Calvin Coolidge State Forest
{{Short description|State Forest in Rutland and Windsor counties, Vermont}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox park
| name = Calvin Coolidge State Forest
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| type = State forest
| location = Mendon, Rutland County, Vermont
| coords = {{coord|43.5834|-72.9285|type:landmark_scale:10000_region:US|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|22564|acre|km2|abbr=on}}
| created = 1925
| operator = Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation
| status =
| website = [http://fpr.vermont.gov/state_lands/management_planning/documents/district_pages/coolidge_sf Website]
}}
Calvin Coolidge State Forest, also known as Coolidge State Forest, covers {{convert|22564|acre|km2|abbr=on}} in two parts in Rutland and Windsor counties in Vermont. The West portion cover {{convert|17259|acre|km2|abbr=on}} in Killington, Mendon, Plymouth and Shrewsbury in both counties.{{cite web|title=Coolidge State Forest, West|url=http://fpr.vermont.gov/state_lands/management_planning/documents/district_pages/district_2/coolidge_west_forest|publisher=Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation|accessdate=25 July 2016}} The East portion cover {{convert|5305|acre|km2|abbr=on}} in Bridgewater, Plymouth, Reading, and Woodstock in Windsor County.{{cite web|title=Coolidge State Forest, East|url=http://fpr.vermont.gov/state_lands/management_planning/documents/district_pages/district_1/coolidge_east|publisher=Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation|accessdate=25 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130192451/http://fpr.vermont.gov/state_lands/management_planning/documents/district_pages/district_1/coolidge_east|archive-date=30 January 2017|url-status=dead}}
The forest is managed by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation for timber resources, wildlife habitat, and recreational activities.
Activities in the forest include camping, hiking, picnicking, fishing, hunting, trapping, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
East section
Coolidge State Park in the East section in Plymouth is the most developed and primary recreational center for the forest, and features a campground. The park's facilities were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the 1930s, and are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|02000081}}|title=NRHP nomination for Coolidge State Park|publisher=National Park Service |author=Amy Lord |date=2002|accessdate=2016-06-19}}
There are several remote lean-tos, primitive camping areas, and gold panning. The Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST) grooms an extensive network of road and trails for snowmobiling in the winter. There are also hunting opportunities for game species such as deer, moose, and ruffed grouse.
The CCC built many of the roads in the East section.
In the East, the forests are typically hardwood and often steep, and are actively managed for timber.
West
The West section features many hiking trails, including the Shrewsbury Peak Trail, Tinker Brook Trail, Bucklin Trail and portions of the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail.{{cite web|title=Coolidge State Forest Summer Recreation|url=https://www.trailfinder.info/trails/trail/coolidge-state-forest|publisher=Trail Finder|accessdate=25 July 2016}} There are trails for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing, as well as snowshoeing. Hunting, fishing and trapping occurs in this section.
The West section of Calvin Coolidge State Forest is located along the Green Mountains ridgeline and features many high forested mountain peaks, including Killington Peak, Little Killington, Shrewsbury, Saltash, Mendon and Smith peaks.
There are three designated Vermont State Natural Areas – Tinker Brook Natural Area (106 acres) in Plymouth, Shrewsbury Peak Natural Area (100 acres) in Shrewsbury, and Mendon Peak Natural Area (90 acres in the state-owned portion above 3200 feet) in Mendon.{{cite web|title=Vermont Natural Areas|url=http://fpr.vermont.gov/state_lands/acquisition/maps_lands/natural_areast|publisher=Vermont State Lands Administration|accessdate=25 July 2016}}{{Dead link|date=June 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
References
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External links
- [http://fpr.vermont.gov/state_lands/management_planning/documents/district_pages/coolidge_sf Official website]
{{Protected areas of Vermont}}
Category:Vermont state forests
Category:Protected areas of Rutland County, Vermont
Category:Protected areas of Windsor County, Vermont
Category:1925 establishments in Vermont
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