Upper Coginchaug

This area is characterized by suburban development and many areas of privately and publicly owned open space, the largest of which is Wadsworth Falls State Park. The Park spans 265 acres in Middletown and Middlefield. There are two waterfalls on the Coginchaug in the park, as well as Laurel Brook, and the forest is characterized by many species of deciduous trees, dead and dying hemlock, mountain laurels, and much wildlife, including pileated woodpeckers (look for large, slightly rectangular holes in dying trees). This section also includes Middlesex Land Trust property adjacent to the Coginchaug River, Forest Grove, owned by the Rockfall Foundation, and Long Hill Estate (adjacent to Snow Elementary School). While much of the developed area is relatively flat or gently sloping, the banks of both the Coginchaug and Laurel Brook can be quite steep. The Coginchaug enters the densely residential Boston/Middlefield Road area, and is dammed at Star Mill Pond, creating wetlands that contain diverse wildlife such as kingfisher and beaver. Most of the area is residential or forested, though there are a number of tracts of privately owned post-agricultural fields and floodplain.

For additional information about Upper Coginchaug, please visit:
Geology of Wadsworth Falls State Park