J. Harry Rich State Forest
This is a longer walk, but easy. Wide flat trails. Beautiful views. Quiet. Now is the time to walk this trail as the clethra comes into bloom
Some of Groton’s prettiest land
Is river frontage that is not bland
Beyond this unassuming gate
Are walking trails of highest rate.
Harry Rich, a tree farm he grew
A forestry professor who
Saved riparian land for you.
Before Rich got his claim
Petapawag was its name
An active trading post of fame.
Early Selectman John Tinker
A man of honor, no stinker*
Created our own town Groton
Where life is far from rotten
Known as the Nashaway trader
He was also a righteous crusader
Follow the sandy trail, you kno
w,
How many fancy ferns do grow?
Lady, bracken, and sensitive,
Many more types do thrive and live,
Check the list, it’s transformative!
Through the ferns, by the river’s bank
The first coin is not so swank
Stop and smell the sweet clethra
Bushes of which there’s a pleth’ra
The next coin is on half a pine
Bittersweet an invasive vine
Twists around the dead half staff
For its missing its top half
The third coin dangles from a tree
Over the river happily
Next to a stump chewed by Bucky
You’ll find the medallion if you’re lucky
The burned tree long deceased
Like a compass it points due east
To the tree where the fourth coin hides
Behind the old stump it resides.
It also marks the unfortunate spot
Where a planned fire burned red hot
Training for fire fighting crews
Deep in the woods with gorgeous views
Leave the winding river behind
The double trunk tree to find
A norway spruce climbs for the sun
Find the fifth coin and end the fun.
!
