The Devil’s Hopyard In East Haddam, Connecticut
Devil’s Hopyard State Park is one of the most beautiful parks in Connecticut and its name lends itself from several local folk tales due to the unique configuration of rocks that lay beneath the main waterfall in the park, Chapman’s Falls. One legend has it that a man named Dibble lived on the land before the start of the nineteenth century and grew hops there to be supplied for breweries. His name possibly later became corrupted into Devil’s. Another legend describes how local witches would stir their brews and create spells in the potholes below the falls while the devil himself presided over their meeting. A third legend claims that the devil once passed by the falls and when his tail became wet from the water, he burned his footprints into the stones below. The most likely explanation for the stone potholes beneath the falls, however, is due to the fact that over time, the steady stream of water carved out these holes, making natural indentations in them. The location of the falls is perfect for a state park, and became one in 1919 when the 860 acre parcel was purchased by the state of Connecticut. Chapman’s Falls has a drop of over sixty feet below where the streams of water land upon a number of rocks bearing potholes in them. The falls provide a spectacular view from the nearby picnic area.
The Devil’s Hopyard also has its own system of hiking trails which provide views of a U-shaped green valley caused by glacial formations from the Ice Age as well as some unusual rock formations that include glacial plucking, rock shelters, folds, and differential weathering. Glacial plucking occurs when a glacier forms around a rock and breaks it off during the summer months when the ice melts. Rock shelters, or natural caves, are also visible along the trails and suggest that Native American tribes used these as homes centuries ago. The rocks most commonly seen along the trails are: pegmatite, schist, and gneiss. Biotite and quartz minerals are also found in rocks and it is not unusual to see quartz-studded pegmatite rocks along the trails, particularly when the sunlight shines off of these rocks.
Amphobolite gneiss also appears alongside trails. This rock is black in color and contains needle-like grains giving it a unique textured appearance. Dry riverbeds can also be viewed from the hiking trails.
The Devil’s Hopyard also offers swimming, trout fishing, and overnight camping. There is a fee for overnight camping but no entrance fee for daytime visits of hiking and picnicking. Camping is available to families, individuals, and also youth groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.
Pets must be on a leash at all times in the picnicking and hiking areas but are not allowed on the campgrounds.
The Devil’s Hopyard is located at: 366 Hopyard Road, East Haddam, Connecticut.
Image Credit: Zindbar.
