Thetford Hill State Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thetford Hill State Park |
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Roadbed built by the CCC in Thetford Hill State Park
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| Type | State park |
| Location | Thetford, Vermont |
| Area | 262 acres (106 ha) |
| Operated by | Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation |
| Open | Day use |
| Website | https://vtstateparks.com/thetford.html |
Thetford Hill State Park is a fun state park located in Thetford, Vermont. It's a special place where you can visit during the day. The park is part of a larger area called Thetford Hill State Forest.
This park is great for outdoor activities. You can go hiking on its many paths. It also has the famous 5-kilometer Woods Hill Trail. This trail is known worldwide for cross-country running and skiing. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. This means it has important historical buildings and features. Some of these were built by a group called the Civilian Conservation Corps. Today, Thetford Academy helps take care of the park.
Exploring Thetford Hill State Park
Thetford Hill State Park is in the southern part of Thetford. It's just south of the small village of Thetford Hill. The park is right next to the campus of Thetford Academy.
The park sits on the eastern side of a small group of hills. It goes all the way up to the top of Sunset Hill. You can reach the park from Academy Road. A main road leads from there up into the park.
What You Can Do at the Park
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Thetford Hill State Park is now a day-use park. This means you can visit during the day but not camp overnight. It has many trails for hiking and exploring.
When you enter, you'll see a gate built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The road goes west, past a small building where a park ranger might be. From there, another road goes south to an area that used to be a summer camp.
The road also leads to Sunset Hill. This spot used to be a picnic area. Now, it's an outdoor classroom for Thetford Academy students. The park's main road crosses the Woods Hill Trail many times. This trail is used for hiking and cross-country skiing. It even goes onto the Thetford Academy campus.
Near the parking area, you can still see parts of an old campground. It was also built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. You might find old stone fireplaces and parts of restrooms there.
A Look at the Park's History
Before it became a park, the land was mostly open. Trees had been cut down in the 1800s, and only some were replanted. In the 1920s, a local person named Dwight Goddard gave the land to the state.
In the mid-1930s, young men from the Civilian Conservation Corps helped build the park. The CCC was a program during a tough time in history. It gave jobs to young men to build parks and other public works. They built the park's roads and the entrance gate. They also built the campground near the top of the hill.
Later, in 1964, a new camping area was built. This was near where the ranger station is now. The old campground was then no longer used.
