 1/2 mile east of the State Park entrance. No fee.
The dam runs alongside Windham Airport.
The Geology of Mansfield Hollow State Park: http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325144&depNav_GID=1650
